Carbon filters. What are you using and why?

[B0ssD0ss]

Have you looked into a DIY carbon filter setup? Takes a little tooling around, But you can then simply purchase new carbon and replace the old as it "wears out". Doing this you can make it any size needed as well.

No I just bought a phresh 4" x 12"

 

[CF89]

Here’s my problem. My filter is good but my 4” intake is stronger than my 6” vivosun exhaust and the tent ends up expanded like a balloon and pushes air out of any crack and hole it can so the basement smells anyway. I might need a brand name 6” or even an 8” exhaust. Ugh.

 

[MIMedGrower]

Here’s my problem. My filter is good but my 4” intake is stronger than my 6” vivosun exhaust and the tent ends up expanded like a balloon and pushes air out of any crack and hole it can so the basement smells anyway. I might need a brand name 6” or even an 8” exhaust. Ugh.

Fan speed controller

 

[CF89]

Fan speed controller

Cranked as high as it’ll get. Was a waste of money really.
I heard the cheap ones aren’t good anyways as they only cut the power on and off thousands of time a second to slow it down. Kinda like flicking a light bulb on and off real fast instead of dimming it... it’s hard on electronics.

 

[Aqua Man]

Here’s my problem. My filter is good but my 4” intake is stronger than my 6” vivosun exhaust and the tent ends up expanded like a balloon and pushes air out of any crack and hole it can so the basement smells anyway. I might need a brand name 6” or even an 8” exhaust. Ugh.

You have a filter on the exhaust?

 

[MIMedGrower]

Cranked as high as it’ll get. Was a waste of money really.
I heard the cheap ones aren’t good anyways as they only cut the power on and off thousands of time a second to slow it down. Kinda like flicking a light bulb on and off real fast instead of dimming it... it’s hard on electronics.

I have had active air fans 4” and 6” with theirs and various other cheap speed controllers going for over 6 years now. Always turned down some too.

Yes when turned down low you can hear the pulse. A real variac would work better but cost like $200.


You gotta do something. Switch the fans. Need negative pressure to keep smell in and properly exhaust and recirculate fresh air.

Tents dont usually need intake fans. I made light proof intakes from 7” semi flexible ducts with black foam on either end bent down through the tent like an upside down “U”. Passive intakes.

 

[DreamsOfDiesel]

I have had active air fans 4” and 6” with theirs and various other cheap speed controllers going for over 6 years now. Always turned down some too.

Yes when turned down low you can hear the pulse. A real variac would work better but cost like $200.


You gotta do something. Switch the fans. Need negative pressure to keep smell in and properly exhaust and recirculate fresh air.

Tents dont usually need intake fans. I made light proof intakes from 7” semi flexible ducts with black foam on either end bent down through the tent like an upside down “U”. Passive intakes.

I use intake because I don't have dehum & it helps, not needed if you have rest of equipment for your environment

 

[MIMedGrower]

I use intake because I don't have dehum & it helps, not needed if you have rest of equipment for your environment

I agree it helps. Takes some strain off the exhaust fan too. I use 2 intake fans for my flower room. One on each side to blow air conditioned air in from the adjacent veg/lung room.


Every situation is a little different for sure.

 

[CF89]

You have a filter on the exhaust?

yes

this is my setup. What’s my problem?

Either 1. The carbon filter is clogged due to my humidifier for the last 2-3 weeks.

Or 2. The shitty no name China 6” fan simply isn’t strong enough to move enough air, especially with the shitty no name China carbon filter on it.

the 4” intake fan is connected to a Y and underneath a metal rack so not only does it blow fresh air in. But it hits the bottom of the pots/canopy and possibly provides air flow and removes stale air.


then there’s a tower fan in one corner and a clip on fan in another.

I also have a dehumidifier and a humidifier. Got everything. It just doesn’t work that well. Go vivosun!

 

[Aqua Man]

yes

this is my setup. What’s my problem?

Either 1. The carbon filter is clogged due to my humidifier for the last 2-3 weeks.

Or 2. The shitty no name China 6” fan simply isn’t strong enough to move enough air, especially with the shitty no name China carbon filter on it.

the 4” intake fan is connected to a Y and underneath a metal rack so not only does it blow fresh air in. But it hits the bottom of the pots/canopy and possibly provides air flow and removes stale air.


then there’s a tower fan in one corner and a clip on fan in another.

I also have a dehumidifier and a humidifier. Got everything. It just doesn’t work that well. Go vivosun!

They dont do well and plug a bit more as the humidity and temps go up. Maybe try to put it outside and make sure the pre-filter is clean

 

[SaintsSamilia]

yes

this is my setup. What’s my problem?

Either 1. The carbon filter is clogged due to my humidifier for the last 2-3 weeks.

Or 2. The shitty no name China 6” fan simply isn’t strong enough to move enough air, especially with the shitty no name China carbon filter on it.

the 4” intake fan is connected to a Y and underneath a metal rack so not only does it blow fresh air in. But it hits the bottom of the pots/canopy and possibly provides air flow and removes stale air.


then there’s a tower fan in one corner and a clip on fan in another.

I also have a dehumidifier and a humidifier. Got everything. It just doesn’t work that well. Go vivosun!

One way to check if its actually the fan or the charcoal filter would be to take the filter off and try running it fan to fan without fan to filter that would definitely answer the question if the filters clogged

 

[DreamsOfDiesel]

One way to check if its actually the fan or the charcoal filter would be to take the filter off and try running it fan to fan without fan to filter that would definitely answer the question if the filters clogged

I had my filter unhooked for a while, was getting too hot & I was more concerned with temp than smell, it won't hurt to try it

 

[Grownsince95]

Looks like you have the wrong underpowered inline can style fan on the carbon filter. Switch them. Put the strongest fan on top. Other than that the tent looks really great man! ❤❤

 

[Grownsince95]

I just noticed they're diff sizes 4" and 6" damn....sorry should have looked closer

 

[Grownsince95]

I also don't see why you couldn't use passive intake too....

 

[Aqua Man]

I also don't see why you couldn't use passive intake too....

Would be my thoughts also. Just need to make sure you have adequate intake size.

 

[Pondracer]

I run an iPower 6" in a 5x9 on the intake side of some ridiculous high cfm thats necked down to 4" schedule 40 pipe running 60ish feet. Zero smell on this first grow. I had a friend stick his head into the basement and he could tell nothing.

 

[CF89]

I also don't see why you couldn't use passive intake too....

Why does the intake fan hurt so much? I just figured the additional breeze to the bottom of the canopy the the soggy fabric pots wouldn’t hurt. Except it’s pressurizing my tent. And honestly. The little vivosun 4” intake that’s split into 2 barely seems to blow that hard anyways.

I will remove and test without filter tomorrow. The filter is 27 days old and has only seen vegged plants.

240cfm fan.

 

[MIMedGrower]

Why does the intake fan hurt so much? I just figured the additional breeze to the bottom of the canopy the the soggy fabric pots wouldn’t hurt. Except it’s pressurizing my tent. And honestly. The little vivosun 4” that’s split into 2 barely seems to blow that hard

I will remove and test without filter tomorrow. It’s not even a month old and has only seen vegged plants.

240cfm fan.

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Theres your problem. I think it was said earlier in the thread. Thats a duct helper fan. Designed to help push already inline fan driven air down long lengths of duct. Its not static 240 cfm. Im surprised they put that on there.

You need an inline fan or a mixed flow fan to filter and exhaust the tent. A 6” inline fan will be a real 300-450cfm. A 4” inline fan like 200cfm but way way stronger than the duct helper fan.

 

[CF89]

Ah damn!!! Well that’s an easy, but expensive fix. Ugh. You guys are the best. Thanks again!!

Edit: vivosun 6” proper fan is 440cfm and $85. Cfm is probably a lie.

and ac infinity cloudline is 405cfm and $200