Frustrated beyond belief. I feel like a moron. Please help!

ChronicNewbie · Jun 1, 2022

Where to begin?

1st time grower, slightly perturbed at the cost of dispensary buds ($400/oz), so I got hooked up with a 2x2x5 tent, fan, carbon filter, etc.

For now, I’m fine with light cycles, pH’iing water & nute schedule(s).

In my tent, which is in a room which is constantly A/C’d at 73-74 degrees, I have the fan (carbon filter is outside of the tent), an LED light, digital hygrometer and 2 5-gal felt pots.

I cracked my 2 Autoflower (though I don’t know if that’s relevant) seeds via ‘paper towel’ method, planted into pots.

Began to water plants, initiate lights at proper height/time schedule - here’s where I think my issue comes in…

A few days into ‘grow’, I noticed that both the temperature & relative humidity of my tent were WAY too high (over 85/both), which I know will/did cause plant(s) death.

I tried, via a small dehumidifier - to modify the humidity - to no avail. I got really pissed off, rolled a joint and decided to sleep on it… dug out the seeds and tossed ‘em next morning… but I desire to learn how to do this properly with the other seeds I have on hand.

I purchased an external/portable air conditioner and I’m hoping that this will help reduce the temp/humidity in the room (and then the tent itself)??? Haven’t tried it out yet…

I’m fearing wasting 2 more fem/auto seeds I acquired; don’t wanna F this up, again.

Knowing what I’ve told you, can you provide any insight/advice re: external A//C and temp/humidity issues given my 2x2x5 tent?

My temp & humidity are too high. I don’t understand how I can modify these factors in my case, here. Again, contained within a relatively-small area/footprint, I don’t see how - without leaving my tent window/zipper open - my metrics will be OK for growth, etc.

The lights put out X watts or lumens or whatever - I don’t think this is a variable which I can adjust. The size of the tent may be the issue - I can’t change that, either.

Unsure, lost + seeking solid advice.

I’m TRULY humbled by this process, btw.

mysticepipedon · Jun 1, 2022

If the air is cooler outside the tent, get a more powerful exhaust fan, or if you have an adjustable speed fan, adjust upward.

2Bad · Jun 1, 2022

I run a $200 dehumidifier and a AC it's very tough. My room stays around a constant 83 now and 50% during flower. Best I could get mine too. Also 5 gallon pots arent all the same size . I bought a 7 gallon pot which was almost the size of my 3 gallon ac infinity pot BUT the point im trying to make is the larger the pot/soil the more humidity it will bring. Also once your plants dry the humidity will go down so maybe the pot was just drenched and you never gave it time to dry? Pictures always are best on here . But that's all I got for now. Good luck and take ur time before u pop the next seeds. Humidity goes way high in summer in winter it's like 20-30% humidity.

Moe.Red · Jun 1, 2022

ChronicNewbie said:
In my tent, which is in a room which is constantly A/C’d at 73-74 degrees, I have the fan (carbon filter is outside of the tent), an LED light, digital hygrometer and 2 5-gal felt pots.

Hiya Chronic, welcome to the farm.

I want to better understand this statement. Is this like a tent in a bedroom?

Do you have the fan / carbon filter set up so that it is blowing from the inside of the tent thru the carbon filter and into the room?

Could you maybe post a pic of the whole setup to answer a bunch of questions?

growsince79 · Jun 1, 2022

Blow the exhaust outside and you probably wont need a dehumidifier.

Madbud · Jun 1, 2022

Looks like overwatering

Oldchucky · Jun 1, 2022

I think I would try popping them and then putting them into solo cups and then put them on a windowsill or under another light but outside of the tent. Till you get a couple of nodes Or about three or 4 inches tall. Then put them in the tent and see what happens. Just my two cents.

ChronicNewbie · Jun 2, 2022

Thanks to ALL of y'all for Insights... enclosing some pics per suggestion.

I COULD move my fan outside of my tent / attach to filter, but every bone in my body says that my temp issue comes from the LED light itself. and not the fan.
Can't NOT give the plant(s) light, though...

My fan has an external timer/adjust on it - had run it on high/100% (fail) at all times (in an effort to reduce heat/humidity).

Per specifications - 4" inline fan (2550 rpm / Airflow: 200 cfm)...
Light: TS 600W grow light...

Will try seeds in cups until they show potential before moving to pots.

mysticepipedon · Jun 2, 2022

This may sound a little crazy, but where is that exhaust fan drawing air from? From the pics, one might think it's being drawn from outside the tent, to be routed through the tent in ducts, and then out into the filter on the other side. Is that the case?

You need to put the filter inside the tent and the fan outside the tent. The system should be drawing air through the filter INSIDE THE TENT, exhausting it outside the tent, and maybe outside the house.

Oldchucky · Jun 2, 2022

I forgot they are autos. So read up on transplanting them. Just from reading all the auto threads I’ve come to the conclusion that the, pots of a thousand autos have been watered by the tears of their frustrated rookie growers! Once you pop them you are racing the clock to get them as big as possible before they flower. That can lead to overfeeding, over lighting, overwatering, etc. I think autos should be left to the experts. Why put that kind of pressure on a new grower. Seven of the most insightful words I’ve read here are, once you flip they are all autos. Good luck

visajoe1 · Jun 2, 2022

@mysticepipedon nailed it.

@ChronicNewbie fix your tent setup, throw seeds in a cup, and read about VPD while you wait for them to sprout. You're a lot closer to success than you think

Oldsog · Jun 2, 2022

be careful of using a fan that is too strong. if you don't have enough air coming you could create a vacuum and collapse the tent.
in a 5x5 tent i had to get a speed controller to slow down the inline fan.

TSD · Jun 2, 2022

You dug up thr seeds and chucked them before they even sprouted? That was probably not necessary... but yeah, get the tent set up properly and you should have less issues... can you vent out that window?

steamroller · Jun 2, 2022

Your fan is incorrectly hooked up as mentioned .
It has no effect at all the way it is .
Disconnect the air coming into the fan from the tube that goes outside, so it can blow air from the tent...

TSD said:
You dug up thr seeds and chucked them before they even sprouted? That was probably not necessary... but yeah, get the tent set up properly and you should have less issues... can you vent out that window?

I don't understand just deciding they were going to die so digging them up either .
I would put solid effort in with 85/85 and work it from there. They are seedlings and love humidity ?

Perrin6363 · Jun 2, 2022

mysticepipedon said:
If the air is cooler outside the tent, get a more powerful exhaust fan, or if you have an adjustable speed fan, adjust upward.

This worked for me. Got a bigger fan, opened up more vents. Also those portable ac units you can vent directly into the tent. Blast cold fresh air in there, it will drop both temp and humidity. I was going to if I needed it but opening more vents brought be down.

High5_it_in · Jun 2, 2022

I have AC infinity stuff, and I've set em up just like they show on their site https://www.acinfinity.com/
I've ran 550w and 300w lights in my 2x4's my humidity stays pretty low(50-60%), temps range from 70's-80's.

No worries it's all good, you'll get em dialed in, I know I get humbled all the time about WTF is going on sometimes inside my tents.

ArtfulCodger · Jun 3, 2022

Any chance your light has a detachable driver? Moving the driver outside the tent can help with heat.

High5_it_in · Jun 3, 2022

600w is a pretty powerful light for a 2x2, is it dimmable? also 5' tent height doesn't give you much room to work with. At that https://www.acinfinity.com/ site they have a technical guide for different tent setups

Frustrated beyond belief. I feel like a moron. Please help!

Frustrated beyond belief. I feel like a moron. Please help!

ChronicNewbie

mysticepipedon

2Bad

Moe.Red

growsince79

Madbud

Oldchucky

ChronicNewbie

mysticepipedon

Oldchucky

visajoe1

Oldsog

TSD

steamroller

Perrin6363

High5_it_in

ArtfulCodger

High5_it_in

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