Sadly, I may need to quit growing due to odor.

[longbottom]

I love this hobby ! But I may need to pull the plug unless I can grow 100% odor free. There has to be a way? Can it be done? I grow Low(er) odor strains like Northern Lights and Durban Poison...They still smell quite a bit during mid to late flower... (and harvest)


Setup details:

I use a DIY locking metal cabinet with an AC Infinity Fan and a carbon filter. It removes 95% of the odor, but that little 5% is my problem.. The room I grow in is in my basement without good ventilation. Any small odor escaping builds up over time.

I'm considering:

Simple solutions:

Running a second carbon filter at the exhaust, either using a single fan or using two fans..

Maintain a masking odor continuously in my grow room. (even when I'm not growing)... Pine, Peppermint, hell maybe even a skunk spray might work...(slight skunk).. I've had great luck using turpentine, the masking odor is perfect, but I'm not sure this is safe in a grow room... " Honey, Why does the basement smell so much?'...." I've been watching Bob Ross and have started oil painting my love " (true story)

Complex solutions:

Install something like a bathroom fan in my grow room to vent escaping odors outside... I'm not sure how well this will work and it will be quite an effort and expense..

Running a large 8 inch carbon filter fan to scrub air in the entire grow room outside of my cabinet.. (in addition to my internal fan/filter combo. Con's expensive to maintain this for one plant grows...


Has anyone else come up with a way to grow completely odor free? Please let me know.

 

[Smokeshow]

Well, I am almost at the end of my first grow and I had/have the same concerns. The wife is fine with it, but I know that the house stinking will be "over the line" for her. I think smaller areas/rooms and constant ventilation to the outside combined with carbon filters is likely the most simple solution.

I am in a tent, and I was able to run a vent straight to the outside for the tent exhaust. As long as I have the extraction fan (4" AC Infinity with filter) constantly running at "level 2" or more, there is zero odor in the house. The current challenge is that every time I open the tent up, it's like a ganja grenade blew up in the house.

I am considering adding just a free standing carbon filter in my grow tent room (extra bedroom) to constantly clean the air in the room for late flower when I need to get in the tent.

Do you have any windows in your basement that you could possibly put a dryer vent outlet in to blow the stank outside? If you have neighbors, that could still be an issue, but it's an idea!

Good luck and keep trying things, I know that you can find something to work for you. Don't give up!

 

[BearWater]

Running a second carbon filter at the exhaust, either using a single fan or using two fans..

First thing i considered before finishing your post hahaha! Im considering doing this exact thing in my shed. Same idea as what you have going on i think my area is just smaller that the second filter would be running in. You may have to look a bit larger fan and filter?

 

[BearWater]

Running a large 8 inch carbon filter fan to scrub air in the entire grow room outside of my cabinet.. (in addition to my internal fan/filter combo. Con's expensive to maintain this for one plant grows...

Sorry to double post but I did this in my shed. It worked kind of, like i could tell the air had been scrubbed but you could still smell ganja a little bit. If I didnt run the fan/filter it would be kind of musty.

also want to add. my second fan/filter setup would be exhausted outside (I already have the hole and its only a shed, and not an actual house lol).

 

[amneziaHaze]

leave an open bottle of vinegar in front of the box

 

[Zzzax]

Well you can't run Co2 with carbon filter.
So ideas eh?

The facts are nothing is perfect. There will be odor.
If I was to try and have my grow not smell at all in my imagination I would fully enclose the grow room with plastic sheeting and pressure test to be sure it was sealed.
In a separate space ( a lung room ) I would have another enclosed space sealed perfectly and run ozone. Not the dinky units but the commercial units.
Then to be safe I would run the discharge above all near by buildings and into the wind.
The last part is for when this is not perfect and some odor escapes wafting way up high so it's not easy to figure out where it's coming from.
So just an idea. Anyone think that might work?

The other thing is volunteer for legalization in your State. Donate and or volunteer. In truth so many people and States are making money from Medical and synthetic extracts from Hemp that they are willing to partially legalize now.
Just the part where the States make money but hey it's a start. California evolved from Medical to legal for everyone to grow because the people didn't listen to the Law when it came to weed.. Imagine that!

 

[Blastfact]

Don't even use carbon filters anymore. Wife likes the smell of bud in flower. All of our family knows I grow and have been forever. Don't care what anybody thinks.

 

[longbottom]

Well, I am almost at the end of my first grow and I had/have the same concerns. The wife is fine with it, but I know that the house stinking will be "over the line" for her. I think smaller areas/rooms and constant ventilation to the outside combined with carbon filters is likely the most simple solution.

I am in a tent, and I was able to run a vent straight to the outside for the tent exhaust. As long as I have the extraction fan (4" AC Infinity with filter) constantly running at "level 2" or more, there is zero odor in the house. The current challenge is that every time I open the tent up, it's like a ganja grenade blew up in the house.

I am considering adding just a free standing carbon filter in my grow tent room (extra bedroom) to constantly clean the air in the room for late flower when I need to get in the tent.

Yep, me too.... Problem with multiple fans and carbon filters is they aint cheap ! Growing one plant at a time and buying two carbon filters at a time takes a huge dent out of any money I'm saving growing weed...

Do you have any windows in your basement that you could possibly put a dryer vent outlet in to blow the stank outside? If you have neighbors, that could still be an issue, but it's an idea!

No windows, that's why I mentioned under my "complex options" installing a fan in the basement to vent outdoors. This can be done, but requires creating a vent (cutting holes in my home) and installing either a fan or venting the exhaust outdoors by running my exhaust outdoors.... Both will require some type of fan and quite a bit of work..

Good luck and keep trying things, I know that you can find something to work for you. Don't give up!

Thanks for taking the time to help! Appreciate the tips...

 

[longbottom]

Don't even use carbon filters anymore. Wife likes the smell of bud in flower. All of our family knows I grow and have been forever. Don't care what anybody thinks.

I'm not sure how your good fortune and ability to grow with all the odor you'd like helps this thread.

Thanks, this is very helpful.... (WTF?)

 

[longbottom]

leave an open bottle of vinegar in front of the box

Nice ! Will try this... Appreciate it.

 

[longbottom]

Sorry to double post but I did this in my shed. It worked kind of, like i could tell the air had been scrubbed but you could still smell ganja a little bit. If I didnt run the fan/filter it would be kind of musty.

also want to add. my second fan/filter setup would be exhausted outside (I already have the hole and its only a shed, and not an actual house lol).

Thanks this helps, key word is "kind of"....I was afraid of this !

 

[longbottom]

Hi all, I think I've already made up my mind that venting outdoors is the only option that could remove all odor.... Its a big job and I'll be taking a little growing break until I can sort it out...

I was hoping someone might have a magic trick for me, but it was wishful thinking... Looks like I'll be back to lousy dispensary bud for quite some time.

Here is my last grow, I'm running out of this bud after a year of smoking this...(crazy this lasted me so long, I'm a weed lightweight, 2 hits and I quit.)

Grown in a 1.5 x 1.5 x 3 grow space. Northern Lights (Low Odor)

 

[BearWater]

Hi all, I think I've already made up my mind that venting outdoors is the only option that could remove all odor.... Its a big job and I'll be taking a little growing break until I can sort it out...

I was hoping someone might have a magic trick for me, but it was wishful thinking... Looks like I'll be back to lousy dispensary bud for quite some time.

Last idea here lol (and i smoked so im on my game). You were willing to get a 2nd charcoal filter and fan, could you get a second tent? Or even make a “panda paper” enclosure around your tent? That would act as the second filtration room to the “outside” but still within your current room. I understand you doing the big job and taking a break. The break sucks, the job will be nice when done!

 

[longbottom]

Last idea here lol (and i smoked so im on my game). You were willing to get a 2nd charcoal filter and fan, could you get a second tent? Or even make a “panda paper” enclosure around your tent? That would act as the second filtration room to the “outside” but still within your current room. I understand you doing the big job and taking a break. The break sucks, the job will be nice when done!

No, it would be way too obvious.... This is a secret grow. I did surround my entire grow cabinet with a thick blanket though, this helps prevent light leaks that might give it away. It does help with odor a bit, but my metal cabinet is solid... All odor escapes at the exhaust...

Here is a funny thing... Right behind my grow cabinet, there is a trap door. I had no idea this was there until a few months ago.. I opened it, and it goes to my fireplace one story up... Basically, its a hole that goes all the way up to my fireplace... I'm guessing its used to clean the ash out of my fireplace? Isn't ash and soot some type of carbon? Anyway, maybe I can run my exhaust up the chimney cleaner and out the chimney.... This might require some type of a special fan though, I'm no HVAC professional but am thinking the distance going up will need some type of force.

Thanks !

 

[LuckyLlama]

I had a buddy who grew in his closet when we were younger and you'd never know it because he had a crock pot sized oil warmer running with rose oil. The whole house smelled like fresh roses. Something like this may be your saving grace. Although I would caution using some essential oils if you have pets. They can be toxic to animals. Another alternative may be a larger air purifier to run along side the carbon filter as they also remove odors. Just throwing some ideas out there.. my old lady doesn't like the smell either and I just started my indoor project ( the space is prepped and my tents are coming this week) I also will be growing in my basement and have worried about this exact thing. So I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how I'm going to keep the smell down as much as possible without compromising the air quality for the ladies or harming my pets. Good luck brother

 

[amneziaHaze]

IF The filter is new you should have no smell in the room.i get it only when i open the door.there is a thing that happens if you have a too powerfull fan carbon filter doesnt work.there is some math but i dont know where it was

 

[amneziaHaze]

I had a buddy who grew in his closet when we were younger and you'd never know it because he had a crock pot sized oil warmer running with rose oil. The whole house smelled like fresh roses. Something like this may be your saving grace. Although I would caution using some essential oils if you have pets. They can be toxic to animals. Another alternative may be a larger air purifier to run along side the carbon filter as they also remove odors. Just throwing some ideas out there.. my old lady doesn't like the smell either and I just started my indoor project ( the space is prepped and my tents are coming this week) I also will be growing in my basement and have worried about this exact thing. So I've been racking my brain trying to figure out how I'm going to keep the smell down as much as possible without compromising the air quality for the ladies or harming my pets. Good luck brother

animal shit masks the smell really good.get a cat litter box in the same room or some chickens or bunnies bedding straw is designed to keep the smell of piss but it takes the smell of grass as well

 

[MrSoloGrower]

Take a look at ONA filter and blocks they work really well and safe to use around a grow room connects to fan ducting.
Worth a try and cheaper than another carbon filter.

 

[Smokey0418]

Take a look at ONA filter and blocks they work really well and safe to use around a grow room connects to fan ducting.
Worth a try and cheaper than another carbon filter.

I have also read about Ona pro. It’s a bit pricey on Amazon compared to holland industry.
Get a bucket and stash a few open containers around to sponge up the odour .

 

[OurGas]

Umm.. Most people's grows are odor free. It was shocking but when I moved to a legal state and saw what the hobbyist is smoking on.. No wonder dispos aren't being shut down. Same shit.

You never noticed everyone using these cheap ass Amazon exhaust fans, and never a question about why they aren't strong enough to pull through a filter?

Change your nutes. Use whatever the people in Arizona use lol. Nothing in that state smelled of weed. Whatever grows those tiny little buds with no high.