The Best Grow Tent Kits 2019 for Cannabis: Grow in a Perfect Environment

You’re going to want purchase a size that will work with the amount of area you have, while also taking account how many cannabis plants you want to grow.

Measured in feet or inches, you can get the best grow tents in various sizes from 2’x2’x4’ to massive tents that are 8’x6’x7’.

To control the environment perfectly, the best grow tents are completely light-proof. This is also a discretion concern.

If you’re trying to grow without anyone knowing (which you should always be doing) then you don’t want light to be shining through your tent.

And you do not want light sneaking in to mess up your plants flowering stage.

This is usually shown as a percentage, and it’s used to demonstrate how reflective the inside of the tent is. You want high reflection so that light can reach even your bottom buds.

Plus, it helps conserve energy and requires you to use less light to achieve more results.

The old school way has always been foil or white paper, but the best grow tents use materials like Mylar.

True, you can get ventilation with a regular fan or even opening up the tent, but that’s not what we're going for.

We want to create an optimal environment.

To do this, you need one with plenty of ways to set up your exhaust fans.

Related reading on ventilation:

They offer frames in many different forms.

The best, however, are going to be made from metal poles.

You need a frame that will stand up to the weights of all your lights and ventilation system.

And metal poles will do just that.

If you get one with a janky zipper, it’s going to be hard to maintain the environment.

You’ll have light leaks, air leaks and not to mention smell leaks.

Zippers are something you want to make sure the manufacturer isn’t being cheap about.

Grow Tent Setup: How Should you Set Your Tent Up

You'll want to bookmark this page and use this brief overview on setting up your grow.

Keep in mind, grow tent setup starts before you even buy your tent.

You need to plan where you’re going to place the tent in your home, and make sure that you have plenty of room to run ducting.

This means you can’t cram a tent in an area that’s just big enough to hold it.

Assemble the Tent

All grow tents are different, but in general the assembly is this:

• Connect the frame work together
• Pull the canvas over the frame and zip it up
• Place the removable mylar floor tray in the bottom of the tent
• Fit the ceiling hanging bars inside the tent

Once you have the tent put together, you can now move on to the fun stuff.

Lighting Setup

You’re going to want a LED grow light that can provide enough light for the square footage of your indoor grow tent.

Ideally, your grow tents hanging bars will be adjustable.

This is because you want the lights to only be about 6-12” away from your cannabis at any given time.

If they are too far away from your cannabis plants, they will stretch out to far trying too reach for the light source.

To put your lights up in your indoor grow tent:

• Check to make sure the plug is properly grounded and the correct voltage.
• Decide on the cord ports you will use.
• Hang the light on the crossbar and adjust it to the correct height.
• Set your timer up with the correct “on” and “off” times (24 hr light for veg 12/12 for flower) and plug the timer into the socket.
• Pull the lamp cord through the grow tent port and plug the LED grow light into the timer.

Ventilation Setup

You need to be providing fresh air to your cannabis plants if you want them to grow up healthy.

But it goes beyond that:

You need to provide proper filtration to make sure you’re giving them clean air AND killing the odor.

Your tents air should be replaced at least every 5 minutes that the lights are on.

Not only to bring in the fresh air but also to replenish CO2.

The equation can get a little complicated when it comes to ventilation.

Because CFM can be affected by so many variables like the lengths of the duct and even its path.

CFM - This refers to the amount of cubic feet per minute your fan can move.

So, to replace the air every five minutes you need your CFM needs to equal the volume of your grow tent divided by 5.

You can do the math yourself, or check out our cannabis ventilation calculator.

If your indoor grow tent is 4x4x4 it has a volume of 64 feet.

Divide 64 by 5, and you get 12.8—anything less than this and your will be doing your garden a huge disservice.

Keep in mind, this is the bare minimum, and many growers opt for every 3 minutes all the way to 3-5 times PER minute.

This can be done in a number of different ways.

Here are a couple of examples

If one of your top priorities is dealing with the smell of your garden, then running both the filter and fan inside the tent will work best. Be sure to pair your fan with one of the carbon filters we recommend here.

But if you want more room inside the tent, or your grow tent doesn’t have the structures in place to run them inside, you can run them both on the outside of your tent with just duct running out of your tent.

Again, it’s all just what works best for YOU.

How Many Plants in a 3x3 Grow Tent?

Check out our breakdown of the space needed for different growing styles here, but here is a general rule of thumb:

Ideally, you want to give each plant about 4 sq ft.

This, however, is not always feasible.

Especially when you’re growing in a indoor grow tent that is only 3'x3'.

If you did, you’d only be able to grow two plants.

But growing in a tent, you’re able to get away with a little less space per plant.

In a 3x3 indoor grow tent you can grow at max 4 plants in rows of two.

Putting four in the tent will hinder their size, though.

So, ultimately, it will depend on if you'd rather grow two large plants or four medium-size plants.

In our opinion, the best grow tent is the Apollo Mylar Tent.

It stands above the rest on everything that matters.

Including quality, specs and price.

While the Apollo Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent might not be the best in every category, it’s solid in them all.

Plus, with Apollo, you're getting a brand name that it known in the growing space for quality products including lights, charcoal filters and inline fans.

As far as grow tents goes, you couldn’t ask for a better starter grow tent then this. 

There's a reason its our Editors Choice for best grow tent. It has a durable metal frame and thick fabric that’s double stitched to prevent any light leaks or climate leaks.

The Apollo Grow Tent is lined with a highly reflective mylar film that is also 100% light proof and tear-proof.

They guarantee 92-97% reflection from your grow lights which saves energy while also getting light to the backside of your buds.

The kit also includes a removable floor tray—which is great to pair one of the hydroponic systems we recommend here—and a couple of filter straps.

The zippers are thick and heavy-duty, but not as airtight as you’d hope.

If you look closely, you might see some light leaking through them.

Although not enough to spot the tent in a dark room.

One of the best aspects of this tent is how customizable it is.

With a bunch of six-inch ports, a few two-inch ports and three screened Velcro sealable openings you can hook up any number of fans, filters and lights.

And the frame is sturdy enough to handle a couple of lights and a couple of fans—maybe even more.

Overall, this tent is a great deal for anyone looking to delve into the world of grow tents, and as far as 4x4 tents go, this is the best.

It is big enough to be used as an excellent hydroponic grow tent too.

Gorilla Grow Tents—the leading brand in the industry.

They make their money by providing high-quality grow tents.

The only reason this doesn't top the list as the best grow tent was the price.

As far as materials, features and overall quality this thing is the best grow tent there is.

This grow tent was also made with the cannabis grower in mind with features like an infrared blocking roof insertion 😉 that works to keep the surface temperature cool making it easier to maintain temps.

This is awesome because you won't have to invest in an AC for your grow tent.

It also comes with a free 12” height extension kit!

Which allows this tent to be either 7’, 8’, 9’ or 10’ tall.

So, if you want to grow bigger plants you no longer have to buy a new grow tent.

Its frame is 100% interlocking metal that can hold up to a whopping 300lbs!

This tent is loaded with features like an EZ view observation window to see your plants without disturbing the environment and a large layout to be able to move around freely in the tent.

Its made from a thick material and dense threading to help combat smell and noise from leaking out.

Not to mention a flood pool, diamond reflection technology, double cinching ducting ports, a tool pouch and bug resistant pre-filters.

The biggest downside to the grow tent in the price.

If you’re just looking for a good grow tent to grow cannabis with, you can get that done at a much cheaper price point.

While a tent like this might last a few more grows then the others, it’ll ultimately be up to you to decide if you want to invest in a longer-lasting, higher quality tent or spend that money on better lights and fans.

iPower is another leader in the growing industry making all kinds of gear that makes a grower's life easier.

This grow tent is no exception.

The mylar lining interior reflects 95% of light and thanks to its steel frame it’s sturdy as all get out.

You can hang any number of lights and fans from its support beams.

Heck, they claim you can hang up to 110lbs from them, though that’s a whole lot of lights.

It comes with a water resistant spill tray which makes watering your cannabis nothing to sweat.

And it comes with multiple fully adjustable vent doors.

Plus, double duct doors that block out the light while allowing you full customization over your exhaust system.

The zippers are the biggest downside to this grow tent.

There are a lot of zippers on this beast, and some do not do a great job containing a bright LED grow light.

And they have to be reset fairly frequently, which is nothing but a pain.

The Vivisun Mylar Hydroponic Grow Tent is an excellent way to get your toes wet in the world of growing weed.

At one of the most affordable prices on our list, making it the best grow tent for people on a tight budget.

It also comes with a couple features you don’t see in a lot of grow tents—namely, the observation window.

This is an excellent feature that allows you to peer into your grow tent and scan over your plants without disrupting the environment.

It’s also made from a very thick canvas that’s both tear proof and double stitched.

Its sturdy metal frame is easy to put together and can stand up to any fans and grow lights you want to hang from it.

They claim to have the best zipper on the market.

And they deliver.

It uses an SBS zipper that’s a very high-quality but a tad cumbersome.

You might need to oil the track, though, which can easily be done with some WD-40 or even running a cheap candle along it.

The inside is a reflective mylar lining that is 95% efficient and the tool bag on the wall is a perfect spot for your pH meter, spray bottles or any other gardening tools you want quick access too.

Can be used as a soil grow tent or hydroponic grow tent.

And it comes with a removable mylar floor tray to make cleaning easier.

Gorilla Grow Tents—the leading brand in the industry.

Hence why you see them on this list so often.

This is the model they made with the price conscious customer in mind.

That being said, it still has all the features that you’d want from a Gorilla.

It comes with a 100% steel interlocking frame and a huge easy to use zipper.

Also, it comes loaded with tool pouches and 10" double cinching ducting ports.

And, thanks to the large EZ View observation window, you can always keep an eye on you cannabis.

Another great feature of this grow tent is the 360° access you have thanks to the doorways and wrap around zippers.

You’re not going to going to get a grow tent that’s 100% light proof.

And this is not exception—don’t be surprised when light sneak up around the zipper seams and the stitching.

Let’s face it, we're not all made of money.

And, some of us need to grow our marijuana on a budget.

That is where a good, albeit small, grow tent like the value box comes in.

With it being only a couple of feet wide, you’re only going to be able to grow one plant in it, but even that one plant can yield a lot of bud if grown well.

Another great use for a tent like this is a tent for your seedlings or clones.

The only reason it’s price is so low is the size, because it’s not lacking in any of the features or in quality that you’d want from a grow tent.

99% highly reflective mylar lining and frame made from metal poles.

Plus a nice viewing observation window for easy access and a water resistant mylar spill tray.

And it comes with multiple exhaust and duct posts—making controlling the environment a breeze.

A Zazzy grow tent is an excellent value for your money.

There are a couple of stand out features you’ll want to take note of.

First and foremost, it’s completely light proof.

The seams are carefully designed to keep your plants dark when they need to be and ensure no leaks at any point in the growing cycle.

The seams are all double-stitched, with durable industrial strength zippers.

The floor is a heavy-duty mylar construction, and removable for cleaning.

If you spilled soil or accidentally splashed water you, quickly remove the mess with no fuss.

The Zazzy frame is built from steel, and suitable for holding 110 lbs.

This is the industry standard and should support any lighting system you choose for your indoor operation.

It helpfully also comes in three different sizes: small, medium, and large.

The large can hold up to 9 weed plants - more than enough for your needs!

Unlike some of the other grow tents out there, the Zazzy structure is actually simple to put together.

It comes with a set of clear instructions, which are almost impossible to mess up.

Snap the frame together, zip the tent on top, and you are virtually ready to get growing!

If you are struggling to put the material over the frame, remember to make sure the zippers are open before getting started. Definitely not the best grow tent, but will still do a good job.

Conclusion

There are a ton of grow tents on the market, and in the end, any number of them will work for you.

Just remember, to pick out the best grow tent for weed based on:

• Dimensions that will work for your house or apartment
• A tent that is at least mostly light-proof
• 95%+ reflection
• Plenty of ventilation ports to control temp and odor
• A sturdy metal frame that can withstand your lights
• High-quality, heavy-duty zippers

You just have to find the balance between price and features that will work for your cannabis grow op.

Don't forget that you can completely customize your tents setup with equipment like humidifiers or dehumidifier for your grow tent.

Which do you think are the best grow tents? Or have any question?

If you LOVED this buying guide, you'll want to read this one on the best grow boxes for beginners.