Introduction
An inline fan is a very important part of an efficient grow tent or grow room setup. The air within the room can become stale if there isn’t a fan that will keep the air moving and your plants will absorb all the Co2 in the room within 2 minutes if there isn’t constantly fresh air replacing the stale air. As an indoor grower, one thing that should never escape your mind is the ventilation of the grow room. Many indoor growers fail to recognize the importance of proper ventilation to their crops, and this leads to poor returns from their hard work.
What is an Oscillating Fan?
An oscillating fan is a type of fan that always rotating and moving the air through a room, therefore replacing all the air in a room constantly. An oscillating fan for a grow tent is an important decision you will have to make according to the space you have available and the kind of setup you have.
If you are using a grow tent, you might want to use a clip fan as these can conveniently clip onto a pole in the tent. In a grow room setup, it might be easier to have a fan that can hang over your plants.
Why Do You Need to Use Indoor Grow Fans?
Indoor growing plants absorb all of the Co2 available around them within around one minute, which is why you’ll need to set up fans near your plants; they distribute any new air around the grow room so that all of your plants have access to a constant stream of Co2 and so that your plants aren’t affected by stagnant air, which can cause illnesses and humidity.
With just a little extra airflow, your plants will be able to breathe much better, improving photosynthesis, nutrient absorption and generally increasing your plants’ strength; the branches will grow stronger thanks to the slight wind resistance, which means that during the flowering period they’ll be able to grow thicker, heftier flowers.
At the same time expelling the air inside will keep temperature and moisture build-up under control, preventing mold and mildew from forming on your plant’s leaves, inhibiting growth.
Below is a comparison of two fans, I hope it will be helpful to you.
Features:
The ECO Farm wall fan has 3-speed variable design which easily switchs the 3-speed wind speed, adjust the output of the wall-mounted indoor fan to the most suitable room or environment.
Adjustable tilt: The 3-speed vibrating fan can be tilted to direct the airflow to the correct area of your space for precise directional cooling and enhance air circulation.
Swing performance: The wall-mounted fan oscillates steadily from side to side, and the cold air is distributed in a wider area to optimize air circulation.
Simple cable control: Two cables allow you to easily turn the fan on and off, and adjust the fan speed.
Canarm 20" Greenhouse Oscillating Fan
Features:
Air circulation: 20-inch blades provide comfortable air flow, while the rotating head allows you to bring air directly to where you need it most
Ultra-thin installation can be easily installed on the wall is an ideal choice for any indoor environment, with oscillation and adjustable tilt to change the direction of airflow;
Durable: Three powder-coated steel blades are protected by powder-coated steel grills and brackets
Different Types of Fans
There are 3 basic types of fans typically used for gardening applications:
Inline fans
Oscillating fans
Static fans
Each type of fan is used for a specific purpose. Most serious growers will need all 3 types for a successful operation.
In addition to having humidity control and temperature control via a central A/C unit or a window mount or portable unit, having airflow is necessary for reasons discussed earlier
It is not enough to just control temperature and humidity. And each type of fan will aid you in a different way.
Inline Fans
These are fans that are typically installed within a duct system or used as exhaust fans blowing directly outside. They are not always equipped with sensors or on/off switches but many of the higher end models are.
They are called inline, because they are used in line with the ducts, as an integral part of the ventilation system, as opposed to a free standing fan that blows air all around the room.
A serious grow tent will need at least 2 inline fans, one for intake and one for exhaust. Some larger operations will have several inline fans to do the job. Smaller tents usually just have an exhaust fan.
Oscillating Fans
Oscillators are fans that serve to move air around inside the tent, or room. Where inline fans are used in a closed system to bring in air from outside or push air from inside to the outside, oscillating fans keep the internal air from getting stale.
They also serve the important role of agitating your plants, serving as artificial wind inside your closed system. Plants need to be moved around by natural forces to help them stay healthy, and since you have no wind inside, the oscillating fans are taking the place of natural wind.
This type of fan is also good for keeping the temperature even throughout a large area. In any room, especially one with grow lights and other heat sources, hot spots will quickly emerge.
Near the lights it may be several degrees hotter than elsewhere in the tent. Moving the air from one place to another will keep ambient temperatures more uniform in your space. The moving air also serves to dry the plants, which prevents mold from forming.
Static Fans
These are the basic fans you see everywhere. They do not oscillate or move. They can either sit on the floor or be clipped on to structures, but static fans are stationary.
Static fans are used in situations where you need to constantly move air in a specific area of the room, and you want the airflow to stay on the same spot over time.
A great example of when you need a static fan would be if you had a section where several lights were in one spot. A static fan could cool the surface temp of the lights as well as drop the temp in the immediate area, before the oscillating fans move the air out of the area.
Consider These Factors Before You Purchase Your Fan
Oscillating Fan Materials
Materials used in building the best oscillating fans are crucial in determining its durability. With the difference in materials used by different manufacturers in making fans, it is important to check on the oscillating fans created with the most durable materials.
Speed Settings
Fans with variable speed settings are best in effectively controlling the airflow in the grow room. These fans for grow tents give you an allowance to customize your fan to meet the needs of your grow room.
Most oscillating fans contain low, medium, and high settings. You can go for those with a control knob or pull chain control.
Grow Tent Size
If you have a bigger grow tent, you would consider getting a fan that will match your needs. Don’t mistake the size of your grow tent with the size of the fan.
What matters is the strength of a fan. If you have such a big grow tent, you may consider going for a powerful oscillating fan to circulate the air.
Fan Noise
In most cases, the most powerful oscillating fans for grow tents tend to have the loudest noise. If you don’t like noisy fans, you may consider getting several fans in your grow tent. Since you know your fan’s purpose, it will be wise to make the right decision according to your grow tent needs in circulating air.
Price of The Fan
The best oscillating fans for grow tents overall will always cost more. But you can get your favorite fan to do your job within the category of your money. Always look out for the most rewarding features when you don’t have all the cash to get the most expensive fan.
Oscillating Angles
One may find it rewarding if you go for an adjustable tilt fan. Some have an adjustable tilt from 90 degrees to 360 degrees. This can help maximize the movement of active air in every direction of your grow tent.
You could also be interested in directing active air in one particular direction; the adjustable tilt feature is great at helping you achieve your goal for growing.
Installation
The installation comes down to the specific mounting options by every fan. The common options include standing and wall-mounted.
With these mounting options, one can consider the ease of installing each when it comes to the nature of your grow room.
Conclusion
There are many different types of grow fans to choose from. This is a very personal but important desicion for the type of set up you have. While we have listed our favorite inline fans for a grow tent, these fans are also great for grow rooms.
Depending on the size of your setup, you might want to consider having 2 or more fans to ensure that the airflow is constant and there isn’t any stale air hanging around. Stale air will be detrimental to a successful harvest so it is better to be safer than sorry when you are creating a good environment for your plants to grow.