Getting the equipment you need for growing cannabis at home can be expensive! There is also a lot of choice out there and it can be easy to buy the wrong gear or equipment you don’t even need.
In this guide we are going to cover all of the basic equipment you need for growing your own cannabis at home. By the end of this guide you will have a good idea of what your shopping list should look like, and be ready to go and buy your grow setup.
We also cover this topic on our cannabis podcast High on Home Grown. You can download the episode on equipment you need for growing cannabis right here from this post, or find it on your favorite podcasting network.
Click one of these boxes to download the episode.
If you need any extra help or have any questions then please feel free to ask for help in our cannabis growing forum too. Here you will find lots of experienced cannabis growers who will be more than happy to help you. Find out what equipment they use, and what brands they prefer. All you have to do is ask for help.
In the meantime, let’s get started in deciding what equipment you need for your grow room!
The Basic Cannabis Grow Setup
The basic cannabis grow setup for indoors will consist of a certain few items. These will be a grow tent, a grow light, some extraction with a carbon filter, and some fans. There will also be other items like plug in timers, dehumidifiers and humidifiers, heaters and coolers. But they are secondary items and you may not need them in your grow room.
For a basic set up, you will only need a grow tent with a good light, and some extractions and fans. So in this guide this is what we are going to cover. We want to make sure you have enough information about the basic set up so you can make a good decision on what will work best for you, and what fits within your budget.
To start with, we are going to cover the place where your plants will live, in a grow tent.
Grow Tents for Growing Cannabis at Home
Grow tents are by far the best way to grow cannabis indoors. Though a grow room can be used, they take a lot of setting up and they are not designed specifically for growing cannabis indoors. Grow tents are. In a grow tent you will have highly reflective walls, holes for vents and exhausting air, and they will also be light proof.
It is highly recommended that you use a grow tent for your cannabis grow, it will make things much easier and they are relatively cheap and easy to get. They can also be packed away easily if needed. Before buying a grow tent though, you need to figure out what size grow tent you need.
If you need help deciding what size grow tent you need to grow cannabis, please check out the previous article “Planning Your First Cannabis Grow”. In that guide we explain the best way to figure out how much cannabis you need to grow. This will help you decide what size grow tent will work best for you.
The Best Size Grow Tent for Growing Cannabis at Home
The best size grow tent for growing cannabis indoors will differ depending on your needs. For most people who grow cannabis for personal use, a 1m x 1m x 2m grow tent is sufficient. This is because in a tent this size you could yield around 16 ounces of cannabis every 16 weeks, giving you around 1 ounce of cannabis to consume every week.
However, some people may need more cannabis than this, some may need less, it differs from person to person. You should figure out how much cannabis you intend to grow when you’re planning your first cannabis grow. When you have that figured out, you need to decide which size grow tent is going to be the best for you.
60cm Grow Tents for Growing Cannabis
60m grow tents (2ft x 2ft) are great for growing one cannabis plant. They can yield around 4-6 ounces of cannabis every grow and they don’t take up a lot of room. Many growers use 60cm grow tents for a “vegging area” where they can grow small plants before flowering them. Others use 60cm grow tents for the whole grow cycle because they only need a small amount of cannabis.
One of the best things about 60cm grow tents is they do not take up a lot of space. They do not need a big grow light and only need a small extractor to run. It is a cheap and cheerful way to grow cannabis at home.
Lighting for 60cm Grow Tents
When it comes to lighting for 60cm grow tents, there are a few good options. But the choice you make will depend on your budget. You can use old school lighting called HID which is very expensive to run as it uses a lot of power. You also then have LED lighting which is cheaper to run but more expensive on the initial cost.
Here are some models we would recommend for a 60cm grow light, we will go into more detail on lighting in another post.
Extraction for 60cm Grow Tents
Because a 60cm grow tent doesn’t have a very large volume, you do not need a massive extractor. A small bathroom extractor will work great, usually 4 inch extraction is plenty. With grow room extraction you need to use ducting, and a carbon filter. There are a few good brands that we recommend when it comes to grow room extraction.
2 of the best would be “System Air”and “AC Infinity”. For a 60cm grow tent, we would recommend the following extraction:
1 Meter Grow Tents for Growing Cannabis
1m grow tents are perfect for growing 4 cannabis plants. A grow tent this size can yield around 16 ounce of cannabis per grow and are very popular amongst home growers. Because of their size, 1m grow tents need powerful grow lights to grow cannabis inside them. These lights produce a lot of heat that needs to be extracted out of the grow room, so big extraction is also needed.
Most cannabis growers will use a 1m grow tent. The problem is they take up a lot of room. They also cost a lot to run due to the high power lights you need to use. But for most personal growers, this is the perfect tent size.
Lighting for 1m Grow Tents
Lighting for 1m grow tents is expensive to run, and finding a good efficient light that doesn’t draw too much power is expensive to buy. So you have to find out which one suits your budget best. Are you going to spend money up front and get an efficient LED light, or are you going to spread the cost on energy bills by using HID lighting?
The choice is yours, but we recommend LED lighting if it’s in your budget, here are some models we would suggest:
Extraction for 1m Tents
1 meter grow tents have a lot of air volume. They will have more plants in them, and the lights you use are intense so they will produce a lot of excess heat. To keep your plants happy and provide them with fresh air, good extraction is very important. For best results, you should use at least 5 inch extraction, 6 inch would be even better.
When you buy a bigger extractor than you need, you can slow it down a little to reduce the noise it makes.
4ft x 4ft Grow Tents for Growing Cannabis
4ft grow tents are just a little bigger than 1m grow tents (1.2m x 1.2m) but that extra space can go a long way! Using the same lights and extraction as a 1m tent, you can push an extra few ounces out of a grow. Having that extra space is also good for airflow around the plants and is all round a better option. If you have space, then this is a great option for you.
Lighting for a 4ft Grow Tent
You can use the same lighting in a 4ft grow tent as you would in a 1m grow tent, you can also push it a little further and use more lighting if you wanted to. But of course, lights of this size take a lot of power to run, and they will increase the energy bills in your home.
If possible try to get good, efficient LED lighting for a 4ft grow tent. Getting an efficient LED light may cost you more on the initial setup, but in the long run it will save you lots of money on energy bills!
Extraction for 4ft Tents
For best results you should use a 6 inch extractor for your 4ft grow tent. This will ensure plenty of air is being removed from the grow room so your plant will be able to breathe properly, and stay cool. You just need to choose what brand you prefer.
Here are some options we recommend. With any extractor, you will need ducting and a carbon filter of the same size as the extractor. You will also need clamps to hold the ducting in place on the extractor and filter.
Bigger Grow Tents for Bigger Grow Setups
In most cases, the tents listed above will be plenty for a Percy Grower (someone growing cannabis for personal use). But sometimes, more is needed, especially for people growing cannabis for medical uses.
In these situations, growers may use numerous tents like a 60cm tent with a 1m tent or a 1m tent with a 1.2 meter tent. One space would be for vegging plants, the other would be for flowering them. Having two growing spaces can reduce time between harvest from 16 weeks, down to 10, or even 8. If you need to grow more than 1 ounce of cannabis a week, this may be an option for you.
Alternatively, there are bigger grow tents you could buy. For example a 1.2 x 2.4 meter grow tent. This is essentially two 4ft grow tents put together and it will take twice as much lighting and twice as much extraction to run, so it can be pricey!
The decision is yours, and only you know how much cannabis you need to grow. Choose from the options above and decide what grow tent you need to grow your own supply. Then get whatever light and extractor you need to go with that growing space.
Extra Equipment You Need to Grow Cannabis at Home
Along with your grow tent, lights, and extractors, there are other pieces of equipment you need to help your grow go smoothly. From filters, fans, timers and thermometers, there are a few smaller items you need to keep the environment in check, and keep your plants happy.
Here are some things we recommend you get along with your tent, light and extractor setup.
Plug in Timers for Grow Lights
Grow lights do not need to be on all day. Most growers will have their lights on for 18 hours a day, and turn them off for 6 hours during the vegetative stage of growth. Then during flowering, they will only be on for 12 hours a day. Don’t worry, more about this will be explained in another guide.
You do not want to be turning the lights on and off manually at a set time every day, so to make this easier, you should get a plug in timer. You plug your lights into this, then plug the timer into the wall. A timer is set on it which tells the lights to turn off and when to turn on.
This is a pretty crucial piece of kit that is often overlooked when new growers are buying equipment for growing cannabis at home. Make sure you get one!
Desktop Fans
Inside the grow tent you need to keep the air moving. Though you have extraction, this will only pull air out of the grow room. You need something inside the tent to make sure the air is blowing around 24 hours a day. This is important to make sure there are no stale air pockets.
Stale air pockets will gather moisture and cause mold to grow on your plants, especially during the flowering stage. Also, you need a breeze blowing at your plants at all times to help them build strong stems that will hold big buds. You need fans in the grow room.
Make sure you have one or two oscillating fans in your grow that are powered on at all times. You may only need one in a small tent, but get at least 2 for big tents.
Hygrometers for Temperature and Humidity Checks
Cannabis plants like to grow in a certain environment, and a certain temperature and humidity. If it is too hot and humid, the plants will not be able to breathe properly. If it is too cold, the plants will not be able to eat and drink properly. You have to keep temps in check!
You need a device called a “hygrometer” in your grow room. These will tell you not only what temperature your grow room is, but what the room humidity is inside the tent too. Then you will be able to monitor these levels and adjust them if you need to.
Usually adjusting how much air is being extracted out of the grow room is enough to alter the levels. But sometimes you may need heaters and humidifiers.
Carbon Filters
A carbon filter is a very important piece of kit that you need! This will remove the smell out of the grow room when the air is extracted out and is key to keep your grow room safe. Any air vented outside and away from your grow room needs to pass through a carbon filter.
Carbon filters are a necessary piece of equipment especially for people growing cannabis legally, you must get a good one! There are many cheap models out there and they will not do the job well enough. You should only get the best, it is important!
If smell leaks out of your grow room, people will smell it and be able to locate it. Make sure you have a high quality, reliable carbon filter!
Equipment You Might Need When Growing Cannabis Indoors
All of the equipment mentioned so far is pretty much vital to your grow. You need all of them. Tents, lights, filters, extraction, fans. They are all needed to grow cannabis plants indoors. But there are some pieces of equipment that are nice to have incase you need them, but they are not always vital to the grow.
Some grows may need these more than others, but you can do without them on your first couple of grows if you are already spending a large portion of your budget on the equipment we already mentioned above.
This isn’t to say they are not needed. It’s better to have them and not need them, then need them and not have them. The choice is yours here, but everything above is crucial to your setup.
Dehumidifiers and Humidifiers
During the grow cycle, the humidity in the grow room may reach undesirable levels. For example, during the later flowering stage of growth, the plants are more susceptible to mold and rot. To reduce the risk, it is a good idea to have a dehumidifier handy in case you need it. On the other hand, during the early stage of growth, the plants like high humidity, so a humidifier may be useful to you.
The need for a de-hum and humidifier will depend on your grow. It is a good idea to set up your grow with the plants in it, and check the environment. Only then will you know for sure if you need these devices in your grow room.
A good dehumidifier isn’t cheap though, do not buy a small one. You need at least a 16L dehum for a 1m tent. But this will be covered in another guide.
Grow Room Heaters and Coolers
Just like humidity, sometimes the temperature levels in the grow room will get out of range. Cannabis plants like to grow around 26c during the day and around 20c during the night. Though the plants will be fine with a couple of degrees different on either side of these numbers, if it goes too far the plants will start to suffer. To combat this, most growers will use heaters or coolers in the grow room.
You can control temps by adjusting how much air is pulled out of the grow room via the extractor. For example, if it’s too cold, slow down the extractor to keep warm air in there for longer. If it’s too hot, speed up the extractor to remove hot air faster.
Again, these are not crucial pieces of kit in all grow rooms, but they may be crucial to your setup if you have trouble maintaining temperatures.
To Summarize Equipment for Growing Cannabis at Home
The list of equipment you need for growing cannabis indoors is not exhaustive. There is always more you can add. But as long as you have the basic stuff, you will be able to grow your own cannabis at home. Everything else is just added extras. Some grow rooms will need heaters, some won’t. The use of them will also depend on what time of year it is.
Don’t get too stressed about all the smaller things. Get your tent, light and extractor. Make sure you have a good carbon filter, some fans, and a plug in timer. These things are the most important. You can always add more as the grow progresses and you have more money available in your budget.
Once you have all the equipment you need for growing cannabis, you need to think about how you’re going to grow it. This means you have to choose which medium will be right for you by choosing between the many different types of hydro and the many different types of soil. So let’s move onto the next guide which is all about choosing the right medium for you grow.
Damn @macky you got this down to a science I feel like you should be wearing a lab coat with some safety goggles 😝 thanks for sharing this definitely super helpful
The one linked in this article is a heavy duty one from Lumi mate so it should be fine 🙂 I am not sure about digital ones, i try and keep things simple in these guides or they will go on forever lol
Nice guide @macky- timers for lights, since lights are our biggest single load, make sure timers are sufficiently rated. Did I read somewhere, digital timers are not recommended ?
@im_sparky Thanks bro, working on a whole series of guides like this 🙂 They will follow the same structure as episode of grow guides from the show 🙂
This will be great info for new people looking to learn how to setup a grow-space. Nice one, @Macky