So i'm finally sticking my head above the parapet, having been an avid reader of this most excellent and informative community for some time - this being my first post. I've read 'nuff forums and topics, so hopefully am raising something new-ish in my query.

I was thinking about it and now am pretty sure, thanks to u chaps and chappesses, that it was about time i got another grow on the go - nowt since my student days - and that was a bait, cupboard florrie tinfoil grow. I'm so sick of paying good money for bait-shit though nowadays, so action has to be taken ! So it's gonna be in a 4-Wilma, with clay-pebbles and a 400w - inside a grow-tent.

I'm down to either the Darkroom 80 - 80x80x160 - or the hydrogarden skinny - 76x76x180.

But but but but but - from what I read - here and elsewhere - putting bends in ur ducting-work renders ur system less efficient - the darkroom vent is on the top - so some kind of bend seems unavoidable.

The hydrogarden's vents are in a good position - particularly since i'm thinking about a Mk1 air-cooled supernova reflector. But the hydrogarden does not have the mylar coating of the darkroom.

I hope u see my dilemma - a sacrifice of some kind seems inevitable. But which way to go ?

U gotta give me ur thoughts - it's driving me crazy.

Thanks for reading, for knowledge past and knowledge to come.

Bending ducting for me seems to make the sound passed through ducting quiter depending on position, common thing from what iv seen, mine at present is 90 degree in order for it to fit and eb workable.

At the end of the day I doubt whether it makes that much difference, bended mine, works a treat and no problems, you have to sometimes to enable space and setup, temps fine, extraction fine, primair controlling everything ,sorted.


Welcome aboard matey.

Trial and error but i doubt you will see much difference.

many thanks for the reply and welcome potsmoker - aint no hiding with a name like that ! Hmm interesting about ur own system at 90 degrees - quietness is always a good thang - never considered bending = less noise. also sounds like the primair controller is doing some good things for u there.

Shit man - this equipment list just keeps piling up. Least it's for a good cause.

So 'less anyone says otherwise, i'm thinking the darkroom - cause i cant be arsed with taping up mylar in the hydrogarden.

Hi and welcome bigHeid

As mentioned the ducting if it has curves will lead to more noise from the air and the efficiency of the fan will be affected! But! Do not worry as i recommend buying a bigger fan than you need and use a Transformer controller to speed control the fan/s If you are concerned about efficiency of duct bends you can buy metal 90o Metal junctions, but! in all honesty unless you are doing a huge grow in a very sensitive area i would'nt worry!?

As regards tents, i have one of the older ones (2Yrs Old!) white plastic walls. I use velcro to attach reflect-a-grow to inside walls and wrap the ducting outside the tent with blankets which is cheaper than £75 accoustic ducting and as effective if not more so!.....?

But! bottom line! the engineers state that the movement of air should be flat so permit freeflow of air so the straight out ducting approach ie through tent side wall is best! rather than through roof! but! i feel you are worrying about things that are unnecessary!? Sorry Pal! If you find yourself liking one then go for it, just buy a bigger fan than you need, i rely on passive intake in a tent 1.4 x 1.4 x 2m and i regularly pull a Kg a grow! but! that is after 2 yrs fine tunning!


edited to add: If you are extracting straight through roof then the roof exit is best! or if you are extracting to a window as i do then a side exit is best! The key being keeping as straight a line as possible as remember it is not the fan or the ducting that makes the noise it is the travel of the air through it, any resistance will result in wind noise.

Good lucK in your grow.

Ben

my ducting is bent 90 degrees, so that it's positioned near bulb to suck heat out from under shade. i don't find it any noisier than straight down. not necessary if using a cooltube though. the slight 'tear' on the edge of the ducting though. man, it whistles like a canary. i'm sure the neighbours can hear it.

Ben

many thanks for ur reply and advice - but - u say bendy ducting makes the fan noisier - whereas - unless i'm reading it wrong - potsmoker says it makes his quieter ! Holy moly mutha tamoly ! I guess this just throws up the thing that there are many differing opinions here and i guess it's whatever works best for u. Once i get the shit set up i'll soon know.

yeah i saw them 90degree pieces of ducting and wondered about them - i'll see how the money is.

listen, thanks alot for ur welcome. I'm pretty sure of one thing - with u dudes at the end of the line, good buds must surely be round the corner - well about 3 or 4 months round the corner, but i can hack that.

cheers

hey chaos - thanks for sharing that. how do u find those cooltubes by the way - i read that they can cause hot-spots - is it so ? If i dont go for the supernova i's thinking about one of them. And what size of bulb u using in it - innit.

peace and thanks again for the tip. And hey, watch those neighbours dude !

hi again.
I don't use a cooltube, personally. I was just saying that if one were used there would be no ducting hole under the shade, it would be elsewhere and less noticeable/audible perhaps
i don't need one, high temps is not a concern to me 95% of the time.intake is generally cool air to my space.
i use metal ducting, so maybe the plastic is quieter. either way, sucked air IS sucked air, you'll still get a noise
good luck with your choice.

get used to that bud

just get a few meters of mylar and line out the correctly vented tent!!...no probs,only cost ya an extra few quid dude??

I can get used to smoking top bud !

Cheers

I reckon ur right dude - s'just the hassle of taping up the mylar i guess i was trying to avoid. Then again, the white lining aint that much less reflective than mylar - from what i read here and elsewhere. Although I'm sure i'll get round to hanging the shit over time.

Cheers for the tip