BUILDING A GROWROOM
At Global Air Supplies, we strive for our customers to have the best when it comes building a grow room. Whether you are new to indoor growing or looking to optimise your set-up, this helpful guide tells you everything you need to know about how to create the perfect grow room environment.
From start to finish, this guide walks you through a range of vital products, dimensions, and important information about the optimal light, temperature, and humidity levels for each growth stage.
What’s more, we have included handy 360-degree tours of different grow room configurations, based on the growing system used. The 360-degree tours are interactive, so you can view the products and and watch videos to learn more.
It has never been easier to find the perfect ventilation or horticulture products for you! Use the links below to help build your grow room.
Let’s guide you through the process of building a growing facility step-by-step…
This short guide will explain how to choose the equipment you need. We have broken the process down into the following sections:
1. Ventilation
Equipment involved in the transportation of fresh air into the grow space and removal of stale air and airborne contaminants
2. Humidity, Air Movement & Sanitisation
Equipment for controlling your grow space’s humidity levels, the circulation & filtration of air.
3. Lighting
Grow lights provide your plants with the right types of light at levels which encourage photosynthesis and healthy development.
4. Growing Systems
There are various types of systems for indoor growing. Some use only water, while others work best with specific substrates.
5. Nutrients & Additives
Plants grown indoors need a variety of nutrients and additives to optimise their growth and development.
6. pH & EC Control
Regardless of your set-up, the pH and EC of your nutrient and media will need to be monitored and controlled.
Calculating Your Room
The first thing we need to do when building a grow room is measure the length, width and height.
Next, calculate the area in m2 (L x W) and finally, the volume in m3 (L x W x H)
Now we’re ready to start…
Building A Grow Room – Step 1: VENTILATION
Having the optimum environment is the most important thing to think about when growing.
Temperature is the first thing to consider.
You should aim to keep the room temperature in these ranges:
To maintain the correct temperature, you will need the right ventilation system. This will consist of:
| Growth Stage | Daytime Temp | Night Temp |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetative | 26-28 (°C) | 21-23 (°C) |
| Early Bloom | 26-28 (°C) | 24-26 (°C) |
| Mid Bloom | 24-26 (°C) | 21-23 (°C) |
| Late Bloom | 20-22 (°C) | 16-18 (°C) |
Extractor Fan
Removes stale air, airborne contaminants, odours, and CO2 produced by plants from the grow room, which impact plant development.
Intake Fan
Brings fresh air into the grow room, which is used by plants during photosynthesis and oxygenates the plants’ growing environment.
Carbon Filter
Uses carbon particles to capture odours and remove them from the growing environment.
Fan Controller
A piece of equipment which controls the speed of your intake and extraction fans, thereby controlling humidity and temperature.
Ducting
Used in the movement of air around the growing environment. High quality ducting improves airflow and reduces noise.
Accessories
The little parts which make all the difference to the quality and durability of your set-up.
Example Setup: Ventilation
Building A Grow Room – Step 2:
HUMIDITY, AIR MOVEMENT & SANITISATION
As well as temperature, it is essential to maintain the correct humidity during each phase of the growing cycle.
Aim to keep the room within these ranges to ensure quality and reduce the chances of mould development:
| Growth Stage | Relative Humidity % |
|---|---|
| Vegetative | 60-70 |
| Early Bloom | 60-65 |
| Mid Bloom | 50-55 |
| Late Bloom | >45 |
Humidifier
Our SonicAir Pro Humidifier is sufficient for a growing area of 10m2. To calculate how many units you need, divide the area of your room by 10.
Dehumidifier
The ora 60L Dehumidifier offers fantastic humidity control in grow rooms, removing up to 60L / 127 US pints per 24 hours.
VPD Controller
The G.A.S Intelligent Humidity Controller uses a 3-in-1 probe to monitor the temperature, humidity, and light levels in your grow room.
Heater
Plants thrive in stable temperatures. Maintain optimal temperatures for each stage of growth with the ora2kW Fan Heater— a low-cost, fast, and effective heating solution.
Air Diffuser
A DiffuseAir 250 paired with an RVK 250 fan maintains consistent temperature
and humidity in an area of 5m2.
To calculate how many you need, divide the area of your room by 5.
Air Sanitizer
The AirTitan keeps the environment free from plant pathogens.
The AirTitan covers an area of 18m2 (6mx3m). To calculate how many you need, divide the area of your room by 18.
Example Setup: Humidity, Air Movement & Sanitisation
Building A Grow Room – Step 3: LIGHTING
The amount of light in your grow room will have a direct impact on the amount of dried flower you yield. 1g of dried flower per watt of lighting is a good benchmark to aim for.
PPFD (Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density) is the standard unit for measuring light intensity. It is effectively the amount of light shining on a m2 per second.
Aim for the following PPFD at eachstage of the growth cycle:
| Growth Stage | PPFD |
|---|---|
| Vegetative | 500 |
| Early Bloom | 750 |
| Mid Bloom | 1000 |
| Late Bloom | 750 |
DLI
Premium Dutch lighting brand DLI producehigh-efficiency LEDs that can be dimmed between 30%-100%.
Lighting Controller
A lighting controller allows you to automate lighting schedules and intensities to suit the natural photosynthetic behaviours of your plants.
PAR Meter
A PAR meter will allow you to accurately measure the PPFD (always measure at the canopy level).
Optional: UV Light
For those seeking the highest quality product, exposing plants to UV-C light will increase resin and terpene production.
Example Setup: Lighting
Building A Grow Room – Step 4: GROWING SYSTEMS
Our irrigation division was the first manufacturer of hydroponic systems in Europe, back in 1976. Now part of the G.A.S portfolio.
We have growing systems for every technique including:
- Drip feeding – RTW and Recirculating
- Nutrient Film Technique (NFT)
- Flood and Drain
- Deep Water Culture (DWC)
- Aeroponics
With so many options to choose from, we have taken into account the following when selecting our systems:
- Ease of use – Each system is very low maintenance
- Scalability – Each system can easily be scaled
- Cost – Each system offers great value for money
IWS Trident
The simplest of the 3 methods, a Flood and Drain (Ebb and Flow) system that feeds plants from the bottom. Extremely low maintenance, recirculating systems use less nutrient and require topping up less often. The IWS Trident is available with a choice of 2 pot sizes – 16L & 25L. A 60/40 growing medium, made up of coco and clay pebbles, is ideal for use with the Trident.
What size system do you need?
Based on the IWS Trident with 16L pots, you need 0.5m2 per pot.
IWS Dripper
Another modular system, which feeds from the top using drippers and runs to waste (RTW) rather than recirculates nutrient. This technique is a little more advanced and requires slightly more maintenance, as RTW systems use more nutrient and require topping up more often. However, RTW dripper systems offer greater flexibility in terms of irrigation frequency versus ebb and flow systems. There are 2 different sizes of pot stand available, and a range of styles and sizes of pot can be used. Coco growing medium is ideal for use in the IWS Dripper, but 60/40 and soil can also be used.
What size system do you need?
Based on the IWS Dripper with16L pots, you need 0.5m2 per pot.
Multiduct Trays
This is the most advanced growing method. It uses the RTW dripper technique to grow larger quantities of smaller plants in Cultiwool or Coco. This system offers the most flexibility in terms of irrigation frequency. The smaller pot/block size allows for quicker dry back, but less growing medium means that in an emergency such as a power cut, the plant will not survive as long. This is the method utilised by most pharmaceutical facilities but does require the closest monitoring.
What size system do you need?
For Multiduct Tray with drippers, you need 0.33m2 per plant.
Example Setup: Growing Systems
Building A Grow Room – Step 5: NUTRIENTS & ADDITIVES
Nutrients and additives feed the plant and maintain a healthy environment within the growing medium.
Base Nutrients
Provide everything the plant needs to grow from start to finish. Often specific versions are used for different growing media and variants are normally for hard and soft water types.
Additives and Stimulants
Specialist products for use at different times in the cycle, or for conditioning the growing medium. Examples include root boosters, enzymes, and bloom boosters.
House & Garden
An American brand with Dutch origins, a market leader in the USA and popular in commercial facilities. House & Garden use only the highest-grade minerals and meticulous processes to ensure they deliver pure, powerful yet economical formulations.
Gold Label
A Dutch manufacturer famous for their growing media. Very popular in the Swiss CBD industry. This family-run business are proud producers of high-quality products, with a long history of innovation and professionalism which stands at the core of everything they do.
Hygen
Australia’s leading nutrient range and widely used in the pharmaceutical market in Asia. They manufacture scientifically balanced products for the commercial farmers and home growers of today. Their products are so high quality, they are routinely used for hydroponic food production.
Plant Magic
A leading British range of nutrients and growing media. Simple to use and offers great value for money at scale.
Each Plant Magic nutrient product targets a specific growth phase, providing just what your plants need to develop their natural taste and aroma.
Silver Bullet
The Silver Bullet brand was developed with the intention to eliminate the stresses brought on by plant diseases and infections. Their products rely on a unique mix of peroxide and silver which work together to create a highly effective and long-lasting treatment for plant pathogens.
Building A Grow Room – Step 6: pH & EC CONTROL
Once you have selected your nutrients and additives, it is important to use them in the right way to allow your plants to achieve their genetic potential.
The pH, EC and water temperature are all important factors to consider when growing in a hydroponic system.
pH (Potential Hydrogen)
Acidity or alkalinity of the nutrient solution. This should be kept in the range of 5.8-6.3 to allow plants to absorb as much nutrition as possible from the nutrient solution.
EC (Electrical Conductivity)
This is essentially the amount of dissolved salts in your nutrient solution. The higher the number, the stronger your solution. Your chosen nutrient range will include guidance on the EC level to aim for.
You should aim to keep your nutrient solution between 18 and 22°C. This is because cold water shocks the roots and using warm water can lead to root rot and other diseases.
There are several ways to check that you are feeding at the right pH and EC level:
- In a recirculating system, the pH should rise and the EC should fall as the plant takes nutrients from the solution. You can check this is happening by logging the values each day.
- In a run to waste system, you can measure the runoff solution to ensure that the pH is higher and the EC lower than the feed solution.
- You can also measure the pH and EC of the growing medium itself using a substrate meter.
EC & pH Meter
The Aqua Master Hand-held Meter H600 Pro is designed for the precise measurement of pH, EC, temperature, and various other environmental parameters in liquids. Soil probes can also be used on this meter, making it the perfect all-rounder for professionals and newcomers alike.
EC Temp Meter
The Aqua Master EC Temp Meter E50 Pro is the perfect digital pen meter for measuring the EC and temperature of liquids. This high-quality meter is designed for long-term usage, with easily replaceable probes and a robust housing that will resist damage.
PH Temp Meter
The Aqua Master PH Temp Meter P50 Pro measures the pH and temperature of your liquid nutrient solution. It is extremely accurate, easy to calibrate, and has a large, easy to read digital display.