How well do grow tents protect your plants from light leaks ?

itsaliveterps

Active Member
Currently in mid flowering I've decided to leave my grow room door open where the grow tent Is in it is fully sealed but i keep thinking light leaks lol I've been inside the tent to test it for leaks its pitch black u cant see your hand but just how safe is it? I currently leave my light on in the other room which doesn't make the grow room pitch black anymore where the grow tent is In.
 

nxsov180db

Well-Known Member
Currently in mid flowering I've decided to leave my grow room door open where the grow tent Is in it is fully sealed but i keep thinking light leaks lol I've been inside the tent to test it for leaks its pitch black u cant see your hand but just how safe is it? I currently leave my light on in the other room which doesn't make the grow room pitch black anymore where the grow tent is In.
is it as dark or darker than the night time outside in the real world? That's all that matters..
 

itsaliveterps

Active Member
I don't think it matters because those grow tents are designed for total black out and will not leak any light unless u have big holes or gaps somewhere etc which is hopefully the case
By darkening the lung room, hanging beach towels over the insides of the window & keeping a low powered light in the desk lamp.

I also just reduce my time of being in the room at all until the grow lights turn on.
 

Modern Selections

Well-Known Member
Outside is completely different than inside.

First thing when getting a new tent setup, get the room bright and go in the tent and duct tape any light coming through. It only takes a few minutes and eliminates the risk.

I've had a whole room seed due to a power strip light. Lots of people on here disagree that light leaks cause problems but lots of people on here also bitch about hermies so you decide for yourself. I seal the leaks.
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
I grow in a room not a tent. I have bigger LEDs from electronics covered for the most part, but not light free by any means. Lights off it is dark but not pitch black. I have not had a plant herm yet, probably just jinxed myself though. If needed I will walk in the room lights off, and sometimes turn the lights on, get what I need, and leave turning lights back off, never been a problem (I’m talking room lights not grow lights now). Perhaps I’m just lucky or it’s the genetics, I grow mostly sativas maybe that has something to do with it. I know plants can herm, I just think it’s more genetics or extreme light leaks.
 

Modern Selections

Well-Known Member
My point is for the people who don't want to risk it. Turning room lights on or light leaks in a dark cycle may not be a problem once twice thrice but the fourth time it might pop some male flowers...I mean why risk it? Kinda like saying I played Russian roulette a few times and won. Well what's next time going to be like??? Yikes and no thanks!

So to people who are careful growers trying to achieve the best, complete darkness is your friend.
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
I do agree with keeping things as dark as easily possible, I don’t agree with going overboard spending a ton of money or time. I also don’t understand the fear of a few seeds. I was actually jealous of a friend who had an outdoor plant throw a few nanners. He ended up with about 40 seeds and some great smoke, no harm in that in my book even if you just throw the seeds away. The seeds were not from a great breeder so I passed on them, but he grew them out with no herms or nanners and again decent smoke, so really not a bad thing if you look at it without seeing seeds as evil. After all most old heads are searching for the great weed from the 80s and earlier, yet most of that weed came loaded with seeds and was still better than most of the crap running around today.
 

tstick

Well-Known Member
Bruce Bugbee says that if it's dark enough that you can't read a book, then it's dark enough to not trigger any plant response. I tend to err on the safe side, so my tent is in a spare room that is 100% pitch black, light proof. But, there are some pretty nice tents now -not just Gorilla.
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
It is difficult to sell seeded herb my friend.
I don’t sell, so not an issue for me. I guess if you’re selling and have weak genetics I would worry as well. I never said light leaks can’t hurt, I said most people make a far bigger deal about it than necessary. If you’re a commercial operation you don’t grow in a tent to start, if your black market and your customers care about a few seeds whatever. If your bud is riddled with seeds your problem is not a light leak.
 
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