How to Control the smell produced by cannabis grow room?
Why Does Marijuana Smell Marijuana is filled with terpenes, an aromatic oil that coats cannabis varieties with a distinctive odor. Terpenes in cannabis began for adaptive purposes to help repel predators and attract pollinators. Over 100 different terpenes have been identified in the cannabis crop, with each individual terpene associated with a unique effect.
If you have ever smelt a cannabis crop, you may have associated the plants odor with that of a skunk, and you would be right. Many terpenes can smell like thiols, the chemical compound behind the skunk spray odor. Therefore, marijuana will always smell like a skunk, but depending on the strain some will be contain a stronger skunk like odor than others.
Odor Control Solutions for Indoor Cannabis Grow Rooms
PICK THE RIGHT STRAIN Cannabis plants can take on different shapes, sizes, and aromas. Some strains exude less stank than others. One should avoid anything remotely close to Skunk and Cheese varieties. These were specially developed for their pungent aromas, which have the power to wake up the entire neighbourhood. Durban Poison, a South African sativa-dominant variety is a great pick. This strain is praised for its energetic and uplifting effects, as well as its natural scent. Durban Poison can become relatively tall; if a shorter strain is desired, Northern Lights is a smart choice. It’s a stocky indica-dominant variety, delivering its consumers with a blissful chill. Grapefruit is another great pick. This strain grows quite fast and emits weaker fragrances
Carbon Filter/Scrubber (Scrub odors from air) Carbon Filters & Carbon Scrubbers - the #1 way to get rid of smells in the grow roomThese are hands-down the best option for controlling marijuana grow room odors. Carbon filters (also called ‘carbon scrubbers’) will actually pull the smells out of the air, neutralizing any odors that pass through.
Carbon filters are what you need if it’s important to neutralize the air coming out of your exhaust. A good carbon filter will make sure you never accidentally leak the smell of cannabis out through a window into your neighborhood.
These devices use activated carbon to chemically absorb smells and other impurities from any air that is pushed through the filter.
With a carbon scrubber, you need to set up a situation where the smelly marijuana air is being forced through the filter. In other words, you need to use a fan to push or (even better) pull air through the carbon filter.
The most common way to do this is to set up a carbon filter as a part of your exhaust system in a sealed grow tent, and use an exhaust fan pulling hot air away from your grow area. As hot air is pulled out and away from your plants, the carbon filter scrubs odors from the air on the way out. Carbon filters come in different shapes and sizes and can be complemented by the addition of a duct fan. This will either serve to circulate contaminated air though your filter or to
exhaust clean air out from your filter with the assistance of some ducting. Not all carbon filters are created equal, so be sure to purchase a reputable model. Filters come in various shapes as well, so outfitting a model that fits your space is key. Like fans, carbon filters are also characterized by CFM rating. In many cases, the CFM rating and ducting diameter of your fan and filter will coincide. Most of the time, carbon filters are at their peak productivity when positioned at the highest point in your grow space. This is where the most heat will accumulate.
Maintain Temperature & Humidity Levels The first step to take in your indoor grow house for odor control is to make sure the grow space’s temperature and humidity are at a desirable level. High temperatures and humidity will prolong any odor issues that your grow house encounters, and it will mostly affect your garden during the bloom phase of growth. The ideal grow temperature and humidity varies depending on the stage of the plant’s life, and thus the grower must follow the temperature standards for each stage. When the temperature is at the desired level it can minimize the grow room odors and help to maintain odor control inside the cannabis grow house.
Indoor Air Circulation Proper air circulation is at the center of maintaining temperature and humidity control. All grow lights produce heat in varying quantities. Smaller grow systems utilizing cooler lights such as compact fluorescent grow light or LED grow light may have an easier time suppressing heat than hotter systems like high intensity discharge (HIDs) or ceramic metal halides, but both will fry your garden with dangerously high temperatures if there isn’ t adequate ventilation and circulation. Ideally, air needs to move through a garden every few minutes during vegetative phases and every minute during bloom phases. Not only does air circulation help keep temperatures and odors low, it will recycle used CO2 out of your grow space. The easiest solution to air circulation is to outfit your garden with fans. Standing fans, oscillating fans, as well as ducted intake and exhaust fans will all do wonders in and of themselves, but when combined, they can move air through your garden in a matter of seconds, taking odors out with them.