FAQs
Several manufacturers and sellers of plant tents are experiencing the off gassing issue that we faced in 2007-2008. Although we pulled our products from the market and reimbursed our clients, it seems as though several companies never paid attention to the problem and have perpetuated it. As of June 1, 2009, we have started receiving tons of emails from clients who own other brands of tents being sold in the USA and Canada. These tents are not HydroHuts but people are confusing the brand names. Older model HydroHuts had beige outer seams. Other brands of tents manufactured by the SeeChance company in China use bright green seams.
If you own a tent that is killing your plants and it is NOT a HydroHut, then please contact the manufacturer or distributor of that particular brand of tent and ask for a remedy to your situation. HydroHut made serious efforts to remove their problematic tents from the market. It is a shame that others did not follow suit.
Plant/plastic problem explained
No. HydroHut spent 10 months testing many new materials to insure that we never have a toxic issue again.
What are plasticisers (phthalates) and are they dangerous to my plants or me?
Plasticisers allow a hard plastic to become flexible. A few plasticisers are known to negatively affect certain plant’s abilities to breathe correctly. We do not use any of these compounds in our new models.
The amount of plasticiser needed to affect certain plants is measured in picograms. Picograms are three orders of magnitude smaller than milligrams. This means three orders of magnitude below the maximum permitted levels set by governments for human exposure.
Milligram (10-3g) -> Microgram (10–6 g) -> Nanogram (10–9 g) ->Picogram (10-12g)
These minute amounts are so small that they do not even show up on a test for plasticisers if testing plastics for household items or children’s toys. Plants have attributes that humans do not. The minute levels needed to affect a plant will not affect humans. We do not have any of these plasticisers (aka phthalates) in our new grow tents.
For extensive reading on phthalates, please see the Phthalates Information Centre Europe: http://www.phthalates.com/index.asp?page=54 It is a realistic & scientific body of evidence that almost completely refutes the misinformation being offered by our competitors who obviously never understood the plant related toxic-plastic issue.
No. We never used PVC in the past and still do not.
Did HydroHut ever use toxic glue?
No. We never used any glue of any type and still do not.
Why are the HydroHut grow tents so much heavier than other grow tents?
HydroHuts are made from a thick canvas outer layer for maximum strength. Additionally, we use only steel poles and corners. As our clients must hang numerous heavy items from our ceiling structures, we do not agree that using cheaper aluminum poles or plastic corners is in our client’s best interest. Subsequently, our quality grow tents weigh more than our competitor’s grow tents.
I’ve been growing forever and know what I’m doing, why do I need more air movement in the HydroHut than in a normal, house room grow area?
Growing in an all plastic environment is not the same as growing in a room in a house. Atmospheric values, temperature and humidity act differently in an all plastic environment. A room in a house will absorb moisture and heat differently than a wall of plastic. Passively cooling the HydroHut is a very bad idea! Intake and exhaust vent holes are in the HydroHut for a good reason. Taking advantage of these ventable ducts is a priority. Using a blower to force air into a HydroHut but letting the air find its own way out has proven to be very problematic. Even if you’re in a cooler, ocean side town and have never needed forced-air intake and exhaust before, when growing in a HydroHut, it is highly recommended that you employ the use of intake and exhaust blowers.
Not using ducting doesn’t work well. The air that is forced into the HydroHut will passively find its way out and then find its way right back into the HydroHut. This is far from an ideal situation and can cause major air quality problems. Fresh air from outside should be forced through a duct by way of an adequately sized blower and then into the HydroHut. Exhaust air should be forced out of the HydroHut through a charcoal filter, either pelletized charcoal carbon or a charcoal fiber filter and an exhaust blower of adequate size. Using an axial fan (computer fan) to exhaust your HydroHut is wrong and inadequate! Even if you live in a cooler environment and are used to using minimal fans and blowers, growing in a HydroHut is different and as such must be treated differently.
Exhaust air should be ducted out of the room, not into the same room that houses the HydroHut! A charcoal filter should be INSIDE the HydroHut to absorb any organic molecules that can be a detriment to your plants. If you have one or more HydroHuts inside of one room and plan on using one charcoal filter in the main room instead of a smaller charcoal filter inside of each HydroHut, then you run the risk of having air-quality problems in each HydroHut. This is being repeated because it is of paramount importance.
I live in a cooler environment and have never needed to air-cool my lighting system. Why do I need to air-cool the lighting system in my HydroHut?
If you do not air-cool your lighting system inside the HydroHut, you run the risk of making your charcoal filter completely ineffective. Heat and humidity greatly reduce the effectiveness of activated charcoal. Again, HEAT AND HUMIDITY hurt your ability to filter (absorb) organic molecules. Having a charcoal filter inside the HydroHut is necessary, but if that filter is four inches from a burning hot lighting system, the filter will be almost useless. Even if you are piping in air conditioned cool air into your HydroHut, the micro climate around the filter will be changed for the worse by the heat being emitted from your lighting system. Air-cool your lighting system with an adequately sized blower and ducting. Duct this hot air out of the HydroHut and out of the room in which the HydroHut is sitting. Recirculating used air again and again is a recipe for disaster.
The HydroHut is watertight, what do I care if I spill some water inside?
Research on used HydroHuts it has shown that sitting water between the first and second water-proof floors was left to dry out on its own. Being sloppy with your watering will only hurt you in the end. If you water with a garden hose or watering can and frequently miss your pots and get water on the inside wall of the HydroHut, that water will run down and sit in between the two water-proof floors. Sitting water will eventually cause the frame to rust, even if the frame is powder-coated or dipped in a stainless solution. Furthermore, sitting water mixed with organics will cause the organics to grow molds. A warm body of water sitting between two layers of plastic will attract bugs, molds and can even lead to a bacteria build up. Please be conscious of where you are putting your excess water.
