Cool Tube Question

Ok so im thinking about starting a vertical grow in a 4x4 tent. in the process of finding all the stuff i need some help locating the right cooltube for the job. All the cool tubes i find have the metal shield on them.

For example
http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/hydrofarm-rfcool6-inch-cool-tube-reflector-p-3911.html

this cool tube has the metal shield on it. can n e one let me know if i can pull the shield off or point me to the right direction to purchase the right one.

thanks in advance
 

WeeGogs

Active Member
Ok so im thinking about starting a vertical grow in a 4x4 tent. in the process of finding all the stuff i need some help locating the right cooltube for the job. All the cool tubes i find have the metal shield on them.

For example
http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/hydrofarm-rfcool6-inch-cool-tube-reflector-p-3911.html

this cool tube has the metal shield on it. can n e one let me know if i can pull the shield off or point me to the right direction to purchase the right one.

thanks in advance
do something with this perspex tube 130mm outside diameter 124mm inside diameter with 3mm wall per metre length is £28.50 it is 93% light emitting a lot better than glass and they can do it in long lengths if needed or the 100mm tube is only £21.65 per metre.


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PERSPEX-ACRYLIC-CLEAR-TUBE-1-METER-LENGTHS-5MM-130MM-1-2-3MM-WALL-PMMA-PIPE-/200757104005?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&var=&hash=item2ebe0e4d85
 

Clown Baby

Well-Known Member
You should be able to just unscrew it. That's how you can take out the ones on the hydrofarm model.

I'll tell you this though, the light spread on a cooltube sucks. IMHO the only time they're worthwhile is if you're running a stadium style grow or if you take out the reflector and set it up vertically.
 
With vertical grows you need more space then with regular horizontal grows. I would think you would have better results going horizontal while using a 4 x 4 tent. I have been growing vertical for years now, but honestly have never grown in a tent, so who knows. It just does not seem like enough space unless you are going to use a small HPS bulb no bigger than a 400. A 600 or 1000 would definitely need more space. Do you need to use the tent? May be you could use it for your veg and the rest of the room for bud like a two stage set up? That way you could elliminate veg time and have a harvest every 2 months if using an 8 week strain.

I know we all don't have ton's of space, hence the use of the tent, but it's just a suggestion. May be others can chime in here that have more experience with tents. I will say once you go vertical you will be amazed at the difference in final yield. At least I was!

WP
 

BearDown!

Member
I recently bought two cooltubes and love them,,,sure you have to take off the reflector...2min, then take off the hanger on one end, think about which end needs to be upright..(hint, socket end)...then put it on the other end and marker through the holes so you can drill through the aluminum and make screw holes....5min...connect hanger, 2min..done

I read the specs on the acrilix or whatever the plastic alternative was, light transmission was 93%.....

Cooltubes aren't terribly heavy either..and i said in another post that the plants get right up next to my 1K hps at 75%intensity.. i hang a temp meter next to vertical glass and it says 80degrees..
 
hey thanks for all the responses. First thing is first im running 2k in the 4x4 tent. have an aero setup and was looking to make it vertical i think the space in the 4x4 tent is plenty if i got iwth 4 layers of pvc pipe. but obnly dif is i will only be using 1k. i use the tent coz i have one room and i have a tent for veg and a tent for flowering. The strain im running is Nirvana white widow plants dont get to big with training and iv also flowerd them from clones and they stay about 2 feet high.
 

darkangel

Member
Ok so im thinking about starting a vertical grow in a 4x4 tent. in the process of finding all the stuff i need some help locating the right cooltube for the job. All the cool tubes i find have the metal shield on them.
this cool tube has the metal shield on it. can n e one let me know if i can pull the shield off or point me to the right direction to purchase the right one.

thanks in advance
Growing it in 4x4 tent is the best :D
 

OGEvilgenius

Well-Known Member
5x5 is better for vert, but 4x4 works. Cooltubes are generally a waste of money growing vertically or horizontally. The only time they are not is if you want to do a sealed room vertical. You ain't sealing anything in a tent.
 

Tranceus

Active Member
the metal shield will come off it just sits on top of the tube. janky as hell i know. anyways always remember that light does not travel in a straight line and passing through a cylandrical object only distorts it more and in most cases causes light refraction.
 

sykk

Member
I used a Pyrex bake a round from Evilbay. Works great and is almost 4" in diameter. Perfect for my cooling ducts. I'm sure there is a diy on it here someplace.
 
i ended up getting the hydro farm ones they r pretty good and the cover just unscrews. finally have m y vert setup done in my 5x5 tent ended up doin 2 tier 12 plants per tier. used 4 inch pvc pipe and piped everything outside the tent works pretty well maybe i post a pic when i get a chance
 

Red1966

Well-Known Member
the metal shield will come off it just sits on top of the tube. janky as hell i know. anyways always remember that light does not travel in a straight line and passing through a cylandrical object only distorts it more and in most cases causes light refraction.
Light DOES travel in a straight line. Light refraction in a cylindrical tube is irrelevant.
 
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