What is the best way to get rid of unwanted smells in your grow room or grow tent? A Carbon filter or carbon scrubber. While there are other ways to remove odors, none are as good as a carbon filter.
With many types of plants grown indoors, you might end up dealing with nasty smells that travel beyond your grow room. Growing plants involves using fertilizers and nutrients and sometimes pesticides that are beneficial for the plant, but they can cause a foul odor. The best carbon filter will improve the quality of the air in your grow room and clean the air that passes back to your house.
This strong odor will make it inconvenient to grow your plants at home. This is why it is a wise decision to invest in an excellent carbon filter to help with your grow tent ventilation.
How to Pick the Best Carbon Filter for Grow Room?
Carbon filters are very popular among people who grow flowers, cannabis, and hydroponics. This is because growing plants in an enclosed environment can cause a lot of annoying odors. These filters are versatile and can be used for a lot of other applications.
Finding the best carbon filter is not difficult if you know what to look for. Here are some features that you need to think about:
Quality of Carbon
For me, this is the most important attribute. Activated carbon is one of the most absorbent materials on the planet. It absorbs smoke, smells and many impurities that affect air quality.
Carbon comes from different sources and some types are more absorbent than others. You need to make sure that your carbon is of high-quality and is machine packed. Machine packed carbon means that there will be no movement in the particles which will ensure that all the contaminants are properly filtered.
Material
The carbon filter housing should be made of a durable, non-corrosive material that can last for many years. The two most common types are Aluminum and Steel. Aluminum is lightweight, affordable, and is one of the best options if you want a budget-friendly filter. However, steel filters are more durable and can handle higher CFM’s but they are also more expensive.
Design
There are three basic designs: rectangular, conical and cylindrical.
- Rectangular or even cubed shaped is most reminiscent of the air filter like we have our our household furnace.
- Conical shaped designs will maximize the airflow like with an air intake system.
- Cylindrical is a tube that has carbon over an inner cylinder. This is the most common design for grow tents and rooms as it is very efficient and works well with fans.
Make sure that the carbon filter absorbs air from all directions. A larger open air mesh percentage guarantees that cleaner air will be delivered from your grow room.
Budget and Warranty
Money doesn’t grow on trees. Right? This is important if you want to have peace of mind. Within the warranty period, you can be guaranteed that it is free of defects. Otherwise, the manufacturer has got you covered, making sure of your highest level of satisfaction.
Good filters can be combined with strong fans that will deliver better and cleaner airflow. Make sure that you buy a good model that will keep the air smelling clean and fresh.
How To Take Care Of Your Carbon Filter
Luckily, carbon air filters are fairly easy to maintain and require minimal maintenance to work efficiently.
Changing the filter as soon as it becomes saturated is recommended and the manufacturuer’s instructions will help you with that.
To keep the carbon filter in its peak condition and to make it last longer, here are some general things that you have to do:
- Remove it from the grow room and take it to an open space where you can clean it easily.
- Shake it vigorously to remove any trapped dirt or dust.
- Spray water and submerge it in a water with mild soap for about 15 minutes.
- Rinse and allow it to dry completely before putting back in the grow tent. You have to dry the activated carbon under the heat of the sun to make it last longer.
- Before using the filter again, it is also necessary to vacuum it first. This removes the excess carbon.
After reaching it’s maximum usage capacity, you need to replace it. Using it beyond its intended lifespan will reduce its performance and that of your grow room.
So with that, here are our top 6 best carbon filters for your grow room.
iPower 4 Inch Air Carbon Filter — TOP PICK
This aluminum open air mesh carbon air filter is extremely popular and our top pick because it uses 1050+ IAV Australian RC412 Activated Carbon. English please…basically, this is one of the most absorbent carbons in the world.It does a great job at absorbing bad odors that can affect the quality of the air in your grow tent and house. It cleans the air for about 2 years with proper maintenance.
It’s reversible 4″ flange means that you can flip it upside down for extended use. Overall, it is only 12 inches long so it can easily fit into most grow tents.
The iPower all has a pre-filter that lasts for up to 6 months and then should be replaced to guarantee high performance. The filter has 53% open area which means it is fairly effective in odor management.
This product is cost effective, easy to set up, has a large 1200 CFM capacity and weighs about 6 pounds. What’s not to like? Installing this carbon filter will improve the quality of the air in any room. It increases the airflow and keeps your grow room clean and healthy.
Contains one of the most absorbent activated carbons 53% open area for better odor management Reversible flange for an extended use Easy to set up
It is a bit too loud
CoolGrows Air Carbon Filter
This product comes in 3 different sizes (4″, 6″ or 8″ flange sizes) to fulfill to your various carbon filter needs. It also has a pre-filter design which helps do a great job eliminating those annoying odors.The CoolGrows filter is made of a premium zinc-anodized steel which is more durable than aluminum. This means that is going to last for a very long time.
The filter resists corrosion and purifies the air by using a 1050+ IAV Australian Virgin Charcoal Bed to absorb impurities and pungent odors.
The packed carbon is guaranteed to deliver 99.8% filtered air and handle up to 450 CFM.
The CoolGrows’ outer mesh is designed with 53% open area to optimize the airflow in your grow tent.
Galvanized sheet carbon filter that resists corrosion. Contains 1050+ IAV Australian Virgin Charcoal to absorb impurities. Delivers 99.8% filtered air. 53% open area for optimized airflow. May not be big enough if you have a big grow room
Growneer Air Carbon Filter
This amazing filter will keep your grow room clean and your house healthy. It features powerful 1050+ IAV Australian raw charcoal which is one of the most absorbent materials.It eliminates ill-smelling particles. This one has a cone-shaped design that maximizes the utilization of the activated carbon.
The flange and bottom are reversible so you can reverse the charcoal canister to make sure that it lasts longer. This feature provides extended and improved use.
It also includes a pre-filter that provides additional filtering.
This is a versatile product as you can get it in a 4″ or 6″ flange and it only weighs about 6.5 pounds. There is also an option to get it with a properly sized fan.
So whether you install it in your grow room, your kitchen or bathroom vents, you will always be able to enjoy the fresh and clean air.
Budget-friendly carbon filter Australian raw charcoal to absorb odors Cone-shaped design maximizes the use of the activated carbon Filter flange and bottom can be reversed for longer use Use with flexible venting as the flange is a bit larger than 4 inches
Phresh Filter Inline Filter
This Phresh Filter uses machine packed RC-48 activated certified virgin carbon bed which does an excellent job at absorbing odors.Although the price for this filter is a bit higher compared to others we have reviewed here, the higher price is justified by the additional features and benefits and its performance.
The Anti Air Bypass system guarantees the optimal air circulation. This filter removes the foul odors in your grow tent by purifying the air.
The top and base are made of high-quality lightweight aluminum that will last for a long time.
This has a 4 inch flange and can handle up to 200CFM. However, there are several different configurations that can match your needs. It weighs a bit more than other models (about 7 pounds) but that is because it packs in more activated carbon.
The cone-shaped internal base optimizes the airflow. It features 51% open air custom mesh for better odor management. It comes with batteries and is very easy to install.
Aluminum lightweight filter Packed with RC-48 activated virgin carbon Anti Air Bypass system Open air custom mesh for better odor management A bit more expensive than other products
Terrabloom Activated Charcoal Carbon Filter
This is a high-quality product that features top grade RC-48 Charcoal Carbon from Western Australia. It does a great job at eliminating odors and pungent smells from your grow room or greenhouse.The active carbon is machine packed with small granules. This means that it contains 15% more activated carbon than you can find in other products. The carbon bed is 46mm thick!
It is specially designed to eliminate bad odors in your grow room or tent. Combine this filter with a high-quality fan and you will be able to enjoy fresh and clean air that will help your plants grow faster and healthier. Moreover, this filter multi-purpose and can be installed anywhere in the house to provide clean fresh air.
This packages includes 2 washable pre-filters. The aluminum flange and base are very easy to install but please note that this comes in a 6 inch or 8 inch flange. So make sure your duct work is of the proper size if you choose this one.
Top grade RC-48 Charcoal Carbon from Western Australia Comes with 2 washable pre-filters High-quality aluminum flange and base Easy to install Some loose charcoal around the housing is possible
Hamilton Beach TrueAir Room Odor Eliminator
The Hamilton Beach TrueAir Room Odor Eliminator is a bit different from the others we review. However, this one can serve a purpose in your smaller grow tents.This standalone filter can be easily moved! If you are growing your plants in a rental space, smaller grow tent, or other space where you may need to pack up and move, it makes sense to keep your equipment separate and easily movable.
While small, this carbon filter fan can keep a 10 foot by 10 foot room free of odors for about three months before needing to replace the filters.
It has two speeds and is extremely energy efficient, using less energy than a 15 watt light bulb. It comes bundled with 3 carbon filters.
Works in a 10′ x 10′ area Standalone and portable Two speeds More complex than an inline charcoal filter Not easy to replace the filters
Conclusion on the Best Carbon Filters
Buying and installing the best carbon filter for your grow room is a must! A good filter will improve the quality of the air helping your plants grow healthier. It will also remove the noxious smells that can occur with certain types of plants. Make sure that you buy a high-quality product that is properly sized for your growing needs so that it will remove annoying smells while improving the air quality. The end result will be bigger plants.
