In order to keep your climate dialed in and odors at bay, you’ll need the best inline fan for grow tents or grow rooms - depending on how you’re growing indoors.
The grow room climate is not an aspect you want to skimp on - a premium fan is worth it’s weight in gold, because it will ensure your plants have the perfect conditions in terms of temperature and humidity. It will also help expel stinky, stale air from your growing space.
The last thing you want is to invest in any aspect of your grow and then deal with equipment failure - but unfortunately, that's inevitable when you try to pinch pennies on a noisy, outdated fan.
We’re going to explain why finding the best inline fan for your grow room is so important - and we’ll help you choose the right one for you, explaining best practices for sizing.
After that, we’re going to offer some suggestions - our picks for the top inline fans of the year. We’re going to share options for every type of grower - whether you’re a hobbyist with a small closet grow or a commercial grower with a huge warehouse. Let’s start with some basic information on these fans.
What Is An Inline Fan?
Built specifically for bringing fresh air in or removing stale air from the growing space, an inline fan is a key player in your ventilation system - which of course, consists of ducting and a carbon filter.
These can either be connected to a timer and run periodically throughout the day on an on/off cycle - or in especially humid environments, they can be run 24/7. Some growers will just run their fans during lights on.
These are not to be confused with circulation fans or oscillating fans. These are still essential in their own regard, but for air flow throughout the growing space.
Think of the inline fan as a means for bringing fresh air into the space, while the circulation fan moves that fresh air around the growing space.
Do I Need An Inline Fan In My Grow Tent?
There’s a lot of equipment you need when you start getting your grow room setup. This leads to growers looking to cut corners and save money on certain areas. Which leads to the question - do I really need an inline fan in my grow tent or room?
The answer is yes - this is not one of the areas you can skimp on. If you decide to forgo this vital piece of equipment, you are putting your plants at a greater risk of developing environment-related problems.
Problems With Temperature, Humidity, and CO2
Without an inline fan in your grow tent, you’ll end up struggling to manage temperature and humidity. Even in a larger grow room, this is true.
Not only will plant growth slow due to excess temperature and humidity, but you are opening the door to pests and diseases, which thrive in warm, moist climates.
The excess heat from your grow lights needs to be expelled - otherwise it will accumulate around your plants, leading to stress and stunted growth.
Two notable fungal conditions you’ll be putting the welcome mat out for are powdery mildew and bud rot. Without a fan, humidity will rise to dangerously high levels, and you shouldn’t be surprised if you end up with crop loss.
Even if you have a grow room air conditioner or dehumidifier, you need to be bringing in fresh air - which contains fresh CO2.
When growing indoors, CO2 is usually the limiting factor for plant growth. You can supplement grow room CO2 with burners or tanks, but you can get by just fine by setting up a ventilation system (which is powered by an inline fan) to bring in fresh air.
Sizing Your Inline Fan For YOUR Growing Space
The best inline fan for your grow will mostly depend on your budget and how big of a space you have.
These are rated in CFM (cubic feet per minute), and sizing your fan is actually much easier than you think as long as you know the dimensions of your grow. You’ll also need to take into account the carbon filter effect, which can dampen your fans power.
Start by calculating the estimated CFM you need. Your fan should be capable of replacing the air in your grow space within 1 minute. You’ll first need to calculate the cubic dimension of your grow space, and divide that by 1 (minute) to get your CFM rating.
So, a standard 4’x4’x8’ grow tent is 128 cubic feet - divided by 1 minute, you’ll get a CFM rating of 128. Add about 25% to your CFM rating to accommodate for this. In that same 4x4 grow tent, this would mean your actual recommended CFM rating is 128*1.25= 160 CFM.
Of course, if you already have a carbon filter you’re hoping to hook this up to - you’ll need to match the flange size. For example, if you have a 8” carbon filter, you’ll need an 8” inline fan to pair it with.
Our Criteria For Selecting The Best Inline Fan For Grow Tents & Rooms
Now you should have a good idea of how to calculate the size of your fan, so let’s get into what you came here for - our list of the best inline fan for grow tent growers and those in grow rooms alike!
We started by selecting the top brands in the industry, as we know these guys are producing fans that don’t just get the job done - they do it efficiently and reliably. The fans we’re going to share are built to stand the test of time, and will more often than not come with a warranty to protect your investment.
Another huge factor that most growers don’t realize the importance of until after they’ve purchased a fan is noise. Low quality fans tend to be really loud, which isn’t just annoying - it compromises the discretion of your grow!
If a fan makes a lot of noise, there’s a good chance it’s not very efficient either, which will ramp up your energy bill. You won’t have to worry about this if you invest in a fan on this list, because we’ve taken this into account. Here are some additional features of the fans you’ll see on this list:
- Insulated Sound Walls (further dampening noise production)
- Built-in Fan Speed Controller (to help consolidate necessary equipment and optimize your grow space)
- Commercial Certifications/Listings
- Extended Warranty (up to 10 years!)
The Best Inline Fans For Grow Tents & Rooms Alike
Now that you know the criteria we’re looking at for our selections, we’re ready to share our list of the best inline fans for grow tents and rooms alike.
We’re going to start with some more budget friendly options for hobbyists, but we also include some premium selections for those looking to invest in the best!
Gale Force Inline Fan
Far and away the top selection for hobbyists on a budget, the Gale Force Inline Fan is as affordable as it gets.
But - this cheap price tag doesn’t mean cheap quality or performance. UL, CSA, & ETL listed, this fan offers premium performance for less!
With a high quality molded impeller & durable ceramic coated melta housing, this unit is built to last. It even features thermally protected AC motors, which keep the electronics cool even in the warmest of climates.
The Gale Force fans also operate incredibly quietly, so you’ll barely notice it running - both audibly and financially - because it also operates incredibly efficiently!
If you don’t already have a filter and ducting to pair this fan with, you can grab the Covert Ventilation System - it includes everything you need to optimize your environment, and features this very Gale Force inline fan.
With CFM’s ranging from 189-830, and flanges from 4”-10” - there is an option for any size grow!
Phat JETFAN Inline Fans
If you’re a hobbyist looking for something a bit more premium, then the Phat JETFAN Inline Fans are for you.
These offer aerodynamically optimized airflow which leads to extremely high efficiency. While you may spend a bit more up front to snag one of these over the Gale line, you’ll make up for it in energy savings.
We’re not just making this up, either - the JETFAN line draws 25% less power than similar fnas! They operate almost silently too.
These digital fans are mixed flow, so you can easily adjust the speed of your fan using the included control unit - which is detachable, allowing you to house it outside of the growing space!
Whether you’re looking for the best inline fan for grow tent growing or you want to cool an HID hood - these are a great option. They’re ETL certified, and come in sizes ranging from 4”-10”, with CFM of 160-1065.
Just like the Gale fan, we have a complete Phat Ventilation Exhaust Kit. This consists of the JETFAN, but also a Phat carbon filter - which are some of the best in the industry - along with ducting, clamps, and a fan speed controller to bring this system to life.
Vortex S-Line Inline Fan
The Vortex S-Line Inline Fan is a great higher end option for serious growers looking for the latest technology. The five star reviews speak for themselves, this is easily one of the best inline fans for growing!
It’s even backed up by an astounding ten year warranty. The next best warranty on this list is only five years, for comparison.
The S-Line is assembled with polycarbonate castings, built to withstand high impacts. Accidents happen, and should your fan fall, it’ll be better protected.
It also features an integrated back draft damper with mounting brackets for easy installation. With that said, most growers will reinforce the bracket on their own to make installation even simpler!
The energy efficient AC brushless motor is super quiet, further complicated by double insulated walls to further reduce sound.
This is one of the quietest fans currently available - a huge benefit for hobby growers who don’t want to listen to their fans whirling all night!
This fan is available in just three options - 6”, 8”, 10”. These are rated at 347 CFM, 728 CFM, and 1081 CFM respectively.
However, if you’re truly seeking the best inline fan for grow tent growing and grow rooms alike - you need Can Fan.
Can Fan Max-Fan Mixed Flow Inline Fan
Perhaps one of the most innovative, highly sought after inline fans for serious growers today is the Can Fan Max-Fan Mixed Flow Inline Fan.
If you have the funds to invest, this is a great place to allocate them. You’ll be thrilled with the strong, silent operation and impressive efficiency.
The ‘mixed flow’ in the name refers to the ability to set these to three different control speeds directly on the fan - no need for an external fan controller!
These also run substantially quieter than the Max-Fan we mentioned earlier, allowing you to enjoy peace and quiet while you work on your plants. This is especially important for those who grow in their home, and don’t want to listen to the humming of a fan all the time!
These fans come with a 5 year warranty, ensuring that if anything does go wrong your investment is protected.
These are built in Germany with the latest technology. They feature a robust housing with fiberglass reinforced plastic to further dampen noise and meet UL & CSA requirements. While that warranty sounds great, it’s very unlikely you’ll ever need to cash in on it!
Available in sizes ranging from 6”-16”, with CFM from 420-2343 - these are definitely geared towards larger grows.
Explore The Rest Of The Can Fan Line
Can Fan is far and away the best brand you can get your hands on when it comes to inline fans.
This Max-Fan Mixed Flow fan we mentioned above is the most popular - but there are lot’s of other options they offer, too!
Here is a breakdown of the two other Can Fan lines we carry:
- Q-Max Pro Series - Whisper quiet operation and unrivalled efficiency. Growers who don’t want to hear the sounds of their grow tent or grow room should go with this one.
- Max-Fan Pro Series - The next generation of inline Mixed-Flow technology, offering more efficiency and higher performance than the original Max-Fan! If you have the budget for the best overall inline fan on the market, this is the one for you.
To complete your setup, invest in the Can Fan Ventilation & Odor Control Kit.
This is the top ventilation system on the market, which of course implements not just the fan, but a Can Fan filter and flange - along with a fan speed controller and ducting.
Final Thoughts On The Best Inline Fan For Grow Tents & Rooms
We’ve shared our picks for the top inline fans for any type of grow - whether you’re a hobbyist with a few plants or a commercial cultivar with multiple zones.
No matter which you choose, you’ll be getting a premium fan that delivers everything it promises. These are packed full of value, and you can’t go wrong with any of these.
Just be sure it fits your space - using the sizing recommendations we outlined earlier. If you have questions, our experts are awaiting your call or email - we’re happy to help!
While you’re here, grab whatever else you need to bring your plants from seed to harvest - whether you’re growing indoors or outdoors, hydroponics or soil. We are your one-stop shop for all things horticulture!
