Build it vs. Buy a kit

2×2 — one plant, closets, stealth. Cheapest way in, smallest harvests.

2×4 — the sweet spot for 2 plants: only 2 ft deep, so you can reach every plant from the front, and it has the most light options on the market. Needs a 4-ft-wide spot.

3×3 — slightly more floor than a 2×4 (9 vs 8 sq ft) but 3 ft deep, so the back plant is harder to tend. Pick it only when your space is narrower than 4 ft.

4×4 — the classic "serious hobby" size: 4 plants, roughly double a 2×4's harvest, but it needs a 450–500W light, a 6″ fan, and more head-height. Budget roughly 1.5× the 2×4 cost all-in.

5×5 — small-room territory: ~6 plants, needs a 650–750W light and 6″ ventilation, and you'll want walk-around access. The gear list is NOT the 2×4 list scaled up a little — light class, filter size, soil volume, and clip-fan count all change (the app handles that for you).

Soil (dirt) is the classic, forgiving route. A quality bagged soil like Ocean Forest comes pre-charged with nutrients, so you just water for the first 3–4 weeks, then feed 1–2× a week. Soil buffers pH mistakes, holds water for days, and smells/feels like real gardening. Trade-off: slightly slower growth than coco, and watering by feel takes practice.

Coco coir is an inert medium — think "hydroponics that looks like soil." You feed with every watering — by hand is totally fine (a drip system is an optional upgrade, not a requirement) — and pH matters every time. Reward: faster growth and the biggest yields when dialed in. Trade-off: zero autopilot — miss feedings and plants stall.

First grow? Soil is the gentler teacher. Chasing max speed and control? Coco. Yield difference at this scale is real but modest (~10–15%) — a dialed soil grow beats a sloppy coco grow every time.

Without CO₂, plants can only use ~800–900 PPFD of light. Past that, extra watts don't grow extra bud — they just make heat. That translates to roughly 100–150W for a 2×2, 280–330W for a 2×4, ~300W for a 3×3, 450–500W for a 4×4, and ~650–750W for a 5×5 with an efficient LED. Any kit whose light reaches that band is at the ceiling — a pricier light only pays off if you seal the tent and add CO₂ later (that's a "grow #3" project). This is from the Seed-to-Smoke guide §6, "chasing maximum yield."

Odor: the included 6″ filter in AC Infinity kits (or a right-sized 4″) is enough for these tents — run the fan slow for long carbon contact and keep negative pressure. Premium Phresh / Can-Lite filters are optional insurance for shared walls.

Vent it out: duct the filtered exhaust out a window so heat + humidity leave your living space. A window duct kit is ~$30.

Climate: hold the room ~76–78°F, run lights overnight, and add a small dehumidifier (~$50–150) for flowering. Skip whole-room climate units — oversized for tents this size.