Last Updated on June 5, 2023 by Georgie Smith
Humidity control is one of the challenges grow room/tent owners contend with regularly because of fluctuation. Many do not understand its importance and have lost their plants to inadequate humidity level.
Do you know that plants vary in the level of humidity they require? Do you also know that too much or too little of it can harm your plants?
Furthermore, to help regulate the humidity level and put a lid on things in your indoor garden a humidifier is necessary. This post unveils the best grow room humidifiers available at affordable prices.
You will also have access to general information about humidifiers and how to humidify your grow room or grow tent.
See Also:
- Best Heater for Grow Room/Grow Tent: 2023 Reviews and Guide
- Best Ducting for Grow Room/Grow Tent: 2023 Reviews (Top Picks) and Guide
- Best Portable Air Conditioner (AC) for Grow Room, 2023 Grow Tent Air Conditioner Reviews & Guide
Best Type of Humidifier for Grow Room and Grow Tent
Outdoor farmers hardly bother themselves about humidity level since they allow nature take its course. On the other hand, for indoor farmers, humidity control is a significant factor. They need to ensure the humidity level of their grow room is adequate or else they put their plants at risks.
Humidifiers are useful in the control of humidity level of grow rooms and grow tents. There are various types of humidifiers on the market and selecting the best can be challenging. As an indoor farmer, you need to be acquainted with the types of humidifiers available to help with your buying decision.
Did you know that most humidifiers design was first for human beings and not plants? For this reason, you should research the functionalities of any humidifier before spending your money.
What is a Humidifier?
A humidifier is an electronic appliance or device used to increase the amount of moisture in the dry air. Humidifiers are used in residential apartments, offices, hotels, schools, grow rooms, grow tents, greenhouses and so on.
Types of Plant Humidifiers
Humidifiers come in different shapes and sizes. The following are types of grow room humidifier systems to consider for your gardening or home humidity levels. [1]
Ultrasonic Humidifier:
This produces high quality warm or cool mist by vibrating at an ultrasonic frequency. The vibration causes the water in the unit’s tank to evaporate at a high rate; the water then passes into the atmosphere as fine droplets. The ultrasonic humidifier grow room equipment one of the leaders on the market.
Pros:
- It works with low noise
- It releases a cool fog
- Maintenance cost is minimal since filter change is not necessary
- It is easy to manage
Cons:
- If you use tap water in the unit, it produces white dust that settles everywhere. Experts advised that for you to get the best result, you should use distilled or filtered water.
Cool Mist Humidifier:
It releases cool mists into the air after trapping minerals and impurities with their filters.
Pros:
- It is easy to clean
- It operates efficiently in larger areas
- It is efficient in warmer climates
- Electricity usage is low because it does not have any heating element
Cons:
- It is very noisy when operating
- Maintenance is high for this device
- The filter needs regular changing to avoid algae and mold formation
- Changing of the filter add to the maintenance cost
Warm Mist Humidifier:
This release warm, soothing mists into the air. They are the most common in the market. Their modus operandi is quite simple. They heat water at a high temperature to make steam. The steam (vapor) is then sent into the air to boost the humidity of the surrounding grow room or tent.
Pros:
- It is inexpensive
- The noise it generates is low compared to its cool mist counterpart.
- It creates cleaner mists by evaporation
Cons:
- It requires frequent cleaning compared to the cool mist type
- It is more difficult to clean
- It covers only a small area
- It uses up more electricity
Evaporative Humidifiers:
As the name, these humidifiers use airflow to generate mist or vapor. These humidifiers draw water from their tanks over a piece of material (cloth) which then becomes soaked. As the fan blast air over the wet material, the water then turns to vapor. The vapor then blows out into the atmosphere.
Pros:
- They are inexpensive
- Their filters prevent microorganisms and minerals in the water from escaping into the air
Cons:
- They require regular cleaning
- Their filters need frequent changing.
What Does Humidity Mean?
Humidity is the volume of water vapor present in the air. This amount of water vapor varies with temperature. It also changes as plants transpire. It is not easy to control humidity in indoor gardens or grow rooms due to the fluctuation.
Humidity affects the growth and quality of plants. When humidity falls too low, plants’ growth is affected, and many other predicaments befall the plant. Temperature and air pressure influence humidity. Humidity shown in relative humidity (RH) is the percentage of water vapor held by a measure of air at a given temperature.
One limitation of Relative Humidity is that it does not express the plants’ water loss. To express plants’ water loss, experts use the Vapor pressure deficit (VPD). VPD expresses the difference between the pressure of vapor inside a plant and the vapor pressure of surrounding air.
If the vapor pressure in the plant is higher than that of the sounding air, more water escapes from the plant’s leaves and vice versa. The knowledge of VPD is used in the management of greenhouses to schedule irrigation and determine ventilation and air temperature.
Humidity and Plants Growth
Going back to elementary science, do recall that plants inhale Carbon (IV) Oxide (CO2) and release Oxygen (O2). Plants use up the CO2 but release the O2 as a byproduct into the atmosphere during photosynthesis. In photosynthesis, as the plant absorbs CO2, it releases O2 and moisture.
During photosynthesis, when the temperature is high, and humidity is normal, stomata of leaves open for easy gaseous exchange. However, if the air loses its moisture and becomes too dry, the stomata are shut, and photosynthesis is reduced, hence plant growth also.
Another way in which plants release moisture into the atmosphere is through transpiration. When air is dry, plants transpire moisture more than when it is not. The rate of water loss is high with dry air.
During transpiration, when the air is dry or hot, the transpiration rate becomes faster. Even if the growing medium has a quantum supply of water, the plant may still wilt and die if the humidity remains low. Moreso, if the air is very humid, the plant will not absorb water from the growing medium and thus reducing its fertilizer intake, which can lead to weak growth.
The rate of water loss through plants’ leaves is usually higher than the rate of absorption of water through the roots. This high absorption rate through the leaves can damage the plant tissue.
Plants can regulate water loss by closing their leaves stomata to reduce moisture loss when there is little water available. This stomata closing minimizes the moisture flow out of the plant. As the escape of water is restricted, intake of CO2 is too. This restriction process causes stress to the plant and can lead to wilting or death.
Dry air absorbs water from the environment and moisture from plants is too absorbed. Water pulls out of the leaves faster than drawn through the roots. Moist air absorbs little water from the atmosphere. To solve the problem of dryness of the air, you need to humidify the air for your plants.
Plants survive under the right humidity. Under humid air, plants keep their stomata open for easy gaseous exchange. Under these conditions, plants eliminate the stress of excessive water loss. In that wet condition, there is little water loss from the leaves.
Plants differ regarding their soil moisture and humidity requirement. While some survive under very dry, arid (desert-like) air plus little or no humidity others will not. Plants that retain water (i.e., low moisture) developed adaptive features to do so, e.g., such plants grow thick and waxy leaves for moisture retention.
Humidity levels
The following are possible humidity levels:
- 10 percent – 40 percent: At this low level, the air is dry – a climatic condition in the desert. Cacti and other arid plants will thrive at this level, but others will have problems. This level is achieved in grow rooms when artificial heating is applied.
- 40 percent – 60 percent: This is room humidity of homes during summer and the majority of plants will be excellent under the condition. However, some plants will not, but with adequate misting, they would bounce back to life.
- 60 percent – 80 percent: Between these levels is the optimum level of humidity for plants in grow rooms. This level is somewhat difficult to maintain in grow rooms. Many plants will thrive here. Now for plants that are sensitive to levels lower than 70 percent, the solution is to increase the humidity.
- 80 percent – 90 percent: This is an extreme humidity level, which is similar to tropical weather. Tropic plants will blossom at this level.
Common Plant Humidity Problems:
When Humidity is too low, the following signs will appear on plants:
- Wilting
- Plant’s growth becomes stunted
- Plant becomes small
- Plant leaves dry and turns brown
- Plant leaves curl
- Pest infestation increases
When Humidity is too high, the following signs will grow visible on plants:
- The plant’s leaves will show grey mold
- Plants have nutrient deficiencies
- Root disease invades such plant
What Features to Look for When Choosing a Humidifier
When buying a humidifier for grow tent, it is not enough to surf the internet or visit the nearest hardware store to pick one up. Thorough research is expedient. There is nothing as bad as buying equipment that could not serve the purpose of its purchase.
To get it right with humidity in your grow room, you must get the adequate device. How else can you get the proper humidity except if you get the best humidifier?
The following are features to consider when buying a humidifier for your grow room:
1. Size of your grow room
Appropriateness is the key here. For instance, if you are going to kill a rat, you do not need to buy a shotgun, all you need is a regular mousetrap! Therefore, the size of your grow room is the determinant factor before purchasing a humidifier. There are humidifiers for small places, and there are some for big grow tents.
2. User-friendly
Using a humidifier should not be rocket science. When going for one, ensure the features and design are user-friendly. It should be easy to assemble, clean, and move from one place to another. It must be easy to operate with a few buttons and an LED screen showing the humidity level and speed of the fan.
3. Humidistat
Humidistat is like a thermostat that automatically shuts off a unit when it reached the desired moisture level or when the tank is empty. You do not want to over-humidify your grow room or run your unit on an empty tank.
4. Cleaning and Maintenance
Your choice for a humidifier should be easy to clean and maintain. A clean unit will let out clean and safe moisture to plants. Maintaining your unit should not come with additional costs – it should be DIY friendly.
5. Cost
The case of ‘penny wise pounds foolish’ should not come to play when you are buying a humidifier. You should not go for a cheap one because it might cost you much more than you save. Also, you should consider the operating and maintenance cost.
Operating and maintenance cost varies from one humidifier to another. Just look out for one, which is not too costly to operate and maintain.
6. Timer
Timer safeguards your grow room from over-humidification by your humidifier. With the aid of the timer, you can set the unit to stop at your desired time.
7. Run-Time
Humidifiers do not work indefinitely; they operate based on runtime. Run-time is the time it takes the humidifier to exhaust the water in its tank or reservoir when working. While some last more than 60 hours, others can only endure around 15 hours.
The run-time is essential because refilling the water level can be strenuous during operation. For example, a humidifier with 15 hours run-time will require refilling twice within a 24-hour period.
Top 10 Best Humidifiers for grow room and grow tent:
| Picture | Models | Features |
|---|---|---|
| TaoTronics Cool Humidifier with LED Display | – 4L/1.06 Gallon – Noise: < 38db – For room’s size: 40-50 m² / 431-538 ft² – 360 Degree Nozzle | |
 | Aircare MA1201 Humidifier | – For Whole House: up to 3600 ft² – Easy to clean – Tank Capacity: 3.6 gallons – Fan speeds: 4 |
 | Aircare Ep9 800 Humidifier | – For Whole House: Up to 2,400 ft² – 9 Fan Speeds – 3.5 gallon water capacity – Up to 60 hours runtime |
 | PureGuardian Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier | – 1.0 Gallon Tank – 70-Hours of Run-Time – 3-Speed Mist Control – 3-Year Limited Warranty |
 | MistAire Ultrasonic Humidifier | – 1.5-litter water tank – 360-degree mist nozzle – 2 Year Warranty |
 | Vicks Pure Mist Humidifier | – 1 gallon tank capacity – 95% bacteria free – Run Time: Up to 12 Hours – 3 year warranty |
 | URPOWER Aromatherapy Humidifier | – Capacity: 500 ml – Strong/ Weak Mist – 7 Color LED Night Light |
 | Everlasting Ultrasonic Humidifier | – Water Capacity: 6L – 360° Dual Mist Nozzles – LED Night Light – Auto Shut Off Safety |
 | Levoit Humidifier | – Customizable Humidity – Auto Mode – Feature: Humidity Sensor – Intuitive Manual Setup – Warranty: 2 Year |
| Aircare EP9 800 Humidifier | – Up to 2,400 sq. ft. coverage – 3.5 gallon water capacity – 9 fan speeds – Up to 60 hours runtime |
TaoTronics Cool Humidifier with LED Display
This humidifier has significant features most customers would want. The ultrasonic humidifier grows room air diffusion of this humidifier and produces not more than 38dB of sound. This feature is important because it gives one the ability to sleep without any interference.
It releases risk-free air, which is odorless, and the vapor released is adjustable. You can set the humidity level and the mist flow. Also, the humidifier can last up to 15 hours allowing you to have access to pure air that could last the whole night.
Furthermore, this humidifier has a built-in timer and sleep mode function. It has an intuitive LED display and a 360-degree nozzle for the steady dissemination of air. It is vital to know that this humidifier does not serve as a smell diffuser. Get it on Amazon here:
Buy from Amazon
Aircare MA1201 Humidifier
The AIR CARE MA1201 humidifier is an evaporative humidifier that can humidify a whole house. It can humidify a home of around 3600 square feet. These console-style grow room humidifier systems has a digital humidistat that automatically sustains the house. It can retain your preferred humidity level conducted with optimal digital accuracy.
The humidifier automatically stops when it attains the preferred humidity level. It could also halt if the unit of the humidifier is empty. Cleaning the evaporative wick traps is effortless. It also operates smoothly as there are no belts or wheels. The AIR CARE MA1201 has an assembled dimension of around 20.5(h) x 21.5(w) x 14.5 (l) inches. Get is on Amazon here:
Buy from Amazon
Aircare Ep9 800 Humidifier
This pedestal-style grow tent humidifier has a collective product weight of 27 pounds. It can sustain a whole house of up to 2,400 Square Feet. It comes with a digital humidistat for humidity level maintenance. The AIRCARE EP9 800 maintains the humidity level with digital efficiency.
It automatically goes off when it reaches the preferred humidity level, or the unit is empty. This humidifier has a digital readout that displays the actual humidity level. It comes with a 9-Fan Speed that lets you choose your desired performance level. Get it on Amazon here:
Buy from Amazon
PureGuardian Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier
The PureGuardian humidifier comes with Ultrasonic technology that is filter-free. This Ultrasonic technology silently distributes a pleasant mist that provides comfort from the stagnant air.
It fights mold and mildew from germinating on the surface of the water container. The water tank can accommodate 1 gallon of water. It can also produce around 3 gallons of output daily.
PureGuardian Humidifier can last up to 15-70 hours, and this depends on the setting and atmospheric conditions. It has a cord length of around 5 Feet. It has other features such as a night light and variable speed. It will best suit medium-sized houses. Get it on Amazon here:
Buy from Amazon
MistAire Ultrasonic Humidifier
The MistAire ultrasonic humidifier grow room air controller comes with a high-quality humidifying unit. It has an ultrasonic cool mist technology that carefully moisturizes the air. It can work for up to 16 hours of steady operation. The humidifier has a setting that allows you to adjust the speed.
It can run on high or low-speed levels to your comfort. Also, it comes with a 1.5-liter water container. It can provide maximum coverage for bedrooms, offices, and medium-sized apartments.
It has a night light that provides a pacifying glow for utmost relaxation. The MistAire humidifier automatically shuts off when the water level is low. It also shuts off when the water tank finishes. Get it on Amazon here:
Buy from Amazon
Vicks Pure Mist Humidifier
This easy-to-use humidifier can relieve a person of a cold or any flu symptom. It is capable of boiling water to become 96 percent bacteria-free. When boiling the water, this humidifier produces a pure steamed vapor. The vapor fuses with the dry air in the cooling chamber then warm air passes into the room.
The Vicks humidifier in grow room, or a house allows you to use either a Vicks Vaposteam or Kaz Inhalant for faster relief from Cold and flu symptoms.
The humidifier is easy to use as it can be lifted using the soft handles to quickly and easily remove the 1-gallon tank. The shape allows it to fill most sinks and it will enable you to enjoy up to 12 hours of noiseless warm mist operation. Get it on Amazon here:
Buy from Amazon
URPOWER Aromatherapy Humidifier
The URPOWER humidifier is a top-quality humidifier that makes use of an advanced ultrasonic diffusing system. It can cause vibrations at a rate of 2.4 million times per second. It can break water and essential oils into very fine micro-particles.
The micro-particles break without the use of heat. The URPOWER ultrasonic diffuser ensures the quality of the essential oils, which is beneficial to the molecular structure. Hence, it allows for the ease of bodily absorption. The humidifier can hold 500 ml of water and uses it up to 10 hours.
The humidifier shuts off when there is no water or when it reached its limit. It also provides several health benefits such as improved breathing. It helps to relieve stress and strengthens the immune system. Get it on Amazon here:
Buy from Amazon
Everlasting Ultrasonic Humidifier
This ultrasonic humidifier provides extreme comfort with its built-in oil diffuser and high mist output. It has a 6L tank with an extremely high mist output of around 270ml per hour. It is usable in a room of about 400 sq. Ft and the unit last for up to 50 hours even during refills.
The humidifier works steadily producing an almost silent frequency. It comes with an inbuilt essential oil diffuser and a vaporizer that sprays the oils and disperses them into the mist. It provides a clear, pure, and fresh scent. The humidifier also reduces airborne bacteria by retaining relative humidity above 43 percent.
It helps prevent allergies, cough, bacteria, etc. Also, the humidifier does not need any expensive filter that requires regular changes. Get it on Amazon here:
Buy from Amazon
Levoit Humidifier
The Levoit Humidifier is an ultrasonic humidifier that allows up to 20 to 36 hours of continuous use. It has a vast capacity that can contain 6L of water. It comes with an auto mode that automatically diffuses.
It has three different levels that feature mild and cool mist. The humidity level can run up to 25 percent, which is faster than other devices using only the cool mist. The Levoit Humidifier also comes with a touch control panel that is easy to use.
The remote also handles other settings for convenience. The humidifier also helps set a suitable humidity level by reading the specific value of humidity. Also, it produces an ultrasonic air with less than 36 dB for quiet humidification which allows you to sleep without any disturbance. Get it on Amazon here:
Buy from Amazon
Aircare EP9 800 Humidifier
This top-notch pedestal-style humidifier is suitable for a whole house of up to 2,400 Square Feet. It has an assembled product weight of around 27 pounds. It has a digital humidistat that instantly sustains the preferred humidity level using digital accuracy.
The AIRCARE EP9 800 humidifier has a digital readout that displays the precise humidity level and the preferred humidity level. Also, it has a 9-Speed fan that allows you to choose your desired performance level.
You can change the tile with other tiles with the size 12″ x 12″ to fit the room’s décor. Just like every other humidifier, this humidifier shuts off when it reached the chosen humidity level. Get it on Amazon here:
Buy from Amazon
Now you have them, the top ten of the best humidifiers. These humidifiers come with essential features, and they are worth checking out. Order for anyone today and your plants shall thank you for it.
How to Create Humidity in a Grow Room/Grow Tent
In the management of grow rooms, moisture control is vital. Plants under low humidity can have leaf and fruit damage. The change in humidity must be under control; it should not change anyhow. Rapid changes in humidity are the cause of leaf and fruit damage. The change must be slowed down to allow the plant to adjust to the change.
If you are an indoor garden owner or proposing to get one, you might want to pay attention now. The following are simple ways you can take to create humidity in your grow room or grow tent.
1. Keep plants in Groups
Planning your grow room is essential when you need to create humidity. To create a humid grow room group plants together. The benefit of placing plants in groups is enormous. Grouped plants behave like jungle trees by trapping moisture among themselves.
2. Introduce larger plants
Larger plants transpire more than small plants so placing them in your grow room will add the much-needed moisture to it.
3. Manual Misting
Get a regular spray bottle and spray a fine mist on the leaves of your plants. This method raises the humidity level of grow rooms.
4. Place Plants on Pebble/Gravel Trays
Add pebbles or gravel into a tray before filling it with water to just below the top of the rocks. Since the water does not entirely submerge the stones, water will not soak the plants in the process. You can now place your plants on the pebble or gravel trays. The tray will help raise the relative humidity of your grow room.
5. Reduce the Temperature of the Grow Room
Creating a humid atmosphere within your grow room starts with reducing the temperature. Temperature change affects humidity, so to raise the humidity, lower the heat. Install a fan or air conditioner and remove some light bulbs or tubes.
6. Add a sponge to a tray of water
As simple as this sound it will help. Add a sponge into a dish of water and allow the sponge to get saturated with water. The wet sponge will create a more damp surface area.
7. Humidifier or Dehumidifier
Humidifiers directly and quickly improve the humidity level of grow rooms. Using humidifiers is the most efficient way of raising humidity levels in grow rooms. A Dehumidifier works in reverse to a humidifier in the sense that reduces humidity in very damp places.
FAQs about Humidifiers:
Q: What size of humidifier do I need for my Indoor garden?
A: The size of the humidifier to buy depends mainly on the size of your grow room. Your humidifier must be able to serve your grow room adequately. If the humidifier is too small compared to the size of the grow room, it will not work efficiently.
Q: What level of humidity is adequate for my plants?
A: Plants vary from each other regarding their humidity requirement. However, the humidity level that seems to be adequate for most plants is between 50% and 60%. For best result, you need to know the perfect humidity for your plants and find a way of not allowing the moisture around it to fall below or above it.
Q: What cheap way can be used to humidify my Indoor garden beside using a humidifier?
A: Several cheap ways on how to create humidity in a grow room are available that you can use to increase the humidity of your grow room naturally. Examples of the methods include placing the plant on gravel and water tray, misting the plants, ventilation, reducing the temperature, place plants in clusters and so on. If you mix these methods appropriately depending on the area you live, you might not need to buy a humidifier.
Q: Is a humidifier necessary during winter plants?
A: Humidifiers are necessary during winter for plants. Since humidity during winter drops below normal say around 10-20 percent. As earlier stated, the humidity level of 50 percent to 60 percent is good for plants, so you need to raise the humidity with the aid of your humidifier.
Q: What type of water should I use in my humidifier?
A: If you use tap water in some humidifiers, white deposits will form on surfaces and later disperse into the air. Tap water contains minerals, which becomes solidified white powder on surfaces. The dust can cause irritation or allergic reaction when released into the atmosphere.
While some humidifiers can afford to operate with clean tap water, others cannot. It is therefore advisable to use distilled or de-mineralized water in the unit.
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Winding up
Now that you have gone through our masterpiece review about the best grow room humidifiers for 2019, we have no doubt in our mind about what you learned. Arm yourself with the information gotten here to sanction your buying decision today. Remember, maintaining proper humidity is essential in all stage of plants growth.
Morning Homestead boasts of a highly trained team of experts that researched and reviewed products to give you peace of mind when buying. Do not fail to check our other posts to get equally enlightened and educated on several other posts.
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