Stealth Grow Boxes

For many indoor growers, stealth is of the utmost importance. A successful marijuana grow can give itself away in a variety of ways, not all of which are obvious. You need to conceal odors, insulate light, and minimize noise. Stealth hydroponic grow boxes offer a reliable all-in-one solution for the safety-conscious grower.

Stealth Grow Boxes

Choosing a Grow Box

Best Stealth Grow Boxes

Best Stealth Seeds for Your New Grow Box

It is true that most grow boxes are designed with stealth in mind, but the actual degree of security varies in each model. We’ve looked through all the options on the market and chosen the stealthiest grow boxes for your next secret grow. Since the keyword here is stealth, the grow boxes were selected based on minimalistic looks, quietness, and lights (as they can be a serious source of heat).

Choosing a Grow Box

Before presenting the actual grow boxes, we should take a moment and think stealthy. What is important in a secret grow? While some answers are more obvious than others, it is useful to have the full picture. That’s why we’ve put together a handy list of the most important safety features to consider when choosing a discreet grow box:

Of course, a grow box must above all suit your particular needs. If possible, decide on the strain you want to grow beforehand. Consider the plant’s capacity and potential yields. whether it has single or dual chambers and whether it is set-up for a hydroponic or soil grow. For more details about choosing a great grow cabinet or tent for growing marijuana, check out our Grow Box/Tents sections.

Odor

As we all know, the wonderfully pungent smell of ripe cannabis can easily become overpowering. Some seed strains like Skunk #1, Hindu Kush or Cheese are especially potent. Keeping these buds from giving away your grow takes serious odor control.

There are two ways stealth grow boxes combat odors:

• Odor Absorbing Gels
  • Some of the cheaper grow boxes use odor controlling gels. They do work well in small spaces, but they are not potent enough for especially stinky strains or larger set-ups;
  • Gels are consumed over time and will need replacement. Don’t just follow the manufacturer’s guidelines. Be prepared to change them sooner if you start to notice any odor;
  • The ONA Gel is the most popular odor absorbing gel. It comes in jars and using it is a breeze. You just open the jar in the near your grow (not in the same room) and voilá! It will neutralize the smell automatically. They will last about 5 weeks before needing replacement.
• Carbon Filters/Scrubbers
  • Carbon filtration is your best option for a total peace of mind as far as odors are concerned. Carbon filtration works by passing the outflow of air from your growing space through activated carbon granules. Activated carbon is charcoal that has been chemically treated to give it a very open structure. The result is a highly porous substance that has an incredibly large surface area, making lots of spaces to trap the tiny odor molecules;
  • Choose a system with the largest granules possible by either weight or size. Larger granules = more powerful odor control;
  • You will have to change the activated carbon in your filters from time to time;
  • Exhaust systems will generally measure about 6” in diameter. If you haven’t bought your set up yet, always go for a 6” sizing for your fan, ducting and filter. Smaller models are barely enough for low-scale operations and 8” versions are intended for monster commercial yields;
  • Brand name carbon filters like are better than generic versions. Sad but true, where stealth is concerned the most expensive choice is often the most effective. VIVOSUN and Phat Filters are some solid brands;
  • Fan power is measured in Cubic Feet of air per Minute (CFM). Your fan should be powerful enough to pull air through your filter, so choose one with an equal or lower CFM rating than your inline fan;
  • Installing the carbon filter – You should fit the carbon filter at the opposite end of the exhaust system to the fan. The filter should be as far away as possible from your external vent, which will minimize the risk of the cannabis smell escaping.

Lighting

Strange lights coming from cabinets, attics and spare rooms or tents can also be a telltale sign that there’s a bit of indoor gardening going on. It is important that all of the light stays inside the cabinet.

However, this is not the only reason. Lighting in indoor marijuana grows, is basically mimicking the actual sunlight that the plant is supposed to take at the respective season. When a plants’ life starts, it expects the sunlight period to last a lot longer than the darkness period. As the seasons progress, sunlight decreases and the plant realizes that the time for flowering comes. Pre-flowering marijuana needs 12 hours of undisturbed darkness and 12 hours of light. Therefore, it is crucial that no natural light is penetrating the grow room during the dark cycles. If there is one in your grow box, you should immediately insulate it with a special lightproof tape.

A good Grow Box will be completely light-tight and insulated to keep the light in. More on marijuana grow lights here.

Temperature Control

Whilst heat signatures can be a problem for big grow ops, even small localized heat signatures can cause trouble. Warm air will be vented through your grow box’s ventilation system, so choose the spot you will place it carefully. It would be best to avoid places in which visitors go. A ventilating file cabinet might become quite the spectacle for prying eyes.

Why do Grow Boxes Get Hot?

Your grow lights are the source of heat in a stealth grow box. HID lights, in particular, generate a lot of heat and can burn plants in the confined spaces of a grow box. For a stealth grow, choose CFL or LED lights:

CFL Grow Lights – Remain cool to the touch and make controlling heat in a grow box easy. They are not as effective as producing high yields as HID or Full-Spectrum LEDs.

LED Grow Lights have earned a place as the Holy Grail of low heat cannabis lighting. However, they are not a universal solution and you should still check out our light guide to determine which type suits your needs.

Reflection – Most stealth grow boxes are insulated with mylar, a reflective paneling that returns errant light to the center of the grow box. This improves growth and insulates the grow box. Look for grow boxes with removable mylar panels for easier cleaning. Learn all about the best full spectrum LED grow lights of 2017 by clicking here.

Budget

There are two important financial factors to consider when purchasing a stealth grow box. The cost of setting up (which is one-off) and the utility bills, that are recurring. In most cases, it is actually better to invest in quality products. They will end up saving you more money in the long run.

The Setting Up Cost

You should consider your goals when choosing a grow box. If you are an occasional grower, a cheaper grow box might be a reasonable option. But if you plan to use the grow box continuously and stealth is essential to your operation, investing in a higher quality grow box makes sense.

The Ongoing Utility Bills

You are looking for an efficient grow box. Hot systems are the opposite of that and cost more to run than cool systems. HIDs are the most expensive to run, followed by CFLs with LEDs being the cheapest option in terms of electric bills.

Bear in mind that Grow Box kits will also have fans running and hydro systems will have air and/or water pumps running too. However, electricity consumption of these components is negligible by comparison.

Use this simple example to estimate the cost of running your grow box:

Electricity costs may vary across states, but on average it is about $0.30/kWh. A 250W light uses 25% of the kWh.

For the purposes of this demonstration, let’s assume you are growing only one plant with an average of 150W. With an $.0.30/kWh rate, your monthly electricity costs (for the lights ONLY) should be around $25 (if we assume that the lamps will be on for an average of 18h/day). That’s about $0.80 per day! It is worth mentioning that $0.30 is considerably more than average than the regular electricity costs in the USA. Chances are that electricity will cost much lower than that!

Take a look at your electric bill to find the price you pay per unit (remember, the unit is 1-kilowatt hour).

Noise

Noise is an obvious cause for concern when thinking about stealth. Low hums and the noise of water trickling can seem almost inaudible during the daytime but sound deafening in the dead of night.

Luckily most of the stealth Grow Boxes use components designed to run quietly. Read carefully what they say about noise and don’t be afraid to contact them and ask for more information. Most of them say something along the lines of ‘whisper quiet’. This means not silent, but around about as loud as the background noise in a quiet library. If your neighbors are behind walls, they will never hear it. If the people that you don’t want to hear the noise are in the same house, then you might want to rethink the whereabouts of your operation altogether (unless you find a device that runs in full silence).

The main source of noise from a cabinet grow comes from the fans. It is safe to say that the better quality fans will run the quietest. Bear in mind that the quality is reflected in the price more often than not, so you will need to balance your need for stealth with your budget. If a Grow Box uses a branded fan, such as the Mortgage Lifter 3.0 (not featured here) which uses a Phresh fan, you can proceed with more confidence and check out the brand to see what others are saying about them.

If you believe that the noise your fan makes is too much for you, then you should consider getting a fan silencer or muffler. These can help diminish the noise from your inline fan by up to 50%. You can attach them to either the intake side or exhaust side of an inline fan, or for maximum noise reduction attach to both sides of the fan. However, there is a slight downside: mufflers and silencers slow down the air flow through your system by about 10%. Silent Bob silencers and Phat Mufflers are good choices for a stealthy grow box.

Appearance

The appearance of a Grow Box is key to stealthy growing. Think camouflage. If it is something that is going to be in crowded area of your home, you will want something that blends seamlessly with the environment.

The locker-type Grow Boxes, such as the Super Locker 3.0 look really like boring office furniture and allow the eye to slip over them without taking too much notice. For the maximum in stealth appearance, you could consider a PC Grow Box. A PC tower humming away quietly to itself in the corner of a room is something that nobody would normally look twice at.

Best Stealth Grow Boxes

There are lots of different Grow Boxes available for you to choose. Here are the ones we like the best:

LEAF Smart Grow Box

GOOD FOR: Probably the most stylish yield of your life!

The LEAF Grow Box is not something we come across every day. On the outside, it looks like your average fridge: white, rectangular and minimalistic. And that is precisely what makes it an incredible choice when it comes to stealthy grows! But it’s not only looks that matter; the inside is interesting as well. LEAF describe their “smartbox” as a “plug-n-plant system” that automatically grows medical plants and vegetables. The best part is that the device is entirely controlled by a dedicated smartphone app!

LEAF features full-spectrum BIOS LED lighting can grow up to two plants hydroponically, but you don’t need to worry about nutrients. Every process is as automated as it gets with this box. The dosing is controlled via your smartphone and is accurately released to your plants. There is also a water hookup for automated water changes and an unbelievable drying mode for your final yield. However, all this automation comes at a cost: the LEAF grow box can only grow up to two plants. So if you are looking for a combination of stealth and massive yields, this is definitely not for you.

• Powerful BIOS Full Spectrum LED Lights;
• Fully automated growing process via your smartphone;
• Incredible stealthy design;
• Active carbon filter which will neutralize all smells.

Grandma’s Secret Garden 4.0 Grow Box

GOOD FOR: Medium grows up to 9 small plants

Grandma’s Secret Garden 4.0 is a budget-end grow box that takes stealth seriously. It might be short in size (36″x 20″x 16.5”), but it is packed with safety features that will help to put your mind at rest. Grandma’s Secret Garden is beginner friendly and can fit in almost any room –or closet- of your home.

• Dual High Spec Carbon Filters;
• Full Spectrum MARS Hydro LED lighting;
• Deep Water Culture Hydroponics System;
• High-Quality Components;

Click here for more details and reviews of Grandma’s Secret Garden Grow box.

SuperLocker 3.0 LED Grow Cabinet

GOOD FOR: People who want a grow cabinet that fits in narrow spaces

The well-known, locker-shaped Grow Box is back with an all-new and improved lighting system, that will significantly cut down on your energy costs and offer a much more efficient environment for plant growing. Perfect for taller plants, the Super Locker 3.0 is a great choice for people who are desperate to save space without sacrificing a quality grow room for their babies.

The Super Locker features a dual chamber system that consists of a cloning and a flowering chamber. However, the best attribute of the Super Locker is its full-cycle, stealth LED lighting system, that allow for germination, cloning, vegetation and flowering, all at the same time.

• Stealthy and compact design;
• KIND LED Grow Lights;
• Signature Hydroponics system;
• Perfect for taller plants and confined spaces.

Click here for more details and reviews of the SuperLocker 3.0 LED Grow Cabinet.

Cash Crop 5.0 Grow Box

SuperFlower 3.0 16-Plant LED Grow Cabinet

GOOD FOR: Medium-to-large grows up to 9 plants

The latest iteration of the well-known and loved product series made by Dealzer, the Cash Crop 5.0 is an improvement on everything that made its predecessor famous. Perhaps the biggest game changer here is the addition of full-spectrum Quasar LED grow lights. This compares to the previous model’s CFL Grow Bulbs, which were not only less powerful but also quite a lot more power consuming.

There is a lot to love about the Cash Crop 5.0. However, the price takes the cake. It is one of the most affordable stealth grow boxes on the market, without sacrificing security.

• Whisper Quiet Fan;
• A carbon protected intake and exhaust system;
• Full spectrum Quasar LED lights;
• Deep Water Culture Hydroponics System;
• Odor control powered by Ozium.

Click here for more information and reviews of the Cash Crop 5.0

SuperFlower 3.0 16-Plant LED Grow Cabinet

GOOD FOR: Larger stealthy grows (up to 16 plants)

The LED SuperFlower 3.0 grow box is a single chamber grow box that comes equipped with a powerful and efficient LED grow light from KIND. The cabinet itself is sturdily built, designed with stealth in mind.

The cabinet also features two oversized carbon filters that work together to keep your grow op private. It also features the patented SuperPonics grow system that gives SuperCloset grow cabinets a slight edge over the Dealzer models, in terms of hydroponics.

• Powdered ‘Infracool’ finish keeps the exterior of the cabinet cool to the touch;
• Enough space to flower 16 plants up to 5’ tall;
• Fans run quietly to keep the noise of your grow box to a minimum;
• Carbon filters for odor control.

Click here for more information and reviews of the SuperFlower 3.0

Best Stealth Seeds for Your New Grow Box

Strain genetics play a huge role in the development of a plant. Some breeds are engineered specifically for indoor growing. Through years of research, seed banks are now able to offer some great deals on cannabis that will thrive in your grow box!

The criteria of a stealth strain are rather obvious: it should be as odor-free and short as possible while maintaining a strong yield. Although there is little you can do about the odor, bear in mind that you can always train your plants to grow wider, maximizing the area light penetrates. You can read about the different techniques here. It may take some time, but the rewards are well worth it.

However, there are definitely some strains that are more compatible to stealth grows. For example, Skunks are not recommended at all, unless you have a super odor control system installed!

Lowryder Seeds – Lowryder 2 Auto (F)

Lowryder 2 seems to have been designed specifically for stealth growing. It is a tiny plant, not more than 30” in height. Its odor is nearly inconspicuous, making it a great indoor grow.

• Strain: Indica/Sativa/Ruderalis
• Auto Flower Seeds Available: Yes
• Feminized Seeds Available: Yes
• Yield: 45-60g/plant
• Height Indoors: Around 30”
• Flowering Period: 7 Weeks
• THC Level: Low/Medium
• Grow Difficulty: Easy
• Awards: None

Lowlife – Automatic Hindu Kush (F)

Auto Hindu Kush is the perfect plant for growing in tight quarters. She will not reach more than 12-14” in height, barely branches out and requires very little root space. She thrives in SOG set–ups and will fit in the tiniest grow box. This auto variety is happy with 18-20 hours of light her whole season.

• Strain: Indica
• Auto Flower Seeds Available: Yes
• Feminized Seeds Available: Yes
• Yield: 3 oz. per plant
• Height Indoors: 12-14”
• Flowering Period: 8 Weeks
• THC Level: High
• Grow Difficulty: Easy
• Awards: None

Short Stuff – Dr.Feelgood Auto (F)

Dr.Feelgood is a dwarf auto which is handy for stealth grows. It stays small, rarely exceeding 15″, so you can fit it into small discreet spaces. The diminutive size and uniform performance make Dr. Feelgood a good choice for SOG set-ups where you can squeeze quite a few individual plants in and improve upon yields per square foot of space. Yields per plant are average for autos at around 1 ounce each.

• Strain: Indica/Ruderalis
• Auto Flower Seeds Available: Yes
• Feminized Seeds Available: Yes
• Yield: ½ Oz – 1¼ (14gm – 36gm) Per Plant
• Height Indoors: Very Small
• Flowering Period: 10 Weeks
• THC Level: High
• Grow Difficulty: Easy
• Awards: None

Original Sensible – Auto Black Jack Herrer(F)

Auto Black JH is small and fast, ideal for the stealth grower with limited space who needs results quickly. Its already respectable yield can be further improved upon by using a SOG set-up.

• Strain: Indica/Sativa
• Auto Flower Seeds Available: Yes
• Feminized Seeds Available: Yes
• Yield: 350g/m²
• Height Indoors: Up to 100cm
• Flowering Period: 8-9 Weeks
• THC Level: 15-18%
• Grow Difficulty: Easy
• Awards: None

Greenhouse Seeds – Northern Lights 5 Haze (F)

A squat, bushy Indica with a high flower to leaf ratio, compact buds, good yields and delightfully sticky buds. Northern Lights #5 is an easy choice for the indoor stealth grower. In addition to her perfect size and shape, #5 has nearly no odor, a further plus for the grower with nosy neighbors.

• Strain: Indica
• Auto Flower Seeds Available: No
• Feminized Seeds Available: Yes
• Yield: 400- 500 g/m2
• Height Indoors: Short
• Flowering Period: 7-8 Weeks
• THC Level: 15-20%
• Grow Difficulty: Easy
• Awards: None

You can read the full list of the best stealth marijuana seeds here. Under each pick, there is a list of alternatives. This way, you can be sure to pick the seed that entirely suits your herbal needs!