Guide
How to Assemble the VIVOSUN S448 4x4 Grow Tent
The VIVOSUN S448 4x4 Grow Tent arrives as a pile of lettered poles, eight corner pieces and a folded canvas. VIVOSUN says most people finish a 4x4 in 10 to 20 minutes once everything is laid out. The trick is knowing which letter goes where before you start. This walkthrough follows VIVOSUN's own Standard Series manual and its setup guide.
Check the box first
VIVOSUN's manual for the S448 (model VST-S448) lists:
| Part | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Tent coat (the canvas) | 1 |
| Floor tray, 48" x 48" | 1 |
| Filter straps | 2 |
| Corner supports | 8 |
| A poles | 8 |
| B poles | 4 |
| C poles | 4 |
| E pole (ceiling bar) | 1 |
| F poles (ceiling bars) | 2 |
The frame poles are 16mm in diameter. Lay them out in groups by letter, so you aren't hunting for a B pole halfway through. If anything is missing, VIVOSUN asks you to contact its support team before you start.
Pick the spot now, too. The tent stands 48" x 48" x 80" (120 x 120 x 200cm). VIVOSUN suggests leaving at least 1 foot around it for ventilation, and a flat floor makes the frame much easier to square up.
Build the frame
- Make the base. Connect four corner supports with four A poles to form a square on the floor.
- Stand up the sides. Push a B pole into the top of each corner support.
- Extend them. Connect a C pole to the top of each B pole. That completes the four uprights.
- Add the top corners. Fit a corner support onto the top of each C pole.
- Close the top. Join the top corners with the remaining four A poles. The skeleton is now a full cube.
Before going further, check that the frame is square and every pole is pushed fully home. VIVOSUN's first warning is about forcing the canvas onto a frame that isn't square, which can bend poles or tear seams.
Put the canvas on
- Lay the canvas flat, bottom section down, and lift the frame into it. It's a snug fit. VIVOSUN's advice is to seat all four corners first, then work the fabric around the sides, rather than pulling from one side.
- Lift the canvas up and pull it over the top of the frame.
Add the ceiling bars
- Fit the E pole and the two F poles across the top A poles. They cross in an X. The E pole is the lighter bar and the F poles are the heavier ones. Those heavier F poles are the ones to hang a light and fan from. Mixing them up can make the bars sag once equipment goes on. VIVOSUN's manual also says to spread devices evenly across the ceiling bars.
Finish inside
- Drop in the floor tray. It catches soil, runoff and spills.
- Test every zipper before you hang anything. The S448 has a front door and two side doors with double-covered zippers, plus a viewing window with a hook-and-loop cover. Zip everything closed to make the tent light-proof.
What the openings are for
The S448 has several round duct openings in 4" and 8" sizes for inline fans and ducting, plus a wire opening for controller cables and pre-filter air vents near the bottom. VIVOSUN's manual and its product description give slightly different counts for each size, so match your fan to the openings once the tent is up. Our guide to VIVOSUN grow tent sizes shows which inline fan size VIVOSUN pairs with a 4x4.
Quick mistakes to avoid
- Pulling the canvas from one side first. Anchor the corners, then the sides.
- Forcing a frame that isn't square. Recheck the joints instead.
- Hanging gear from the light E pole instead of the F poles.
- Loading the bars before testing the zippers. It's much harder to fix them after.
Want the light and climate gear in the same order? The 4x4 Grow Tent Kit with 400W LED and GrowHub A22 bundles them, and everything else is on Grow Tents & Kits.