C02 acidification in UC

mountaineer · Jul 22, 2014

Hello, first post..

How do you stop CO2 acidifying the water if using UC style systems?

NagaKing · Jul 22, 2014

Easiest way..
Just put the air pump outside the room.

Rosenberg · Jul 22, 2014

I disagree. You don’t want to do that. That will cause positive pressure inside the room causing 1; smells to waft out, 2; pushing out precious expensive CO2.

yellowhead · Jul 22, 2014

You will find this is just one of the trade-offs for CO2. Actually it should not cause your water to become too acidic. If you have a dose-a-tronic system, sodium or potassium hydroxide will balance it out automatically. By the time you are approaching excessively high levels of either, it’ll be time to dump anyway, which should be every 5 - 10 days.

Abel · Jul 22, 2014

This is way above my head but having been checking out how awesome UC is.

How does CO2 make water more acid?

yellowhead · Jul 22, 2014

Dissolved CO2 in water ups the H-ion levels. The reaction creates carbonate, bicarbonate and carbonic acid. CO2 (aq) + H2O <-> H2CO3 <-> HCO3− + H+ <-> CO32− + 2 H+.

Rosenberg · Jul 22, 2014

Probably more info than was needed bro. ;)

yellowhead · Jul 22, 2014

Haha yeah soz ;)

whiskers · Jul 22, 2014

to neutralize u just add ph up?

yellowhead · Jul 22, 2014

Yeah, but shouldn’t be causing any major drops. What’s your ppm at? Mine is kept automatically at 1500. Think if you don’t have an infrared reader controlling your ppm you could run into trouble… and you kids that think CO2 tablets are fun… walk into a room at 5000ppm and you might not come out. ;)

wobbly goblin · Jul 22, 2014

yellowhead said:
and you kids that think CO2 tablets are fun… walk into a room at 5000ppm and you might not come out. ;)

1,000,000 ppm of a gas = 100 % concentration of the gas. Therefore, 10,000 ppm of a gas in air is a 1% concentration.

At 1% concentration of carbon dioxide CO2 (10,000 ppm) and under continuous exposure at that level, such as in an auditorium filled with occupants and poor fresh air ventilation, some occupants are likely to feel drowsy.

The concentration of carbon dioxide must be over about 2% (20,000 ppm) before most people are aware of its presence unless the odor of an associated material (auto exhaust or fermenting yeast, for instance) is present at lower concentrations.

Above 2%, carbon dioxide may cause a feeling of heaviness in the chest and/or more frequent and deeper respirations.
If exposure continues at that level for several hours, minimal "acidosis" (an acid condition of the blood) may occur but more frequently is absent.

Breathing rate doubles at 3% (30,000 ppm)CO2 and is four times the normal rate at 5% (50,000 ppm)CO2.

Toxic levels of carbon dioxide: at levels above 5%, concentration CO2 is directly toxic. [At lower levels we may be seeing effects of a reduction in the relative amount of oxygen rather than direct toxicity of CO2.]

fwiw

Capulator · Jul 23, 2014

^^^ myth busters. LOL

yellowhead · Jul 23, 2014

wobbly goblin said:
1,000,000 ppm of a gas = 100 % concentration of the gas. Therefore, 10,000 ppm of a gas in air is a 1% concentration.
At 1% concentration of carbon dioxide CO2 (10,000 ppm) and under continuous exposure at that level, such as in an auditorium filled with occupants and poor fresh air ventilation, some occupants are likely to feel drowsy.
The concentration of carbon dioxide must be over about 2% (20,000 ppm) before most people are aware of its presence unless the odor of an associated material (auto exhaust or fermenting yeast, for instance) is present at lower concentrations.
Above 2%, carbon dioxide may cause a feeling of heaviness in the chest and/or more frequent and deeper respirations.
If exposure continues at that level for several hours, minimal "acidosis" (an acid condition of the blood) may occur but more frequently is absent.
Breathing rate doubles at 3% (30,000 ppm)CO2 and is four times the normal rate at 5% (50,000 ppm)CO2.
Toxic levels of carbon dioxide: at levels above 5%, concentration CO2 is directly toxic. [At lower levels we may be seeing effects of a reduction in the relative amount of oxygen rather than direct toxicity of CO2.]

fwiw

Haha, thanks. Clearly dropped a 0 by mistake. ;)

DarkSpark · Jul 24, 2014

I use co2 with UC. no issues with pH, but everything is run off computer.

Purpz · Jul 24, 2014

What type of system do you have running the CO2?

DarkSpark · Jul 24, 2014

one of my ops I use Harvest Master and cropKing fertoller and a few custom fitted extras. Everything is completely automated and have cam that sends footage via secure line to my phone. I also get alerts etc, if somethings up. Small op but in it for the love. The difference between soil no co2 and UC + co2 is about 30%more and A grade vs A+ grade nugs [same light output per square meter]

NagaKing · Jul 24, 2014

Am very jealous...
Assuming you use the same strain is there a taste difference between soil and hydro?

DarkSpark · Jul 27, 2014

NagaKing said:
Am very jealous...
Assuming you use the same strain is there a taste difference between soil and hydro?

actually right now running different strains as each seem better suited to the style of growing, but in the past have noticed no discernible difference. Maybe hydro a little sweeter (contrary to what I’ve read elsewhere) but the experiment would need to be done properly without the person knowing which was which, and I did..so maybe tainted by bias.

Rosenberg · Jul 27, 2014

That is a awesome sounding setup! Techy as fuck.

Abel · Jul 27, 2014

Yeah, wish I was tech savvy enough to make a system like that.

C02 acidification in UC

C02 acidification in UC

mountaineer

NagaKing

Rosenberg

yellowhead

Abel

yellowhead

Rosenberg

yellowhead

whiskers

yellowhead

wobbly goblin

Capulator

likes to smell trees.

yellowhead

DarkSpark

Purpz

DarkSpark

NagaKing

DarkSpark

Rosenberg

Abel

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