Co2 and minisplits

[KitsapGrapeApe]

So I'm running co2 for the first time pretty much, I've got a heat pump for cooling and heating keeping shit right. It seems the co2 builds up at night, when I come in in the morning it's 2800-3400ppm. I've got a buddy who had the same issue, he installed an intake and exhaust fan. I don't want to do that, it cost a nut to seal up and moving air in and out would really defeat the point. It usually takes a few hours for the co2 to burn off. Is having that high bad? Anyone experienced this or have a ssilution that could help me out? Thanks.

 

[Papa]

those CO2 levels won't hurt your plants . . . but not being able to exhaust your room will mean that you're going to have those levels at the end of flower when you would like to have them at 350ppm. also, not being able to exhaust may bring you the issue of ethylene. see:
https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/oxygen-depletion-in-a-sealed-room.30467/

 

[ttystikk]

So I'm running co2 for the first time pretty much, I've got a heat pump for cooling and heating keeping shit right. It seems the co2 builds up at night, when I come in in the morning it's 2800-3400ppm. I've got a buddy who had the same issue, he installed an intake and exhaust fan. I don't want to do that, it cost a nut to seal up and moving air in and out would really defeat the point. It usually takes a few hours for the co2 to burn off. Is having that high bad? Anyone experienced this or have a ssilution that could help me out? Thanks.

Are you running a burner or tanks? Have you figured out where the overnight CO² build-up is coming from? That's an important question to answer...

 

[KitsapGrapeApe]

Are you running a burner or tanks? Have you figured out where the overnight CO² build-up is coming from? That's an important question to answer...

Tanks, I just assumed the plants.

 

[ttystikk]

Tanks, I just assumed the plants.

I've diagnosed a fermentation reaction going on in a Farmer's ebb n flood table, leading to anaerobic conditions, root dieback- and raising his CO² levels in the room into the two thousand to over three thousand ppm range, too high for his CO² monitor to read it!

Make sure you tightened the nuts down connecting the CO² tank. It needs to be on good n tight.

 

[mastacheeser]

Spray water over anywhere that could leak co2 and watch for bubbles

 

[Tank333]

Spray water over anywhere that could leak co2 and watch for bubbles

Adding a couple drops of dishsoap will make those bubbles hella obvious for those of us who can't see too well. :)

 

[KitsapGrapeApe]

I've diagnosed a fermentation reaction going on in a Farmer's ebb n flood table, leading to anaerobic conditions, root dieback- and raising his CO² levels in the room into the two thousand to over three thousand ppm range, too high for his CO² monitor to read it!

Make sure you tightened the nuts down connecting the CO² tank. It needs to be on good n tight.

I'll check it out again but I'm pretty sure it's tight. I'm trying to get everything dialed. Shit seems pretty good though do far.

 

[KitsapGrapeApe]

Adding a couple drops of dishsoap will make those bubbles hella obvious for those of us who can't see too well. :)

Spray water over anywhere that could leak co2 and watch for bubbles

I'll try it out in the morning.

 

[xrob415x]

I have seen this many times. I did a couple buidouts for a client. The rooms were sealed with spray foam 100% sealed. I recommended him run his co2 at 1200 ppm. During the lights off time co2 in both rooms reached 2800ppm. This was a daily occurrence. He was using tanks so one night I told him to manually turn off his co2 tank. I thought he might have a leak in his regulator. That night the co2 once again peaked at 2800ppm. I installed a 6 inch fan with a filter and dampers to run at night. This solved his problem.

 

[donmekka]

Its a good idea to vent at night anyway

 

[fishwhistle]

I cant say i really understand the phenomena but its definitely there and i dont think it has to do with co2 leaks or offgasing.

 

[wobbly goblin]

read up on gas exchange

http://www.rsc.org/Education/Teachers/Resources/cfb/gas.htm

fwiw

 

[salmonslammer]

Plants are doing what they do thats what photosynthesis is they switch there processes at night meaning they expel co2 instead of take it in no worries it will be used up when lights come on. One thing i have always wondered though is what results you would have with the augmantation of oxygen in there off hours and what results you might have > something to chew on >just my 2 cents :D

 

[ttystikk]

Plants are doing what they do thats what photosynthesis is they switch there processes at night meaning they expel co2 instead of take it in no worries it will be used up when lights come on. One thing i have always wondered though is what results you would have with the augmantation of oxygen in there off hours and what results you might have > something to chew on >just my 2 cents :D

Some people have experimented with placing rooms on flip schedules next to each other and exchanging air between them- keeping them sealed to the outside world still. They said it helped, they still needed CO² but not as much and it helped with climate control issues like high rh at night. Might be something to this approach!

 

[KennyPowers]

plants release co2 at night

if you are seeing levels approaching 3000, your room is definitely sealed damn tight. saw this happen after i installed a mini and sealed the room 99.9999%. only solution is to add a night exhaust.

 

[ttystikk]

plants release co2 at night

if you are seeing levels approaching 3000, your room is definitely sealed damn tight. saw this happen after i installed a mini and sealed the room 99.9999%. only solution is to add a night exhaust.

Better solution is to have your rooms on a flip schedules and adjacent to one another, so you can crossventilate each room through the other. Night room gets CO² outta there, reduces excess humidity, stabilizes temperate, day side gets free CO², cooling and humidity. Kind of a nice deal.

 

[ttystikk]

The reason your getting a huge build up of co2 is because at night when the lights go out, pores on the underside on the leaves close up do the amount of absorption is much less than when the lights are on! My recommendation is that you only run co2 while the lights are on, it'll save you money and its not necessary to run at night....

The plants themselves generate the excess CO² at night, it's not being added by the grower.

 

[SpiderKid]

ttystikk is 100% spot on.

learned the same trick from henne'p. makes your mapito go boom!

 

[oscar169]

I have the same issue, 10K room, spray foamed, 99.99% air tight,, eveynigh the Co2 goes through the roof, I just pop open door every morning when the lights come on it goes down after a bit, next build will have a night time exhaust system.