Co2 Enrichment

[Zmv3910]

I am building a CO2 for my closet flowering space. I am debating between citric acid and vinegar reaction or sugar water and yeast. Are there any Growers that have experienced or that have advice to let me know which one is preferred?

 

[4plant]

Depends, how big is the closet? Also is it vented? It’s really hard to build up c02 levels when your venting.

 

[Monster762]

I did the sugar water n yeast in 5 gal buckets fed through tubes. It might have changed the levels in the 3x4 box but nothing really noticeable. I haven’t bothered with co2 since. Adding Co2 isn’t a necessity to get fat dank buds. And note you will draw bugs with the yeast method.

 

[Jack og]

Vinegar / soda method works well for very small spaces . But larger spaces into bottled co2 now.
Another method is dry ice in a cooler with vent on it. Placed high, co2 evaporates but since it’s a heavier then air gas, it sinks and you can play with vent opening to control co2 level. But you will need a co2 monitor to determine the co2 levels

 

[Zmv3910]

Vinegar / soda method works well for very small spaces . But larger spaces into bottled co2 now.
Another method is dry ice in a cooler with vent on it. Placed high, co2 evaporates but since it’s a heavier then air gas, it sinks and you can play with vent opening to control co2 level. But you will need a co2 monitor to determine the co2 levels

Yeah I was thinking about doing the dry ice method. It's basically just Frozen carbon dioxide and as it melts it emits the gas. I'm just not sure where to buy it in pieces small

 

[Jack og]

Yeah I was thinking about doing the dry ice method. It's basically just Frozen carbon dioxide and as it melts it emits the gas. I'm just not sure where to buy it in pieces small

Welding supply houses or grocery store

 

[Dunge]

Placed high, co2 evaporates but since it’s a heavier then air gas, it sinks and you can play with vent opening to control co2 level.

It is my contention that the observed "sinking" of CO2 is the result of it being cold (not its chemical density) and thus more dense than the surrounding atmosphere. Your fans should mix it up quickly and then there will be no stratification.

 

[schwab0619]

I use tanked co2 and my tents are vented. I use quite a bit during veg 20/4, but not very much in flower 12/12. I would try tanked if these dont fill your space.

 

[4plant]

I use tanked co2 and my tents are vented. I use quite a bit during veg 20/4, but not very much in flower 12/12. I would try tanked if these dont fill your space.

Do You monitor the levels or know what you’re able to keep the PPM’s around? I’d like to add a tank too but was worried my fan just pumping it out faster than the plants are using it.

 

[crimsonecho]

It is my contention that the observed "sinking" of CO2 is the result of it being cold (not its chemical density) and thus more dense than the surrounding atmosphere. Your fans should mix it up quickly and then there will be no stratification.

https://www.quora.com/Which-is-heavier-air-or-carbon-dioxide

I agree, your fans should do a good job of mixing it up but its not cold that makes it sink.

 

[schwab0619]

Do You monitor the levels or know what you’re able to keep the PPM’s around? I’d like to add a tank too but was worried my fan just pumping it out faster than the plants are using it.

Yes I have a sensor in the tent just above the canopy. It works and Iv'e noticed a huge difference.

 

[Dirtbag]

IMHO these easy Co2 things dont do much to benefit the plant. If you go C02 you've gotta seal up tighter than hell and use AC, and ideally a burner or tank on a regulator with a Co2 monitor to keep the C02 up around 1200-1500ppm.

Unless you go to that extent, you may as well just pull air through the space.

 

[Jack og]

IMHO these easy Co2 things dont do much to benefit the plant. If you go C02 you've gotta seal up tighter than hell and use AC, and ideally a burner or tank on a regulator with a Co2 monitor to keep the C02 up around 1200-1500ppm.

Unless you go to that extent, you may as well just pull air through the space.

Using a bottle with a sentinel controller, observed:
1. Co2 at 1500-1800 ppm works wonders if ;
1.a, you have a steady cool temp, around 70 ideally
1.b, feed her heavy I mean heavy, 1.5x the recommendations
1.c, water her twice a day.
1.d, keep that area tight! I mean sealed! Shoot I left the greenhouse door ajar and went through a bottle in a day! Now I only feed bottle in tents that’s sealed with cooling and humidifier connected.
Absent all of this it’s pissing in the wind!!

 

[Ikkt]

So you say 80° aren't needed or even beneficial?
Sounds interesting.
What's the effect of higher temps then, just more transpiration?

I'd probably have problems to reach such temps most of the year and thought about going back to Cdm bulbs or air cooled leds to get temps up in my new closet. But if it ain't necessary or even detrimental that would be great!

 

[Homesteader]

People should think about building their own soil that creates an environment for microbes within that soil that they want and consuming carbon at high rates. You need the microbes anyways to process nutrients, so why not value-add some savings into your grow and maximize their breathing by maximizing their numbers. Build a soil from scratch that is very heavy in carbon. Activated carbon from (burned wood, corn, rice, bone). Then control the breathing of those microbes by controlling the amount of water you give them. It is amazing how much CO2 that microbes can make for an entire grow and its cheap once you get the ingredients, temp and moisture correct.

 

[Dirtbag]

So you say 80° aren't needed or even beneficial?
Sounds interesting.
What's the effect of higher temps then, just more transpiration?

I'd probably have problems to reach such temps most of the year and thought about going back to Cdm bulbs or air cooled leds to get temps up in my new closet. But if it ain't necessary or even detrimental that would be great!

I'm my experience Co2 does benefit from higher temps. I am not an expert on Co2 by any means, but everyone I know who uses it runs their garden on the warm side specifically to increase plant metabolism and transpiration, since the plant can use more nutrients with an increase in Co2.

I do know for sure it's used with high temps in greenhouses. Sometimes really high temps. Where without added Co2 the plants would suffer big time.

 

[Homesteader]

I am not an expert on Co2 by any means, but everyone I know who uses it runs their garden on the warm side specifically to increase plant metabolism and transpiration, since the plant can use more nutrients with an increase in Co2.

Yes ones ability to maximize their CO2 is limited by two other things. Temperature and Light intensity. You can see in this graph how all three effect the plant. In my experience the low 80's sees the best results.

 

[crimsonecho]

People should think about building their own soil that creates an environment for microbes within that soil that they want and consuming carbon at high rates. You need the microbes anyways to process nutrients, so why not value-add some savings into your grow and maximize their breathing by maximizing their numbers. Build a soil from scratch that is very heavy in carbon. Activated carbon from (burned wood, corn, rice, bone). Then control the breathing of those microbes by controlling the amount of water you give them. It is amazing how much CO2 that microbes can make for an entire grow and its cheap once you get the ingredients, temp and moisture correct.

What would be the ideal scenario in this case? Moisture and temperature-wise to help optimizing co2 production from microbes.

Also how much co2 can microbes produce in a day? Do plants uptake co2 from roots or is it dispersed into air?

One last question, would you think it would be possible to seal a room and solely rely on the co2 production of the microbes?

 

[Homesteader]

"CrimsonEcho, post: 2229082, member: 90951"]

What would be the ideal scenario in this case? Moisture and temperature-wise to help optimizing co2 production from microbes.
Once soil dries, the microbes slow so for maximum CO2 never you need to prevent it from getting dry. The slowing, speeding of microbe respiration is called drying/rewetting. Temp seems to be 80-85 for me and my strains. Later in flower, I let my plants get colder and dry out more often and the co2 goes down.
Also how much co2 can microbes produce in a day? Do plants uptake co2 from roots or is it dispersed into air?
It depends on the soil mix but you can easily get above 800-1000ppm and keep it that way for the day on soil respiration alone but you need a a fan below to dissipate the CO2 from bottom up.

One last question, would you think it would be possible to seal a room and solely rely on the co2 production of the microbes?
Yeah somebody may want to use a bottle as backup but like i said, seal your room and make a mix. I have a bottle as well. It depends on how much volume of soil you have though and if you are willing to make a new mix every time. 50 gallon bags are heavy.

 

[crimsonecho]

"CrimsonEcho, post: 2229082, member: 90951"]

What would be the ideal scenario in this case? Moisture and temperature-wise to help optimizing co2 production from microbes.
Once soil dries, the microbes slow so for maximum CO2 never you need to prevent it from getting dry. The slowing, speeding of microbe respiration is called drying/rewetting. Temp seems to be 80-85 for me and my strains. Late in flower, I let my plants start to dry out and the co2 goes down, so i can bring temps down too.
Also how much co2 can microbes produce in a day? Do plants uptake co2 from roots or is it dispersed into air?
It depends on the soil mix but you can easily get above 800-1000ppm and keep it that way for the day on soil respiration alone but you need a a fan below to dissipate the CO2 from bottom up.

One last question, would you think it would be possible to seal a room and solely rely on the co2 production of the microbes?
Yeah somebody may want to use a bottle as backup but like i said, seal your room and make a mix. I have a bottle as well. It depends on how much volume of soil you have though and if you are willing to make a new mix every time. 50 gallon bags are heavy.

Thanks for the info.

Whats you way of doing this? Do you just make a big 50 gallon batch and set it cook on the side?

For how long will it produce this amount of co2?

If you go living organic soil for your pots, would it also produce this amount or at least keep it around 400-500 in a sealed environment without a heap of soil cooking on the side?

Why do you need new mix everytime? Do you mean starting from scratch or just replenishing your depleted living soil with amendments and let it cook again?

Also how high does your rh climb in a setup like this?

I don’t have co2 meter or a bottle, instead i got questions brah :)