Co2 Generator questions?

[robz]

So I scored a Green Air CD-6 generator yesterday & installed it in my flower room. Room is 12 by 9 by 10 with 10 plants in early mid & late bloom. Problem is my temp & humidity are skyrocketing from 79 to 89 degrees for the 10 min. That the generator kicks on. And the humidity from 35 to 59%. The spikes worry me. I'm thinking of switching to a sealed room but don't know it it'll help. Right now I'm exhausting through the 2 1000 watt hoods. I have timers to turn exhaust off while co2 is on that's when I get the spike. Is there a better way? I'm new to co2 generators.

 

[mittenmedgrow]

Maybe Im understanding incorrectly but why u not venting the hoods when the gens. running.

 

[mittenmedgrow]

What sq footage is that burner rated for? Whats controlling it? not sure but your room sounds small for a gen. ok I googled it sounds like its good for your space.

 

[mittenmedgrow]

Thats what I was thinking.

 

[Giddeon]

First thing about Co2 is to know this quote...

"Co2 will enhance the growth rate of plants, but only in an otherwise un-bottlenecked environment."

Which to me meant until I had no problems with being able to 100% control every aspect of my environment I shouldn't even try to add Co2, there are other factors I should be worrying about. That said for me to be able to 100% control my environment I had to run a sealed room. Now I also run run a green air products Co2 generator but mine is a CD-36 that i have converted to run on NG instead of LP in a 11 x 11 room it runs for roughly 30 seconds to 1 min to get the room to 1500ppm and does create a bit of heat and humidity but nothing your AC shouldn't handle, since when running co2 you should have already purchased the proper sized AC for the grow you are planning. So maybe you have undersized your Co2 Gen for running the room you are, or maybe the exhaust is making your Co2 Gen work to hard which in result creates more heat in your room so the AC has to work harder and use more power.

You need to seal that room up and it will step up your grow :)

 

[robz]

You really should get a Co2 Controller? On a timer for 10 mins is 2 long?
I got a Titan 8 burner in a 12 x 11 x 8 space and it kicks on for less then 30 sec every hr or so. PPM's stay right were I tell them to. If you can run a sealed room and vent the lights from out of the room to out of the room your gonna be way better off.

My room with the CD-6 running 10 min. Gets co2 level up to approx. 1100 ppm so less time is not an option. My hoods are vented but timed to switch off while generator is on. I've also read higher temps are ok with co2 so my spike to 88-89 degrees might be ok. It's set to turn on for 10 min. Every 2 hrs. While lights are on. After it turns off the 6 in. Vortex turns back on to exaust stagnet humid air. Do you all think this is ok? Plants seem happier after just 2 days I can see an improvement in overall plant appearance & quality.

 

[waayne]

Robz 88-89 degrees is too warm even if you are adding Co2 to your environment.
Most strains grown in high temps don't yield as well or get as frosty.......
Even with Co2 I would never let that room go over 82 degrees,if you're looking for top yields and quality....

 

[robz]

Robz 88-89 degrees is too warm even if you are adding Co2 to your environment.
Most strains grown in high temps don't yield as well or get as frosty.......
Even with Co2 I would never let that room go over 82 degrees,if you're looking for top yields and quality....

What are your recommendations to fix my problem then?

 

[waayne]

Robz you might wanna consider hooking up an AC and dehumidifier to an environmental controller to
mitigate the temp and humidity spikes
when the burners on....

 

[OGONLY]

Robz it seems like a bitch to get your room set up properly but its not that tough bro.

You need to get a CO2 controller #1. I got mine on Craigslist for $200. Its indispensable. Makes it so easy.

Vent hoods with air supply coming from outside the grow room. You don't want your CO2 being wasted by being pulled through lights and out of room. Your burner will run too much and room will heat up. Also humid will rise because of excess burning.

Set A/C to keep room at 80-82 degrees.

Buy a $200 dehumidafier from Home Depot or Target online. I use mine usually only toward end of flower and on rainy or exceptionally humid days. The A/C usually keeps humidity at an acceptable level on the average day. When plants get bigger humidity becomes a bigger problem.

I have done these things as well as vent my room during lights off. My results are night and day compared to before I took these measures. 50% increase in yield and quality easy.

 

[robz]

Robz you might wanna consider hooking up an AC and dehumidifier to an environmental controller to
mitigate the temp and humidity spikes
when the burners on....

Ive considered that option. Really I know I'm going to have to get an atmospheric controller to make it all legit. Is it ok to keep your co2 levels at 1400 ppm for the entire light cycle if temps & humidity are kept in check? In a sealed room for instance?

 

[Giddeon]

OGONLY I AGREE,

ROBZ, as soon as your fan kicks on to exhaust the humidity its pulling out just as much Co2 Rich air as bad hot humid air, basically losing any benefit of adding Co2, Follow what OGOnly says and get a AC to battle your heat problem, get a 70 pint Dehuey (maybe 2 depending on humidity) from Homodeopt, Sears, or online. I run 2 - 70 pint dehueys and a 5 ton AC in my 6 plant room and weeks 5 - 9 my humidity doesn't drop below 60%.

Set your lights up to pull air from outside the room and exhaust it outside the room. Or really step up and get an AC that can handle your Bare bulbs and then you wont have to clean that damn reflector glass once a week, since thats always fun to do over flowering plants;).

And last but not least Get a Co2 Monitor, I use the SPC-1 by GAP and it allows me to easily set my desired Co2 PPM adjust my Elevation(which can play a factor in properly measuring Co2) and If I knew how I could even calibrate it on my own. (But I dont know how so GAP has great customer service and I send it to them every so often to be checked out and returned to me for no charge other than shipping.

Good Luck Keep asking Q's
Giddeon

 

[Giddeon]

Ive considered that option. Really I know I'm going to have to get an atmospheric controller to make it all legit. Is it ok to keep your co2 levels at 1400 ppm for the entire light cycle if temps & humidity are kept in check? In a sealed room for instance?

Yes my Co2 stays at 1500ppm the entire time, during the night time though it jumps to 2000ppm or sometimes a bit higher but I don't exhaust, my plants eat that down to around 1500 in about 10 min of the lights being on then the Co2 controller takes over from there and doesn't allow the Co2ppm to drop below 1420ppm.

No atmospheric controller in my room, just a Co2 Controller, and AC that can handle just on its own settings, and 2 - 70 pint dehueys that also have their own settings. After playing with all the equipment and figuring out how it all works together something like an Atmospheric controller is not needed.

 

[OGONLY]

I agree that no atmospheric controller is needed. It does take some adjusting on a nightly basis to dial in your temps depending on what the ambient temperature is. I adjust it up to 3 times a night sometimes as temps drop.

As far as running the generator during lights off, I think it is a waste. Your plants do not transpire enough to use excess CO2 at night. Therefore, you are wasting propane running it lights off. Just set your controller or generaor to a timer to go off when lights go off.

I eventually want an atmosphereic controller. It would be nice to not have to make so many trips to the room to dial in temps. I'm anal about my temps. Have to be anal about alot to grow THE dank.

 

[Giddeon]

I agree that no atmospheric controller is needed. It does take some adjusting on a nightly basis to dial in your temps depending on what the ambient temperature is. I adjust it up to 3 times a night sometimes as temps drop.

As far as running the generator during lights off, I think it is a waste. Your plants do not transpire enough to use excess CO2 at night. Therefore, you are wasting propane running it lights off. Just set your controller or generaor to a timer to go off when lights go off.

I eventually want an atmosphereic controller. It would be nice to not have to make so many trips to the room to dial in temps. I'm anal about my temps. Have to be anal about alot to grow THE dank.

Your AC wont keep your room at the temp you set it at during lights off?? What Kind of insulation have you done around your room so that ambient temps aren't such a factor.

 

[robz]

Your AC wont keep your room at the temp you set it at during lights off?? What Kind of insulation have you done around your room so that ambient temps aren't such a factor.

My room is insulated. Ambient temps are not my issue. High temps & humidity spikes with generator on is my issue.

 

[Giddeon]

Can you Adjust the amount of gas flow in the Co2 Gen, I think it the 10 min on giving you problems, If you can't maybe get a larger burner that gets your room to the desired ppm quicker, that way there isnt a flame on for 10 min in your room more like 30 sec to a min. My CD 36 runs for the 30 to a min and I sat and watched last night my temp and humidity never changed due to the burner, I also run my unit NG instead of the less clean propane which does create a bit more heat and humidity as a by-produt than NG does.

 

[OGONLY]

I think Gideon was talking to me about ambient temps and insulation.

I don't run a/c lights off. I recirculate with supply fan (10 in. can fan) and exhaust fan (12 in. Eco Plus in line) to keep temps and humidity down. I use a speed controller on the fans. Both fans are set with speed controller to the very lowest speed. Even on the lowest setting the fans allows plenty of air exchange to provide adequate fresh air, as well as keep temp and humidity down. Doing this also saves lots of electricity compared to using a/c during lights off. If I were not running CO2 I could use these fans to cool the room without using a/c. The speed controllers allow me to set the fans to refresh the air at a rate that keeps temps. where I want them. In the summer I would need help from a/c on hot days and nights.

My humidity last night lights on was 50% after watering. During the day vented it got to 11%. We have been experiencing very dry weather lately. I realize 11% is too low for optimum conditions but this weather pattern is not our normal pattern. On an average day lights off humidity would be 45% which is perfect in flower.

Get a better a/c for your temp issues. A dual hose a/c is best if you are going portable. Otherwise window units are good as well. Mini split a/c's are the bomb but sounds like neither of us can afford one right now lol. Humidity spikes... either vent lights off to control lights off spikes or run dehumidafier both lights on and off. Keep in mind...a dehumidafier will add about 3 or 4 degrees of heat to your room when opperating.

 

[OGONLY]

Oh yah, you can add burners to most CO2 burner units. Mine (Gen 1 by CAP) comes with one burner but has capacity for four. I bought another one ($30 at hydro shop) and found that 2 burners is ideal for my 11x12 room.

 

[robz]

Oh yah, you can add burners to most CO2 burner units. Mine (Gen 1 by CAP) comes with one burner but has capacity for four. I bought another one ($30 at hydro shop) and found that 2 burners is ideal for my 11x12 room.

So adding the extra burner brings the co2 level up faster so less burn time. Makes sence. Would of got a larger unit but the Green Air unit I got used for 100.00 so couldn't pass it up. I'll have to check into upgrading it. Still contemplating how to revamp my rooms air system. The controller is next on my list.