Not just another co2 thread...I hope

[mystichaze]

Ok I have a question concerning co2 enrichment in a grow area. Conventional wisdom says that in order to see significant results from supplemented co2 is to maintain around 1200 or higher(please correct me if i am wrong). My question is since proper air circulation is vital to reduce rh and temp How can i still keep optimum co2 levels while still periodically using the fans.

Im confused because no information on co2 has addressed it, we have to exhaust humid air, which means also co2 enriched air ultimatly reduce ppm of room.

Is it ok to increase the ppm for the time the fan is not on in order to compensate.?

How long do poeple leave fans off/co2 on?

Perhaps people can share their experience and methods of co2 dispersal. There is alot of information regarding this topic but not much trail and error self report.

Feel free to brag sick set ups, or mondo buds grown using co2 implementation

Thanks for any input

mystic:rasta2:

 

[mystichaze]

come on poeple i know u have some stories/experiences, or answers to my question

mystic

 

[cemchris]

Most Temp controllers that control fans for temp and humidity have flip flop outlets on them. Meaning it will turn the fans on at a set temp or humidity and will turn off co2 equipment. 99% of the time when running co2 you dont vent the room as you are wasting all the co2 you pumped in there via bottle or burning propane/natural gas. Then you have to turn around a pump it back up and by the time that happens the fans kick on again and then the cycle starts all over again. That can get real pricey and become alot of work.

 

[pvtpilot]

I'm using a 5 x 5 tent for my grow.
The lighting schedule is currently @ 24/0 so the Co2 is set @ 1500PPM 24/0

Inside the tent are 2 small circular 5" fans which remain running 24/7 365. They never get turned off. Without air circulation buds can mildew along with a whole host of other problems.

My lights (1 600W 1 400W) are vented using an 8" in line fan. Cool air is pulled from outside the house, routed through the lights and expelled back outside.
Lights give off a tremendous amount of heat, by pulling cool air across the bulbs the room temps down to mid 70's. You can touch the glass on my reflectors and they just feel warm.

A 6" Vortex "can style" fan is mounted to a 30" charcoal filter inside the tent. This is used to control smell and cool the air inside the grow room when ever temps get above acceptable limits.
Hot air is pulled from inside the grow tent, through the charcoal filter and vented outdoors. Meanwhile, cool fresh air is sucked in from a flap near the bottom of my tent (3" x 16" flap).
I always keep a flap open just in case passive cool air is required.

By using an environmental controller

the Co2 automatically shuts off whenever the large can fan is engaged. About 4 minutes after the Vortex fan is switched on, the temperature has dropped about 10 degrees. Its then the Co2 is turned back on and the original setting of 1500ppm is restored.
Some people think it costs way too much money to be expelling Co2 from a room every time the temps get above a certain level but I've had the same 70lb bottle of Co2 for 2 solid grows and it's still 1/3 full.

I pay $19.00 to have the 70lb bottle filled but I own a welding shop, I'm not sure what the normal retail cost actually is. Someone here can probably tell you.

Keep in mind, this system works as shown because it's winter time here. During the summer when temps get above 70 degrees I use a 5500 btu AC unit.
By placing the AC inside the tent, temps never get above 70 degrees. The air is recirculated so little Co2 is lost except for small amounts through leaks, cracks and plant usage.

Plants don't need C02 enrichment during lights off, so the controller turns it off during dark time however, the air continues to be monitored for excessive humidity and temperature.

I hope this helps answer some of your questions about using Co2 in a room.

Mr-B

 

[Jalisco Kid]

Thats a lot of carbon for those little plants. I would run your co2 with your nutrient ppm.JK

 

[pvtpilot]

That's a lot of carbon for those little plants. I would run your co2 with your nutrient ppm.JK

JK; Have you run it both ways (matching nutrient ppm and higher doses?
Everyone used to say that Co2 in veg was a waste but experienced growers know different.

If I've ever hurt my plants with too much Co2 I didn't realize it cause everything grows so dang good.

I believe the proper amount (or limits) of Co2 injection still isn't nailed down. I've always used large amounts of Co2 in my grows since I don't really pay for it. Over the years I've learned that plants happily suck it up without stunting or negative effects.

I would love to see a study on cannabis and the limits of Co2 usage.

Have a good day all.

B

 

[kushpheen]

Co2 in Veg makes a huge difference in the health and vigor of your plants. If I were you I would get the environmental controller, set it and sit back. If possible vent your exhaust to a veg room or vice versa.....

 

[pork]

get 2 timers...1 for the co2 set for 15min every hour, and the other for exhaust fans to vent those other 45 mintues....so basically a poor-man's flip flop.

once i can afford a ppm controller, that's obviously ideal, but no reason to let the generator and propane just sit there....

 

[jigglybones]

CO2 enrichment levels need to be high enough to replace the CO2 used by the plants and to increase the levels of CO2 in the environment to a level where it will accelerate photosynthesis and therefore plant growth. Levels of 800 - 1800 ppm have proven to be optimal for the majority of crops grown.

CO2 enrichment will have its greatest effect on accelerating photosynthesis and growth where other factors are also optimal - that is there is sufficient light for photosynthetic reactions and temperatures are not limited. Temperatures can be run a little higher where CO2 is enriched and light levels are at optimum levels - generally in the range 80 to 92 day temperatures for most flowering and fruiting plants.

 

[Dutchdaisy]

Need a split mini AC and then no fans tied to controller and dumping air and CO2 out the window every 10 minutes , with sealed room they bathe in CO2, if you have a controller tied to temp and humidity you'll never get full effect of CO2 enrichment, Period

 

[seebobsled]

Need a split mini AC and then no fans tied to controller and dumping air and CO2 out the window every 10 minutes , with sealed room they bathe in CO2, if you have a controller tied to temp and humidity you'll never get full effect of CO2 enrichment, Period

and add a dehumidifier to catch your nighttime humidity and keep it sealed.

 

[dankworth]

Some advocate venting or exchanging air in the room at some point during the night.
Gases build up. Ethylene and others. I do not know that much about them.
In a very well sealed room, these gases will eventually accumulate to an extent that can affect your plants.
And you.

Unless you periodically leave the door open for a while to air the place out.
Seebobsled is right about the dehumidifier.
I run 2 just in case one decides to not work correctly.

 

[ttystikk]

I tried CO2 augmentation in an open room environment and it was basically a total waste. Only in a sealed room can you keep all the air inside and control the other parameters sufficiently that CO2 augmentation will have any meaningful effect.

'pvtpilot' above gives a very exceptional case, where his hoods are cooled by cold outside air and his tent therefore barely warms up- and this was only partially maintained even with an environmental controller to keep an eye on humidity! His is the 'exception' that really proves the rule; control all other factors affecting your grow first, THEN add CO2 and you can expect to see a difference. Until then, just place $15 in an envelope and mail it to me every week. ;) The results from your crop will be the same...

 

[SmokesToMuch]

Will the plants benefit from a few hours of higher levels of CO2 at a time, say 1200 ppm? If you had the environment dialed in in a tent but had no room or ability to use a dehumidifier could you have the CO2 spray, than a few hours later have the fan inside of the tent vent out all the air for awhile, than shut off and have the CO2 spray again, or would this be a true waste?

 

[GR33NL3AF]

Most of these points have been hit but I'd like to add using CO2 in a NON sealed room will become extremely costly, just pull filtered air from outside. Standard CO2 levels outside are 500-600ppm, your plants get anymore then that they begin to metabolise quicker and with a higher metabolism, plant production increases.

CO2 is beneficial for the entire life of the plant. I am doing my first run in a non-sealed room without a CO2 burner just an intake and have not noticied a huge difference in production compared to the rooms I run at 1200-1800 ppms, we'll see in the end result.

BTW, those sentinel controllers are badass - I will not build a room without one.

-GR33N

 

[betman123]

Well I use CO2 enrichment 3-4 times a day without a ppm controller. I just turn off all my fans, I open the co2 tank for like 10-15 min, than I wait 20 more min. and turn on the fans. They look healthy and vigorous.

KEEP IT GREEN :)