Super easy way to boost c02 for free? Anyone else doing this?

[ganjasaur]

I started running an extra inlet from inside my bedroom where i sleep with 2 large pit bulls. Then eventually I stopped the other inlet that came from outside. (I should note my bedroom has a sliding door that goes outside and I open it during the day which is when my tent is on). with the old inlet that came from outside my c02 levels were between 400-500ppm . With the bedroom inlet it maintains 1200-1400ppm all day and 1500-1800 ppm at night. My dogs are inside most of the time which probly helps.
I've never heard of anyone else doing this so maybe there is a downside I'm not seeing but I've been rolling with it for a couple years now and I'm stoked with the results

 

[Merkle]

I started running an extra inlet from inside my bedroom where i sleep with 2 large pit bulls. Then eventually I stopped the other inlet that came from outside. (I should note my bedroom has a sliding door that goes outside and I open it during the day which is when my tent is on). with the old inlet that came from outside my c02 levels were between 400-500ppm . With the bedroom inlet it maintains 1200-1400ppm all day and 1500-1800 ppm at night. My dogs are inside most of the time which probly helps.
I've never heard of anyone else doing this so maybe there is a downside I'm not seeing but I've been rolling with it for a couple years now and I'm stoked with the results

Hey Ganjasaur,
I think the only down side to this would be bugs getting in and finding a home on your plants.

 

[Ambertrichomes]

You want lower co2 ppm in dark vs light. Plants don't use co2 during lights off. Plants only use co2 during lights on.

 

[ganjasaur]

Hey Ganjasaur,
I think the only down side to this would be bugs getting in and finding a home on your plants.

Guess they could but they haven't yet. I like to keep it nice and windy with lots of little oscillating fans and keep everything pretty clean in and around the tent and inlets. Also I use coco not soil. But I never have problems with bugs. I have even a couple times got pants from elsewhere with mites and just quarantined them for a week and dipped them in spray couple times a few days apart then added them to room and no further issues. I find if someone is having bug issues there is often other things going wrong first.My theory is keep the plants otherwise healthy and keep the environment right.

 

[Merkle]

Guess they could but they haven't yet. I like to keep it nice and windy with lots of little oscillating fans and keep everything pretty clean in and around the tent and inlets. Also I use coco not soil. But I never have problems with bugs. I have even a couple times got pants from elsewhere with mites and just quarantined them for a week and dipped them in spray couple times a few days apart then added them to room and no further issues. I find if someone is having bug issues there is often other things going wrong first.My theory is keep the plants otherwise healthy and keep the environment right.

Sounds like you got a good handle on things, best of luck with your grow. Happy trails…..

 

[ganjasaur]

Thanks mate and to you

 

[ganjasaur]

You want lower co2 ppm in dark vs light. Plants don't use co2 during lights off. Plants only use co2 during lights on.

I get that, it's only higher at night because;
A- I'm in there asleep heavy breathing the whole time and
B- the door to outside is closed at night.
I can't do much about either of those so it just is what it is. Considering I'm not paying for the c02 I don't see any down side.
Thats kind of why I posted the thread to see if I'm missing something obvious and if there is no down side why is it not common?
I understand it doesn't scale up as an idea so won't work commercially but for people growing at home any isn't it utilized?
All sorts of c02 dosing systems out there with meters and nozzles and timers and sensors to clutter and complicate your room further. Then you got to either buy the gas in a bottle or use some other product that gives off c02 in an uncontrollable and unreliable fashion.
Add to that the extra headfcuk of building and monitoring these systems and I just ask myself Why?
Most people I know cut into their floor for the inlet to get fresh air and for years that was me too and that is fine BUT, by simply running from my bedroom, spending no money, no time, no worries I can give my pants all the c02 they want. Air quality meters are cheap enough so it's not hard to keep an eye on the levels. I would love someone else to please give this a go and let me know if you see similar results.
Or, if someone out there who can explain what I'm missing then please do. I think I'm right but I'm open to being proved wrong.
I got this idea because I happened to have an air quality meter in my house and I was noticing how high the c02 was at certain times and in certain areas compared with the known outside value of around 440ppm. Asked some friends if they thought it was a good idea to use the air from inside the house instead of fresh air and they all laughed and said obviously fresh air is better but nobody can tell me why. Now just because they couldn't prove me wrong doesn't mean I'm right but it doesn't mean I'm wrong either.
I'm going to make a bold claim that this free and easy shortcut, is not just a poor substitute for the flash dosing systems that cost thousands, but it many ways actually better. This idea has the potential to save a lot of people a lot of money but it isnt a money maker for anyone except the homegrower that's my theory of why this isnt more widespread. The people at the grow shops are obviously incentivised to sell you more products and I'm suggesting you buy zero products for zero dollars so where do I go for expert advice ? I'm hoping that's where you guys come in.

 

[ganjasaur]

I get that, it's only higher at night because;
A- I'm in there asleep heavy breathing the whole time and
B- the door to outside is closed at night.
I can't do much about either of those so it just is what it is. Considering I'm not paying for the c02 I don't see any down side.
Thats kind of why I posted the thread to see if I'm missing something obvious and if there is no down side why is it not common?
I understand it doesn't scale up as an idea so won't work commercially but for people growing at home any isn't it utilized?
All sorts of c02 dosing systems out there with meters and nozzles and timers and sensors to clutter and complicate your room further. Then you got to either buy the gas in a bottle or use some other product that gives off c02 in an uncontrollable and unreliable fashion.
Add to that the extra headfcuk of building and monitoring these systems and I just ask myself Why?
Most people I know cut into their floor for the inlet to get fresh air and for years that was me too and that is fine BUT, by simply running from my bedroom, spending no money, no time, no worries I can give my pants all the c02 they want. Air quality meters are cheap enough so it's not hard to keep an eye on the levels. I would love someone else to please give this a go and let me know if you see similar results.
Or, if someone out there who can explain what I'm missing then please do. I think I'm right but I'm open to being proved wrong.
I got this idea because I happened to have an air quality meter in my house and I was noticing how high the c02 was at certain times and in certain areas compared with the known outside value of around 440ppm. Asked some friends if they thought it was a good idea to use the air from inside the house instead of fresh air and they all laughed and said obviously fresh air is better but nobody can tell me why. Now just because they couldn't prove me wrong doesn't mean I'm right but it doesn't mean I'm wrong either.
I'm going to make a bold claim that this free and easy shortcut, is not just a poor substitute for the flash dosing systems that cost thousands, but it many ways actually better. This idea has the potential to save a lot of people a lot of money but it isnt a money maker for anyone except the homegrower that's my theory of why this isnt more widespread. The people at the grow shops are obviously incentivised to sell you more products and I'm suggesting you buy zero products for zero dollars so where do I go for expert advice ? I'm hoping that's where you guys come in.

 

[ganjasaur]

I have a whole notebook with outside the box ideas like this(life on the spectrum). Different kinds of hydro systems and methods of growing inside and out and all things gardening really, most of which i have not put to test yet but they all work in my head lol. we'll see if I embarrass myself putting this one out there first.

Sorry for rambling on but I could talk about this stuff for hours and Most people have had enough of listening to me in the first minute lol.

Is there any other platforms or forums anyone could recommend for me to reach more people?

There must be someone out there who could help me to see my errors so i can dismiss an idea or tell me if a certain idea has merit and might be worth trying to actuallise. I would love to see other people building something I've drawn in my notebook and it working for them

 

[Merkle]

I have a whole notebook with outside the box ideas like this(life on the spectrum). Different kinds of hydro systems and methods of growing inside and out and all things gardening really, most of which i have not put to test yet but they all work in my head lol. we'll see if I embarrass myself putting this one out there first.

Sorry for rambling on but I could talk about this stuff for hours and Most people have had enough of listening to me in the first minute lol.

Is there any other platforms or forums anyone could recommend for me to reach more people?

There must be someone out there who could help me to see my errors so i can dismiss an idea or tell me if a certain idea has merit and might be worth trying to actuallise. I would love to see other people building something I've drawn in my notebook and it working for them

So, I read your last message in this forum. I find the idea intriguing, however increasing the CO2 levels in your home with anything could be detrimental to you and your family. We were very lucky to discover through a CO2 detector that our levels were not safe. The fire department came out and ran their meters in our basement and found our heating system was leaking high levels of CO2 into our home. We replaced the heating system within a day and have not had any issues since. My advise would be to stick with what you are doing, don’t look for problems.

 

[ganjasaur]

So, I read your last message in this forum. I find the idea intriguing, however increasing the CO2 levels in your home with anything could be detrimental to you and your family. We were very lucky to discover through a CO2 detector that our levels were not safe. The fire department came out and ran their meters in our basement and found our heating system was leaking high levels of CO2 into our home. We replaced the heating system within a day and have not had any issues since. My advise would be to stick with what you are doing, don’t look for problems.

I'm not increasing the co2 with anything except by breathing but you're right that it is not good when it gets too high. I too bought a co2 meter for my home and when I noticed how much higher it is inside compared to out even with a window open I thought why not use that air for the grow tent. Lucky you tested your heater, at least it was giving off c02 and not co I have heard of people dying from faulty heaters giving off carbon monoxide

 

[orggrwr]

I've never heard of someone cutting into their floor for a tent intake. Most growers i know just use the air in the lung room that the tent is located in. I have 1 tent in my bedroom ( with dogs) and 2 more in another room but have no idea what co2 levels are.

 

[ganjasaur]

People cut into the floor to get the cooler air from under the house, it gets warm here in New Zealand in the summer and heat becomes an issue. I've got mates that think you need fresh air from outside but they stumble when you ask them why. I've never been a believer in that but the heat factor is definitely a thing probly only a couple degrees cooler under there but that is something.
I would say your co2 levels will be similar to mine but I can garuantee they will be at least double or triple the outside levels. It's amazing how fast it rises with someone breathing in there and it is actually really hard to achieve levels as low as outside even with a big centrifugal fan blowing straight in from outside which surprised me . I thought I could just crank up the fan for a bit and replace the air in the room with fresh air in like a minute tops, but that is not how it works. Anyone sleeping in a small or medium sized room with the doors and windows closed all night will have levels of 2000 + by the morning ( I have seen mine get to 4500). I was just reading that levels over 1000 will make you feel tired and over 2000 can cause nausea, headaches and other adverse affects on your health.

 

[Florida_Mike]

Without co2 supplementation; fresh air exchange is needed bc plants will use up the available atmospheric co2 and it'll become a limiting factor (more pronounced the bigger the plants get of course bc they use more co2)

My co2 levels hover around 700-800 with 1 large dog, 1 medium dog and 2 humans

High levels during dark cycle won't hurt plants, they just won't use it.

Your levels levels are high for continuous exposure, but still well within OSHA safety limits

Where 1500–1800 ppm Fits In​

• Well within safe limits — it’s less than half of OSHA’s long-term maximum (5,000 ppm).
• Common in greenhouses and indoor grow rooms — this range is often deliberately enriched to boost plant growth, typically 1200–1600 ppm for cannabis and other high-light crops.
• Human effects:
  • 400 ppm ≈ normal outdoor air
  • 800–1000 ppm ≈ crowded room
  • 1500–1800 ppm ≈ “stale” air; may cause mild drowsiness or headaches for some people after long exposure

  • 5000 ppm ≈ regulated exposure threshold

 

[Greenadian]

Welcome back @Florida_Mike

 

[ganjasaur]

Without co2 supplementation; fresh air exchange is needed bc plants will use up the available atmospheric co2 and it'll become a limiting factor (more pronounced the bigger the plants get of course bc they use more co2)

My co2 levels hover around 700-800 with 1 large dog, 1 medium dog and 2 humans

High levels during dark cycle won't hurt plants, they just won't use it.

Your levels levels are high for continuous exposure, but still well within OSHA safety limits

Where 1500–1800 ppm Fits In​

• Well within safe limits — it’s less than half of OSHA’s long-term maximum (5,000 ppm).
• Common in greenhouses and indoor grow rooms — this range is often deliberately enriched to boost plant growth, typically 1200–1600 ppm for cannabis and other high-light crops.
• Human effects:
  • 400 ppm ≈ normal outdoor air
  • 800–1000 ppm ≈ crowded room
  • 1500–1800 ppm ≈ “stale” air; may cause mild drowsiness or headaches for some people after long exposure

Yea my levels are high because I don't hardly open the windows enough, I've been making a conscious effort to air the place out better since I got the air meter and seen how bad it was getting. I leave my bedroom door open at night now.
You can tell when a room feels "stuffy" and it's harder to breathe, but if it feels like that the levels will be 3-4000+ easy already .