CO2 questions

[TentFarmer]

So I'm happy to say that I finally have my temperatures in check. When my room hits over 80, the fans come on, dump out the hot air and drop air temps to the low 70's. They then make their gradual climb back to 80.

The final upgrade to my garden will be the addition of co2. However before I invest another few hundred I wanted to ask my friends some questions.

I know that it is said I can run higher temperatures with co2. My question is, is that because plants like the higher temps with co2 or just that the detriment is offset because the benefits of co2?

Follow up question, what temp range is suggested?

I know that co2 can increase yields. I also know that every setup is a little different, thus creating results that are a little different. I would like to ask our tank/generator co2 users what benefits they saw using co2 over a previous setup. (Sorry homemade co2 guys n galls, nothing personal I just want the cleanest easiest to maintain system, and want to base my research on those systems). Specifically a yield difference based upon duplicate strain/conditions would be awesome but I'll take whatever info you can provide.

As always, everyone's help is appreciated.

 

[andy52]

i do not use co2 and i believe norcalhal would give ya some insight on this issue.good luck

 

[TentFarmer]

i do not use co2 and i believe norcalhal would give ya some insight on this issue.good luck

Sent him a PM on your suggestion. Thank you for the help.

 

[Growdude]

Ive used CO2 and perhaps my room was not sealed enough but they grew fast but they always grow fast.
So I started another grow(white widow monsters) in sig, and grew bigger and better buds than ever before.
Once I seen how big these buds were and how much I grew I came to the conclusion I dont need anything more. I dont need CO2 and neither does anyone else.

 

[greenfriend]

I will never go back to not using Co2. Although I have not finished the crop since starting to use a propane generator, i can tell you that the plants are growing much faster, bushier with short internode length compared to no Co2. plus the room temp climbs to 90F (running 8000W HPS) yet the plants are doing great. For smaller grows in which you can make your room completely airtight i would go with tanked C02 with a fuzzy logic controller to not waste any, as tanked Co2 is expensive. i believe propane is most cost efficient, i only spend $25 to swap out propane tanks at the gas station once a week-so the $200 in propane plus $400 for the generator should be easily made back in reduced grow time and fatter denser buds

 

[mikepro88]

i though co2 was for if the temps got really right not like for some one like you that has a tight control of your temp but then again i have no ideah what i am even doing right noe woooooo

 

[calitoker]

heave you ever heard of excellofizz? it cost like $1.60 every other day is what is recomended, but i think im gonna do eveyday. you just put the puck in water and works for 8 hours. im also only goin to enrich during flower, due to cost, but if you have incoming fresh air you get the same amout of natural co2.

 

[TentFarmer]

My setup is pretty sealed up with not much air exchange. It's really been designed to maximize a co2 setup while controlling my odor issues. What can I say, I'm a smelly one.

The fuzzy setup is awesome, but too much for me to spend at the moment. Truthfully a tank/timer system alone will push it for me. I have heard of results significantly improving with just the addition of co2. I vent as rarely as I can and grow as rarely as I can because I'm in too tight of quarters for my comfort.

I've seen the fizz setups and while they look cool, they look tough to really do a good job of dispersing the co2. Co2 is heavy and settles, so I would have to put it in a suspended bucket/bowl so it can fall onto the plants.

 

[INTHEDES]

Yes, the co2 is heavier.Altho if you cap off your sourse and run an airline(sealed ofcourse),the co2 builds up and follows the line.Maby to the back side of a fan,to easily distribute.

 

[pcduck]

I don't think the co2 does anything unless you have high temperatures. Then I think all is does is help with the uptake of nutrients that are already present. That is just my $0.02 on the subject

 

[TentFarmer]

I was at my local hydro shop today and was amazed to find that their co2 prices were much cheaper then my welding shop. Little over a buck a pound for refills.

I'm running a fairly automated system. It needs to keep going for a week with little attention from me to work. My ideal setup would be to do a hour or twos work at res change and maybe 5 minutes every few days rotating plants on the tray (ebb system).

Inthedes, I like your idea. Nice way to disperse it if I do go that route. My only hesitation is maintenance of it. I run a tent and it sounds like the pucks do a small room for a few hours. I would likely have to cut pucks so I don't over do it.

pcduck, if your correct and its just for high temps, then it's still not a bad deal for me. I don't vent often and run a small ac to keep the room where it needs to be. The cool concrete in the basement and the air cooled hood makes sure it barely has to run, but if I can let it go 10 degrees higher safely, then the electric savings would probably compensate for the co2 cost.

I personally believe that it is for more then just high temps. From what I've read, co2 is necessary for photosynthesis and little co2 results in lower yields. If i just vented from outside ever hour or so I could keep levels high enough to not need the supplement, however since my setup is so sealed up with little fresh air I know my little ladies will chew up their available co2 in the first few hours. From what I read, too little co2 and the plants wont absorb as much light as they have available. I have a 600hps to make sure there is plenty of light. I hate the thought of wasting a watt.

My goal is to get a smell proof room that gives me the max yield per grow. My last grow lasted me over 6 months, would be nice if I could get away with one grow per year.

 

[INTHEDES]

Is your ac in your tent.I'm interested in seein your vent set up.I have a tent also,not to sure if i'm utalizing my fans/char. filter properly.

It gets hot where I'm @ and I only have a 10 lb. canister(try to keep filled,but it has to run out)and I know these lovly ladies get alot perkier when Co2 is around.

 

[TentFarmer]

My ac is out of the tent but in the bubble. It's a little tough to explain but I should have my setup finished (minus the co2) tomorrow and will post plenty of pics. I'm chomping at the bit to get started on my next grow.

 

[Lemmongrass]

i love listening to you talk about your grow in random passings bubbleboy. makes me wanna do a toy grow in those Russian egg ppl with many layers.

 

[TentFarmer]

Including the tent, double bubble

:yeahthat:

 

[greenfriend]

yo tent i feel you on not buying the fuzzy logic, not really cost effective cept with big grows, but since you want it kinda automated you could get a smaller propane generator (since you already got AC for temps) like the GEN-1 from CAP ($350-400). skip the ppm controller and get a $15 digital timer with multiple on/offs and have it run for a bit every couple hours while lights are on.

at your size setup you'll probably only have to switch out the tank every 3 weeks (i run the gen-2 in a 2000 cubic ft space that not completely sealed and tank lasts 6 days. then you can just hang the generator over the plants and not have to deal with tubing to disperse tanked Co2. but if you get a good price on tanked Co2 just figure out the costs of each setup and go with the cheaper one. good luck!

 

[TentFarmer]

Thanks for the advice greenfriend. Does the propane generator put off a lot of heat? I am working in a 4x4 tent and it seems a bit... aggressive for my setup.

 

[TentFarmer]

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[greenfriend]

Thanks for the advice greenfriend. Does the propane generator put off a lot of heat? I am working in a 4x4 tent and it seems a bit... aggressive for my setup.

yes it does put out a lot of heat, so it guess i would make ur AC run quite a bit

 

[NorCalHal]

I personally believe that it is for more then just high temps. From what I've read, co2 is necessary for photosynthesis and little co2 results in lower yields. If i just vented from outside ever hour or so I could keep levels high enough to not need the supplement, however since my setup is so sealed up with little fresh air I know my little ladies will chew up their available co2 in the first few hours. From what I read, too little co2 and the plants wont absorb as much light as they have available. I have a 600hps to make sure there is plenty of light. I hate the thought of wasting a watt.

Looks like everyone led you on the right track.

Running higher ppm's of co2 in your situation is a great move.

First, let me tell you, I don't run co2 anymore. I have pretty much dailed in my room and hydro method so I get a harvest I am happy with everytime. I suspect that is the same with Growdude. Moving alot of air is key.

But, as your room is, with limited intake, co2 will make a big difference, imho. I see you were looking at the CAP controllers, which are the best ,imo. When I ran co2, I used the "fuzzy logic" and loved it.
But really, all the fuzy logic does is save you a little time in replacing the bottles. It does keep the ppm's from flucuating, but all in all, if you have the time, don't worry about it.

Keep your day temps at 88-90. Seems high, but with higher co2 levels you want to run the temps like that. If you run the temps lower, it defetes running the co2 at all. You will only see a real difference if you run the temps right about there, and set your co2 ppm to 1500.

I'll come back in the morning and recheck this thread man, I jsut got back from Tahoe and I'm beat. Hope I made a little sense.