I need a cheap source of co2!

[phatpharmer]

Hi guy's i want to add some co2 to the grow room but Im not sure of the best and cheapest way of doing this my room is 6ft-Lx4ft-wx6ft-H if this helps.Also I need to no how much co2 to add as I don't want to harm my babbies!Any and all help appreciated thanks again PP:hubba:

 

[Crazy Horse]

Everyone needs a cheap source of co2 lol. If it was cheap, we all would have it.

 

[sweetnug]

Tank and reg. Thats the best and cheapest and most consistent. You can find them used, just look. 15 bucks to refill where I am.

 

[smokybear]

Buying the equipment will be an investment but well worth it in the end. Plan on spending a couple hundred at least though. Just my thoughts. Take care and be safe.

 

[MeNtAlPaTiEnT]

I remember reading somewhere that you can combine a few ingredients for cheap co2. Forget where and if it even works.

 

[HydroManiac]

check google c02 tablets

 

[smokybear]

Yeast, sugar, and water will make co2 but regulating the amounts isn't possible so you never know how much is going to actually be in the air...Just my thoughts. Take care and be safe.

 

[phatpharmer]

Thanks guys for the advice, after reading a few DIY on another good site I am going to try the yeast,sugar,water mix in a vented 2L bottle I no I can't regulate but I figure 1 to 2 bottles won't hurt either way thanks again PP:hubba:

 

[Crazy Horse]

Co2 tablets are expensive (where I'm from anyways). I did the yeast sugar or what ever it was, pain in the ***, and didn't notice any significant results. And if u have an exhaust fan running all the time, co2 would be pointless.

 

[Kupunakane]

Yo Ho shipmates,

I would feel remiss if I didn't comment on this subject. Please allow me a moment or two of your time.
1. I would imagine that most of you have invested carefully, and are enjoying your high wattage HPS, or MH, or CFL's. I believe we all agree that the chase for Lumens is where it's at, does that sound about right ?

2. Those darn lights generate a good bit of heat, and even the small ballasts for CFL's put out a bit of heat as well.

3. We all desire to control the environment, (as far as heat is concerned) so we vent our grow boxes, or where ever we have an indoor grow happening.

4. Unless your really ready to switch over to a Co2 enriched atmosphere, you just wasting your time and money.

5. The natural surrounding air contains all the carbon dioxide that your plant requires to grow well. I would also point out that if you are venting your grow area, then what is the point ?

Now onto the hard part, To really go with the Co2 enriched environment you need to seriously crank up the temps, and you need to seal up your growbox, any leaks are potentially deadly.
REMEMBER YOUR CHEMISTRY CLASSES;

Co2 is invisable, has NO smell, or taste, and you can be killed by it all to fast and easy.

If you are one of these guys that truley knows what you are doing with the stuff, then I think you should share these thoughts with the folks that are starting to mess with some thing that they have heard from a friend of a friends cousin. Someone not fully aware of the dangers is going to possibly off himself, or endanger the others that might be living there. Without knowing exactly what should be done, the temps can get away from being controlled, and viola there's a fire.

Please anyone considering this action with carbon dioxide, then PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE study till you are absolutly certain as to what your doing, don't be a statistic.

A short coarse in general chemistry can be audited at almost any college. You can learn so very much about what you are doing just by sitting in and listening, like the fact that Co2 is much heavier than air and sinks to the floor, so a person using it would have to circulate it up and around in a growbox, etc, etc.

smoke in peace
KingKahuuna

 

[HydroManiac]

tabs are only like $30 bucks cheap

 

[Crazy Horse]

I think at my grow shop they were selling them for $5 apiece, and they would only last a day. And still, if u are venting out, co2 is pointless imo.

 

[smokybear]

KK said it. If you're venting, it's pointless to enrich with co2. Great stuff. Take care and be safe.

 

[HydroManiac]

I now get it but what if your venting in a closed area?? where the current will be reused in the room?? and also co2 tabs go directly to the roots where i dont know but this is what im not sure on could be absorbed?? maybe through the water??

 

[Growdude]

I now get it but what if your venting in a closed area?? where the current will be reused in the room?? and also co2 tabs go directly to the roots where i dont know but this is what im not sure on could be absorbed?? maybe through the water??

Roots need O2 not CO2, leaves need co2.

 

[Growdude]

I think at my grow shop they were selling them for $5 apiece, and they would only last a day. And still, if u are venting out, co2 is pointless imo.

I found some for $3.75 each so that is $210.00 if used only in flower in a 8 weeks. Very expensive!

A 20 lbs tank lasted for a hole grow and was only $15.00

 

[Hick]

I now get it but what if your venting in a closed area?? where the current will be reused in the room?? and also co2 tabs go directly to the roots where i dont know but this is what im not sure on could be absorbed?? maybe through the water??

Growdude said it.. roots have no use for co2. The photosynthesis process(which only occurs in the green vegetive matter) is the "plant part" that utilzes co2.

"IMHO".. unless you are running in a "totally" controlled environment, where a specific measured ratio of co2 can be introduced/maintaned, temps are controlled at 90-95* F, and venting can be contolled through time and/or temps,... You're wasting money and resources, just as KingK pointed out.

Proper venting and fresh air flow are "ALL" that is necessary..

 

[THE_DUDE]

ebay, or criags list

 

[NorCalHal]

Yo Ho shipmates,


4. Unless your really ready to switch over to a Co2 enriched atmosphere, you just wasting your time and money.

5. The natural surrounding air contains all the carbon dioxide that your plant requires to grow well. I would also point out that if you are venting your grow area, then what is the point ?

Now onto the hard part, To really go with the Co2 enriched environment you need to seriously crank up the temps, and you need to seal up your growbox, any leaks are potentially deadly.
REMEMBER YOUR CHEMISTRY CLASSES;
KingKahuuna

KK nailed it. In order to fully utilize CO2, there are a number of things(expensive things) that need to be in place. The one key thing is the Room Controller. And a good one will run you $500-800. Not to mention the 20lb or 50lb CO2 bottle you have to buy then refill every 10 daze or so.

The average grower will benefit way more by just doing a simple air exchange in the room. I cannot say enough the importance of air exchange. Do not confuse this with air movement. I am talking about exhausting the voluum of air in your room and replacing it with fresh air.

CO2 tablets and homade Co2 is utterly pointless. If you do it correctly, you will never use these methods, you will buy the correct equipment and go with the Co2 bottles for an enriched envirionment.


Here is what it takes to run it correctly.

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/cap-ppm2a-fuzzylogic-co2-monitor-controller-120v-p-372.html
This was the best controller I have used. The "fuzzy logic" worked VERY well and maintained the room @ 1500 ppm.

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/cap-reg1-co2-regulator-and-valve-p-1008.html

A bottle..
http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/t.htm

A good exhaust blower...http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/vortex-inline-fans-c-76_352.html


And a SEALED room, meaning NO leaks whatsoever. All you need in this room is an exhaust blower hooked to the controllers humidity plug. No intake air is required. The Co2 takes care of that.

See, When you use air exchange in your room, all your doing is supplying new co2 to the room. Average air contains 300-500 ppm. A Co2 enriched room is 1500ppm.

It is not as simple as just adding some co2 pellets to a bucket of water and getting better yeilds.