I've been reading the threads for awhile now getting ideas for a grow one day. Can someone enlighten me on CO2 and how to best use it and where to get it?
buy a co2 generator or fill tanks and get a regulator. I think a ppm of 1600-1800 is the highest you want to go with flowering stage. Most people use C02 only for flower, i will be using it for both veg and flower. C02 makes it so your plants can use and absorb nutrients faster and you get a bigger yield as well. Some people claim 50% more growth. C02 is definetly something you NEED if you are going for yeild. By the way...You usually use C02 in intervals, but im sure having a constant lower rate of a higher than average C02 content would be great as well. You time it really with your exhaust and intake fans. All other ocillating and moving fans should be off when using C02 as well, so your plants can be fully saturated.
^^ all good info but now you can also get CO2 kits that use disposable cannisters which saves having to get them refilled it costs a bit more but it's potentially a bit stealthier
CO2 Generator: The CO2 Test Kit is a simple, inexpensive tool for measuring the CO2 level in your indoor garden. When you use an enrichment system to add CO2 to your indoor garden, drafts and leaks may cause the CO2 to fluctuate.By using the CO2 Test Kit to monitor the level, you can adjust the flow of your enrichment system to provide the correct amount of CO2 for your plants. Includes 2 test tubes. Also CAP(Custom Automated Products) CO2 Generators: The C.A.P. CO2 generators are constructed of powder coated steel enclosures that resist moisture, rust and discoloration.They will provide years of trouble-free operation. C.A.P. CO2 generators operate up to 100 degrees cooler than other competitive products. There are some special generators GEN-1 and GEN-2 are manufactured using only AGA and/or UL listed components that are appropriate for use with both propane and natural gas. This allows you to increase the unit`s capacity to produce CO2 simply by installing additional burners. Each burner increases the CO2 generating capacity by approximately 3 cubic feet per hour.
Good info but CO2 weighs more then oxygen and sinks keep the oscillating fans going to keep the plants and the co2 moving around.
f.y.i.......kill the co2 during flowering. lot of avid growers suggest it....hinders the flowering process. peace.
and the home made ones arent worth it. They dont generate enough ppm's. I tried and threw it out. lol. bottles and a burner.
There have been complaints however, that C02 supplementation during flowering reduces potency. Therefore, C02 should be stopped when the lights are turned to 12/12. http://greenmanspage.com/guides/indoorv1.html
??? Co2 is what a plant needs to produce the sugars it requires adding CO2 would not decrease potency or hinder the flowering process. CO2 is essential to plants as water and light is. use it during both veg and flowering
Yeah don't listen to this guy, he has no clue. Flowering is the stage you want to use it most. It is why we use it to increase yeild. I just think he has it backwards. I know a few folks who dont use it during veg (not as important).
Ok Man I'm a begginer and there is a lot of information about growing, and sometimes I dont know what is the right way. I'll do some experiences and benchmarking, and choose the one that give me the best result. Thank you for the information!
This is where just a little research will go a long way. Rumple makes statements which are backed up by his own personal unbiased testing. Tank and reg systems are the way to go for small to med grows while a burner is best for any larger grow op but not both. Used in flower during lights on will help yield and make plants grow much faster when a high CO2 ppm is maintained for short times during 12/12 lighting(stomas are open and will use the gas to further feed on light and food). It is lighter than air so the CO2 should enter the room up high just above the plants canopy falling through the foliage and gently circulated up and around the plants for more obsorbsion.
Since this is about co2, i recently filled 4x 20lbs tanks 1 for veg 1 for flower and a spare for each. My question is how do you know when it is almost time swap tanks(empty)? This is crucial to my grow cause its a totally closed grow and only gets supplemented co2 from tanks. Do i somehow use the meters on my regulator, if so what should it read when its time to change?
If your room is 100% sealed you have the BEST situation for CO2 growing and longevity as far as filling tanks is concerned. Your best bet is using the reg. in conjunction with a CAP ppm3 meter,its not cheap but it will dispense the needed gas as it needs it to your preset limit and conserve it when it has enough,i have one but need the more expensive one for vented rooms which turns off the fans when it doses the plants whereas the ppm3 just meters the gas throughout the lighting period. I planned on a sealed room but the 1K and my warm climate would nessecitate a huge dedicated port AC unit and the power to run it too. Good luck man,the sealed room is the way to go IMHO if its 100% sealed and temp. controlled well(RH needs to also be controlled in that setting as well).
I have a set of compound gages on my regulator. Compound gages read the pressure in and the pressure out. Not all regs come with both. I don't think it matters though, when it's empty the pressure goes to zero Sorry, this is the only picture I have of it. From Nirvana Seed Bank /Nirvana-Shop.com "CO2 is most usable for flowering, as this is when the plant is most dense and has the hardest time circulating air around its leaves. If your strictly growing vegetatively indoors, (transferring your plants outdoors to flower), then CO2 will not be a major concern unless you have a sealed greenhouse, closet or bedroom, and wish to increase yield and decrease flowering time. For a medium sized indoor operation, one approach is to used CO2 canisters from wielding supply houses. This is expensive initially, but fairly inexpensive in the long run. These systems are good only if your area is not too big or too small. The basic CO2 tank system looks like this: 20 lb tank $99 Regulator $149 Timer or controller $10-125 Fill up $15-20 Worst case = $395 for CO2 tank setup synced to a exhaust fan with a thermostat. CO2 is cheaply produced by burning Natural Gas. However, heat and Carbon Monoxide must be vented to the outside air. CO2 can be obtained by buying or leasing cylinders from local welding supply houses. If asked, you can say you have an old mig welder at home and need to patch up the lawnmower (trailer, car, etc.) For a small closet, one tank could last 2 months, but it depends on how much is released, how often the room is vented, hours of light cycle, room leaks, enrichment levels and dispersion methods. This method may be overkill for your small closet."
always great info rumple! and after a quick glance at ebay second-hand regulators, controllers, etc.. might bring co2 reasonably into a smaller grow.
Co2 is also used for beer kegs and charging fountain drinks,filling your dads homemade beer keg can sometimes get you a small discount if the guy is a cool cat.