I guess I can't use co2 in my set up. Or can I?

[Opie Yutts]

I finally have enough funds so that I can expand my set up and use co2. I have researched this and have heard varying reviews. Some say it doesn't really make that much difference, and some say it makes all the difference in the world. I thought I would see for myself.

For my flowering stage I have a space about 3' x 3' x 8' tall, and I use an enclosed hood with a lot of air pumped over a 600W bulb. This air comes from a big inline fan that has a big filter on it, which filters out the weed smell mostly, and airborn debris a little. If I don't have this fan on, temperatures reach 105F within 20 minutes.

My understanding is that plants use co2 only when the lights are on. How can I use it without it all being sucked out of the room, thereby making it useless?

The only solution I can think of is to tear apart my set up and totally redesign it so that the light has dedicated ventilation that comes from and goes to somewhere outside the room, and refrain from ventating the room at all until the temp reaches about 95F (which I imagine would take less than an hour). All my ducts are behind the wall which would really make this makeover a suckie and time consuming experience.

I have never used co2, so does anyone with experience (or not) have any other ideas? I don't see how anyone with an enclosed space can use co2 without the temps getting to hot for the plants, unless they are using flourescent lights for flowering. If that's the case they are not concerned with yeild anyway.

thanks

[GrowinGreen23]

why not get a CO2 tank of some sort and have that trickle in from the bottom and have your setup remain the same

[Opie Yutts]

GrowinGreen23:
My understanding is that co2 is a gas that quickly dissapates throughout its entire enclosed area, which includes the area near my fan. Even if it didn't, my fan is big and quickly sucks a lot of air out of the room, thereby sucking out the co2 too.

Everything I have read about this says that you need to have the ventalation off and the lights on when using co2. Otherwise it is a waste of time and money. I don't see how I can have the ventalation off without the plants becoming dead or extremely sleepy.

[GrowinGreen23]

then i'm not sure really, i've never used them and don't know exactly how they work but what abotu those CO2 tabs, if you just mix them in water then i'd say they won't work either

sorry bro

[justaseed]

COOLTUBE is the answer. if you use a cool tube that both intakes and vents outside the grow space and have a separate ventillation system for the grow space that comes on when the temp hit's 85 or so or just have it run 1/2 hr on and 1/2 hr off with the co2 running oposite the fan. just a thought.

[Opie Yutts]

justaseed:
Thats kind of what I was thinking, but again, that involves tearing apart my whole setup, including the wall. Maybe I'll forget about co2 for awhile. I'm getting descent yields anyway.

[justaseed]

if it ain't broke don't fix it.

btw, what's with your name? why did you name yourself after one of the most devistating drugs on the planet? just curious, i have lost a few friends to herion so i just wonder why someone would purposefully associate themselves it.

[nemf 2000]

Opie What you could also do is get yourself a air 3 controller and plug your exhaust fan into it. You also plug your co2 emmiting valve into the controller as well. If you are able to keep your exhaust fan off for 20 to 30 min you would be able to use this setup. The controller would only allow the co2 to be released when the fan is off wich the controller also controlles by the temp you set it to.

[Zandor]

I finally have enough funds so that I can expand my set up and use co2. I have researched this and have heard varying reviews. Some say it doesn't really make that much difference, and some say it makes all the difference in the world. I thought I would see for myself.

For my flowering stage I have a space about 3' x 3' x 8' tall, and I use an enclosed hood with a lot of air pumped over a 600W bulb. This air comes from a big inline fan that has a big filter on it, which filters out the weed smell mostly, and airborn debris a little. If I don't have this fan on, temperatures reach 105F within 20 minutes.

My understanding is that plants use co2 only when the lights are on. How can I use it without it all being sucked out of the room, thereby making it useless?

The only solution I can think of is to tear apart my set up and totally redesign it so that the light has dedicated ventilation that comes from and goes to somewhere outside the room, and refrain from ventating the room at all until the temp reaches about 95F (which I imagine would take less than an hour). All my ducts are behind the wall which would really make this makeover a suckie and time consuming experience.

I have never used co2, so does anyone with experience (or not) have any other ideas? I don't see how anyone with an enclosed space can use co2 without the temps getting to hot for the plants, unless they are using flourescent lights for flowering. If that's the case they are not concerned with yeild anyway.

thanks

First off; those who say CO² does nothing have no clue what they are talking about and don't follow any of their advice.

You are correct in your line of thinking and you don't need our help. Make your change on your next round when you can make your room sealed. You want to keep it cool to around 85-88f when you use your CO². You don't want to go over 93f for long periods of time or you run the risk of Hermies from heat stress.

http://www.hydroponics.net/learn/co2_calculator.asp

That is a link to a calculator that will tell you how long to run your CO². The idea is to bring the gas level up to X point. (about 1500-1800 ppm) and hold it there for hours. The plant will use up some and that needs to be replaced. A controller is the best way to go but the cost is way to much for most people. You only exhaust the air once a cycle maybe twice but once is enough. When you run your exhaust you turn off the CO² about 2 hours before you swap out the air.

Good luck

[Opie Yutts]

Everyone:
Thanks. That's good info and input.

justaseed:
About my name, I am in a lot of pain, and have tried every drug known to man and a few that aren't. Opiates by far supply the most relief, and they make me feel happy. I am talking about legal perscription drugs, not heroin, although the chemical make up is similar and addiction is a very real possiblility.

I guess the name I chose has something to do with my whole anti-"just say no" attitude. Drugs are good. Try to imagine what our world would be like without them. God made them for us to manage and use.

[justaseed]

justaseed:[/B]
About my name, I am in a lot of pain, and have tried every drug known to man and a few that aren't. Opiates by far supply the most relief, and they make me feel happy. I am talking about legal perscription drugs, not heroin, although the chemical make up is similar and addiction is a very real possiblility.

I guess the name I chose has something to do with my whole anti-"just say no" attitude. Drugs are good. Try to imagine what our world would be like without them. God made them for us to manage and use.


it's all good, probably none of my business anyway. it's just that my wife and i spent a few hours with a good friend of ours yesterday. he is in a coma in the hospital due to an overdose a few weeks ago. they say he most likely will never wake up and even if he does he will have severe brain damage. i don't usually put my dirty laundry out in public but i have been clean for 5 years. i spent most of my teenage and early adulthood addicted to herion so i don't judge anyone for what they do. just be careful, after a while opiates don't make you feel happy anymore. this is a grow forum so let me get back to that. sorry about the off topic rambling.

have you considered just trying a simple diy co2 bottle made withyeast. i have heard of people doing this before. i've never tried it myself. if you wanna try c02 without tearing apart the grow you could just put a few diy c02 bottles in the grow space. even with the exhaust fans on you should be able to raise the c02 levels a little. co2 is heavier than air i think so if you have the bottles at the bottom of the space the c02 will have to pass through the foliage to be sucked out the exhaust at the top of the closet. you could do it for a few dollars so even if it doesn't make a noticable difference you are not out alot of money. good luck.

[Opie Yutts]

Sorry to hear about your friend, that's a real bummer.

You are right about co2 being heavier than air. I believe you have a good idea about DIY co2 and I will give it a try when I have a little more time.

[justaseed]

yeah, it really sux about my friend. but the hard truth is that it was only a matter of time before something like this happened the way he was going.

keep us updated, i would like to know if the diy system makes a noticable difference.