using dry ice 4 co2

ive got 2 shop lights with 2 builbs in each light, 60 watts each builb, and 4 plants inthe center of the lights. i keep the lights about 2 inches from the top of the plant. the lights are hanging from the clothes rack in my closet. i bought a little fan and some plastic drop clothes (the ones for panting). covered the whole thing with the drop clothes so its hanging from the clothes rack to the floor, got 3 pounds of dry ice put it in a tub with warm water and stuck it in the enclosed area on one side and had the fan on the other suching the fog over the plants. when i did this the plants where in the dark. when the ice had all melted the pulled the drap up. the next day when i checked the plants the seem to have grown about an inch bigher the the day before (the light had only been on for a few hours). i was woundering if anyone has done something like this and could covering the plants like that be bad . the plastic does not touch the plant though. any info thanks.

I have never experimented with dry ice, if the result of dry ice is co2 then i see no reason why this would harm the plants, and if they grew an inch as you say and look healthy then go for it.

How much do you pay for dry ice and where do you buy that from? is it more economical then a co2 tank system?

Dry Ice def helps your plants grow. Dry Ice is frozen CO2, so when it evaporates it is releasing pure CO2 into the air. If i were you, I would let the CO2 evaporate on its own (loose the warm water). This will slow down the evaporation rate and allow the plants to consume all the CO2. If you have the CO2 release into the air more quickly then there is a greater chance some of it escapes before the plant can absorb it. I have looked into this because I am considering using dry ice as well because CO2 enrichment in the air can increase the growth and quality of plant enormously (as you have seen in your 1in growth).

I am very curious how expensive the dry ice costs you and where you get it from?

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Originally Posted by rapid88

is it more economical then a co2 tank system?

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Nope.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyPotGrower

Dry Ice def helps your plants grow. Dry Ice is frozen CO2, so when it evaporates it is releasing pure CO2 into the air. If i were you, I would let the CO2 evaporate on its own (loose the warm water). This will slow down the evaporation rate and allow the plants to consume all the CO2. If you have the CO2 release into the air more quickly then there is a greater chance some of it escapes before the plant can absorb it. I have looked into this because I am considering using dry ice as well because CO2 enrichment in the air can increase the growth and quality of plant enormously (as you have seen in your 1in growth).

I am very curious how expensive the dry ice costs you and where you get it from?

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I'm in the SF area of cali and the local Raleys grocery store sells it for $1 a pound. You can also try Baskins & Robbins ice cream store or another ice cream shop may have.

A dollar a pound! That sounds really cheap! How much do you have to use (per plant) in order for it to have any signifficant effect? Also can you store the dry ice in the freezer or do you have to use it pretty much the same day?

http://www.dryiceinfo.com/

Thanks for the link, but it doesnt say anything about how expensive it is or whether you can store it for a long period of time... It also has no information concerning growing... so thanks but not really looking to do a book report on dry ice hardon.

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Originally Posted by JohnnyPotGrower

Dry Ice def helps your plants grow. Dry Ice is frozen CO2, so when it evaporates it is releasing pure CO2 into the air. If i were you, I would let the CO2 evaporate on its own (loose the warm water). This will slow down the evaporation rate and allow the plants to consume all the CO2. If you have the CO2 release into the air more quickly then there is a greater chance some of it escapes before the plant can absorb it. I have looked into this because I am considering using dry ice as well because CO2 enrichment in the air can increase the growth and quality of plant enormously (as you have seen in your 1in growth).

I am very curious how expensive the dry ice costs you and where you get it from?

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Well i got my ice for .99 cents a pound at safeway. co2 is heavier than oxegen, so the co2 stays in the plastic, the more co2 in the plastic the less oxegen ,so this is pushing the oxegen out the top of the plastic.its like putting your plants in a big plastic bag, with the opening on the top and filling the whole thing with co2. dry ice is compressed co2

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Originally Posted by JohnnyPotGrower

Thanks for the link, but it doesnt say anything about how expensive it is or whether you can store it for a long period of time... It also has no information concerning growing... so thanks but not really looking to do a book report on dry ice hardon.

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Most supermarkets have it. its very cheap stuff, but to store it for a long time is hard becuase its frozen at -109.3°F or -78.5°C your freezer dosnt do. and some more info on plants and co2 http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio104/photosyn.htm