Need Co2 advice

[denverbear]

Just picked up a tank of Co2 and a regulater and need to know when and how it will work best...setting etc. want to try to do it right the first time for sure..
lites run about 18 hours a day in this room.
We strung some 3/16 hose into the T5 room and drilled holes about 2 inches apart under the T5..when would be the best time to run Co2 in this room ?

also do we need to turn the fans and can fan off when we turn the Co2 on..?

Main grow room under the 1000 sodium lite we where thinking of doing the same thing or should we run a individual hose to each plant ? also when would be the best time to run in this room as the lites are 12 hours on and 12 hours off.

also about where would be the correct setting on the Co2 flow meter..we where thinking about 1000 to 1200 ppm but someone told me we could run this higher and up to about 1500 or so....
thanks for any help you could give us..we just do not want to mess up our first crop. imp:

denverbear Reviewed by denverbear on 01-04-2011. Need Co2 advice Just picked up a tank of Co2 and a regulater and need to know when and how it will work best...setting etc. want to try to do it right the first time for sure.. lites run about 18 hours a day in this room. We strung some 3/16 hose into the T5 room and drilled holes about 2 inches apart under the T5..when would be the best time to run Co2 in this room ? also do we need to turn the fans and can fan off when we turn the Co2 on..? Main grow room under the 1000 sodium lite we where Rating: 5

[TurboALLWD]

co2 enrichment is normally done in a closed room. It's kind of pointless to pump co2 into a room that uses ventilation to control air temps. Maybe if you had a co2 generator, but with a tank you'll be filling it up twice a day just trying to maintain 600ppm's lol. My numbers might be off but its really not cost effective imo. Do it right and seal the room, air cool the hoods, put a window unit in or split unit. I modified a floor unit into a split unit with ease...

Temps are suppose to be higher with co2 but I only run 80. Some people run 85+. My co2 level is set at 1400ppms during the day. No co2 at night. Hope this helps. Keep doing research. :jointsmile:

[copobo]

CO2 is not called for in veg. It must be a closed room as TurboALLWD said or your just throwing money away.

CO2 is really for flowering, should only be run when the lights are on. A common setup is to use a controller, set ppm to 1500, and top temp to be 90. Then, the controller will come on and dump the air in the room, and when finished, bring ppm back to 1500. Plants like it hotter when there is CO2, and can tolerate and thrive in higher temps.

CO2 should be NOT be run the last 2-3 weeks as your buds will not swell.

hth

[sum1cull911]

co2 enrichment is normally done in a closed room. It's kind of pointless to pump co2 into a room that uses ventilation to control air temps. Maybe if you had a co2 generator, but with a tank you'll be filling it up twice a day just trying to maintain 600ppm's lol. My numbers might be off but its really not cost effective imo. Do it right and seal the room, air cool the hoods, put a window unit in or split unit. I modified a floor unit into a split unit with ease...

Temps are suppose to be higher with co2 but I only run 80. Some people run 85+. My co2 level is set at 1400ppms during the day. No co2 at night. Hope this helps. Keep doing research. :jointsmile:

Definitely want to run CO2 in a closed room. Remember CO2 is heavier than air, so have a fan blowing it from the floor. If you have problems controlling heat, you can have a small exhaust at the top of the room as long as it does not have a high flow rate. I personally use 3 small pc fans exhausting heat using what I like to call a "top to bottom" method. Meaning my fans are built into my framing. Heat from inside the grow room takes a trip through a hole in the top of the ceiling and exits out the bottom of the wall on the outside of the room. I can still maintain perfect CO2 measurements using this method. I grow using strictly CFLS and I don't really have a problem with heat. I noticed you use a 1000 watt HPS? Good luck cooling that sucker! lol.


I maintain temps between 85-95. I control my CO2 with a bubblemeter AND a CO2 reader ($200!), just to be sure I don't burn them. I run about 1500ppm during veg(after they get a few leaves), and 700-1500 during flowering. 1500 during the first 6 weeks, 700 during the last few. I only reduce during flowering, bc supposedly there is evidence that proves co2 during flowering reduces potentcy. I have a fan in the center of the room blowing towards the ceiling. The CO2 hose is tied to the ceiling, above the fan. My room was also sealed with silicone and plastic sheeting when I framed it (air tight!). No CO2 at night, because plants give off CO2 at night, and use it during the day. So remember to exhaust at night especially. Did I miss anything??

Just have to find what works for you! Like turbo said, RESEARCH!

[denverbear]

We think the room is sealed pretty good...we used the plastic reflective mylar and gorrilla tape to seal from top to bottom...when the 6 in can fan is on pulling air thru the charcoal filter thru the lite into the can fan blowing out the window the walls are pulled inward pretty good....what we are thinking is that if we run the co2 for the first 15 minutes or so when the lites come on we would use timers to shut off the fans and the co2 on and where wondering if doing this every for hours thru the lite cycle would help meet our goals or do we need to use more often ect..the room stays around 75 when the lites are on and humidity varies from 34 up to about 48 pct during the day......we do not use any air conditionar or heat other then the fixed air blowing thru room...the big lite comes on about 5pm or so and runs until 5am....trying to run the big lite in middle of nite when rates are cheaper(is this a good idea ?)
thanks again as I am really starting to get the hang of this but know I have so much to learn and enjoy talking to you all about what helps us all..

I hope I have given enough background on this project...

retired and happy.

[sum1cull911]

We think the room is sealed pretty good...we used the plastic reflective mylar and gorrilla tape to seal from top to bottom...when the 6 in can fan is on pulling air thru the charcoal filter thru the lite into the can fan blowing out the window the walls are pulled inward pretty good....what we are thinking is that if we run the co2 for the first 15 minutes or so when the lites come on we would use timers to shut off the fans and the co2 on and where wondering if doing this every for hours thru the lite cycle would help meet our goals or do we need to use more often ect..the room stays around 75 when the lites are on and humidity varies from 34 up to about 48 pct during the day......we do not use any air conditionar or heat other then the fixed air blowing thru room...the big lite comes on about 5pm or so and runs until 5am....trying to run the big lite in middle of nite when rates are cheaper(is this a good idea ?)
thanks again as I am really starting to get the hang of this but know I have so much to learn and enjoy talking to you all about what helps us all..

I hope I have given enough background on this project...

retired and happy.

Timers with the fan on and co2 off and visaversa... sounds like a good idea to me. I don't see why that wouldn't be beneficial. I would increase the co2 to fan time ratio though. (Maybe a half hour, instead of 15 min.) Running lights are up to you, but remember light leaks are easily seen at night. Depending on where you're located the cool winter night temps will help keep the room cooler when the fan is off and the co2 is running. Other than that, you're on the right track.

[copobo]

it is def. some bucks to set it up with a cap controller and sniffer.

I just kept adding parts to my room one at a time.

AND - Just keep doing it man! There's much to trial and error and observation. Keep reading and asking and trying. I'm psyched to hear you decided to grow.

[senorx12562]

CO2 is not called for in veg. It must be a closed room as TurboALLWD said or your just throwing money away.

CO2 is really for flowering, should only be run when the lights are on. A common setup is to use a controller, set ppm to 1500, and top temp to be 90. Then, the controller will come on and dump the air in the room, and when finished, bring ppm back to 1500. Plants like it hotter when there is CO2, and can tolerate and thrive in higher temps.

CO2 should be NOT be run the last 2-3 weeks as your buds will not swell.

hth

How do you not use co2 the last 2-3 weeks if you have plants at different maturities in flower at the same time, i.e., a perpetual harvest set-up?

[copobo]

it's hard. for awhile I ran 1 week on, one week off. I am syncing up now, for just this reason. Everyone in flower is w/in 3 weeks of each other now, and next cycle I am syncing.

I am doing this for a few reasons, not the least of which is having to mix up sometimes 4 freaken sets of nutes! FUCK. that'll make you wanna jump off the edge!

EDIT: so yea, till now, I was perpetual. I did this for variety, but at this point, that doesn't matter because of previous work.

[grobro]

just now doing similar co2 newbie install....don't/can't have sealed room....
392 sq ft ......flower room open around top/poly enclose......exhaust 6" vortex @ top o room for heat/smell......tank +reg w/co2 rings above 2 1k hps....
am i spinnin my wheels tryin to get/keep co2 in there?......no meter yet/$
...but soon....ambient levels @ 500ppm/with test tube tester dealy....typical temps 75-85...flow rate @.4cu ft ?..30 min drop at 6a.m....15min drop every/hr till approx hr before bedtime......synched drop/exhaust...girls had an immidiate improved look overnight......but tips appreciated......smoke up