How can I control heat/odor in my grow tent without wasting c02?

[everest_dope]

So I am relatively new to growing cannabis and I am trying to plan for the future of my grow room. I am using LED lights that I cobbled together from available parts. I know with HPS or similar lights I could route air flow through a carbon filter, into the light fixture, and right out of the tent to both control temps and odor. I don't see a way that this is possible with my LEDs. There is no light fixture to speak of, just QBs mounted up on erector set style pieces of aluminum. I don't think my LEDs require as much cooling or ventilation as HPS, but I still need to control odor. I have an inline fan and carbon filter in my grow tent but how can I use it enough to control the odor and maintain c02 levels in the tent? Seems the fan/filter would just suck the c02 out of the tent to be vented outside. Is there some way around that?

 

[Bobby Long Buds]

What you need to use co2 is a sealed grow room and for that you need air conditioning and heaters/humidifiers/dehumidifiers. Heat pumps are commonly used. As well as a carbon scrubber running in the grow room. I think that you will find that quality bud can be grown without concerning yourself with adding C02. Fresh air in and out at a good rate will grow good bud

 

[jjng5]

So I am relatively new to growing cannabis and I am trying to plan for the future of my grow room. I am using LED lights that I cobbled together from available parts. I know with HPS or similar lights I could route air flow through a carbon filter, into the light fixture, and right out of the tent to both control temps and odor. I don't see a way that this is possible with my LEDs. There is no light fixture to speak of, just QBs mounted up on erector set style pieces of aluminum. I don't think my LEDs require as much cooling or ventilation as HPS, but I still need to control odor. I have an inline fan and carbon filter in my grow tent but how can I use it enough to control the odor and maintain c02 levels in the tent? Seems the fan/filter would just suck the c02 out of the tent to be vented outside. Is there some way around that?

Are you using CO2? It wasn't clear above -- when you mention CO2 are you supplementing with tanks or are you referring to the ambient CO2 in your air?

 

[everest_dope]

Are you using CO2? It wasn't clear above -- when you mention CO2 are you supplementing with tanks or are you referring to the ambient CO2 in your air?

Haven't done anything with c02 yet, just trying to plan for it. Any way to use it in a grow tent while still using exhaust fan and carbon filter for fresh air circulation and odor control? Or will I just exhaust the c02 right out?

 

[jjng5]

Haven't done anything with c02 yet, just trying to plan for it. Any way to use it in a grow tent while still using exhaust fan and carbon filter for fresh air circulation and odor control? Or will I just exhaust the c02 right out?

It depends. If you aren't using CO2 injection then you want frequent circulation and you want to bring fresh air into your tent and remove the stale air as far away as possible (outside is best if you're able). However, if you are using CO2 injection that you want your tent to be completely sealed. Find every leak before you start using the tent and duct tape over the smallest of leak. SWIM is setting up two flower tents today. SWIM plans to use one of the exhaust fans to temporarily blow air into the tent and attempt to cover any air leaks with duct tape. SWIM will probably look crazy with soapy water in a spray bottle spraying anything that looks like a leak to see if it bubbles or can feel air passage -- duct tape it! Once you're sealed then you want to set everything up with your environmental controller -- small dehumidifier goes inside the tent, exhaust fan for removing air from the tent, etc. The controller will do the rest. Only if air inside gets too beyond your temp. setting will the fan come on. You want the fan to come on as little as possible. Otherwise all your money spent on CO2 is going right out the door (literally). SWIM just went to get his three 20 LB CO2 tanks filled this morning.

 

[jjng5]

This will be SWIM first run with CO2 injection, with many grows without in the past.

I'm paraphrasing Ed Rosenthal here, but essentially CO2 injection is not about growing more, it's about growing more efficient. You can buy the most expensive and highest PPFD LED grow light on the market, but if your ambient CO2 is 250-300 ppm like SWIM's basement is... then think about it... what is all that efficient high end light getting you? CO2 injection allows you to reach your grow lights potential. Without it, you're expensive LED light doesn't mean much. You follow?

 

[JohnDee]

Hey Dope,
I've read that one strategy is to use timers and alternate exhaust and CO2 supplementation. I believe they make auto CO2 controllers that will do that. You will waste some CO2 but it's inevitable.

I've been growing for half a century and got by pretty good with no supplementation...except my own breath while I talk to my plants.
JD

 

[jjng5]

No one needs CO2 injection anymore than they need efficient lighting. My understanding is that it helps achieve greater efficiency