LED Without LEDs -My First T5 Grow

Undercover Cop

Active Member
I like that CO2 generator, what is the second bucket for though, I havent seen them built quite like that
Well its my first attempt at CO2 but after reading quite abit and making designs, I figured this would suffice. The right jug has my sugar/yeast mixture, and in an effort to help the yeast multiply and hopefully last longer I added ... an air rock to add O2 and circulation, a multi-vitamin, molasses and abit of maxi-grow. Pressure builds from the CO2 and the air rock, which is then transfered thru the blue tube to the 2nd (left) jug where a constant bubble stream is able to be monitored. I realize the pressure added thru the air stone will create alot of the pressure inside the 2nd jug but I can turn the pump off and still get a steady bubbling. The 2nd jug is basically an air lock that allows you to monitor the output via the bubble stream. The lid on the left jug has holes to allow the pressure to release after bubbling thru the clean water. I was hoping it would remove some smell... not very effective at that, still smells like my alcoholic uncle
 

jsamuel24

Active Member
Well its my first attempt at CO2 but after reading quite abit and making designs, I figured this would suffice. The right jug has my sugar/yeast mixture, and in an effort to help the yeast multiply and hopefully last longer I added ... an air rock to add O2 and circulation, a multi-vitamin, molasses and abit of maxi-grow. Pressure builds from the CO2 and the air rock, which is then transfered thru the blue tube to the 2nd (left) jug where a constant bubble stream is able to be monitored. I realize the pressure added thru the air stone will create alot of the pressure inside the 2nd jug but I can turn the pump off and still get a steady bubbling. The 2nd jug is basically an air lock that allows you to monitor the output via the bubble stream. The lid on the left jug has holes to allow the pressure to release after bubbling thru the clean water. I was hoping it would remove some smell... not very effective at that, still smells like my alcoholic uncle

I am going to have to try something like that. I will prolly have to do it with two liters due to space restrictions, but I really like the second bottle/bubbler. I allways hate with my two liters that I dont know at all how much they are producing. +1 rep when I can hit you again brother.
 

infinitalus

Active Member
UCC, its an interesting method for sure. The only problem is you really dont know how much CO2 its producing. Also, since CO2 is heavier than air, the CO2 you are producing is most likely only going to benefit the plants that are immediately next to that generator. The only way you are REALLY going to know how much CO2 is in your room is to use a tank and regulator, but its expensive, bulky, and impacts the environment from production.

Im going with an organic solution; small, vented mycelial blocks in a bag. Ive grown mushrooms before, and by experience I know mycelium produces quite a bit of CO2. Ive found these blocks on amazon at better prices before than what they are now, but they really do work. My first grow utilizing these had a 7 ft tall Himilayan Gold, with arms as long as 3 feet... pretty bad ass. The bag was sitting above/next to this plant its entire life.

The two that I know of are Boost Buddy and ExHale. Ive used both and they work as well as the other although Boost Buddy talks itself up in its product description but it is the same thing as ExHale. The only difference being that the mycelium is probably a different strain but that has virtually no affect as to how much CO2 is produced. Each bag is rated to make differences of rooms up to 4'x4' with no specific height. Since my tent is 4'x8'x6.5' and actively ventilated, I have 4 of these bags dangling from the support bars. It works REALLY well, and costs the same if not less over a 4 month period as using a CO2 tank with regulator without having to worry about dragging the tank out to resupply it. No fuss, no muss.
 

infinitalus

Active Member
Infinit, the leaves are Reilly reaching up. that look so cool.
I thought so too. The plants in the background are being blown on by a fan off to the left in that pic, but the plant in the foreground had no airflow on it at all. Ive got a set of 6" clip-on fans from Air-King coming in which Im going to clip to my light fixture. I spent an hour the other day making sure all of my lamps labels are on the side where the fan will be. Then Im gonna drop the light closer to the plants and observe.
 

kpmarine

Well-Known Member
UCC, its an interesting method for sure. The only problem is you really dont know how much CO2 its producing. Also, since CO2 is heavier than air, the CO2 you are producing is most likely only going to benefit the plants that are immediately next to that generator. The only way you are REALLY going to know how much CO2 is in your room is to use a tank and regulator, but its expensive, bulky, and impacts the environment from production.

Im going with an organic solution; small, vented mycelial blocks in a bag. Ive grown mushrooms before, and by experience I know mycelium produces quite a bit of CO2. Ive found these blocks on amazon at better prices before than what they are now, but they really do work. My first grow utilizing these had a 7 ft tall Himilayan Gold, with arms as long as 3 feet... pretty bad ass. The bag was sitting above/next to this plant its entire life.

The two that I know of are Boost Buddy and ExHale. Ive used both and they work as well as the other although Boost Buddy talks itself up in its product description but it is the same thing as ExHale. The only difference being that the mycelium is probably a different strain but that has virtually no affect as to how much CO2 is produced. Each bag is rated to make differences of rooms up to 4'x4' with no specific height. Since my tent is 4'x8'x6.5' and actively ventilated, I have 4 of these bags dangling from the support bars. It works REALLY well, and costs the same if not less over a 4 month period as using a CO2 tank with regulator without having to worry about dragging the tank out to resupply it. No fuss, no muss.
It takes a bit of math, but you can get a good idea of how much CO2 is being made. You just need to know the temp, amount of yeast, and amount of sugar. As far as distribution, a series of air pump tubing ran to each plant perhaps? As long as every tube is the same length, you get even distribution in theory.
 

infinitalus

Active Member
It takes a bit of math, but you can get a good idea of how much CO2 is being made. You just need to know the temp, amount of yeast, and amount of sugar. As far as distribution, a series of air pump tubing ran to each plant perhaps? As long as every tube is the same length, you get even distribution in theory.
Sounds like a lot of work and cost ineffective along with a lot of variables. Im not knocking the guy at all; it is a really clever way to produce CO2. I would just prefer something that is effective, consistent, easy to use, easy to replace, cheap, and doesnt take up a lot of space. This really fits the bill all across the board.

Oh yeah, and it doesnt smell at all..
 

polyarcturus

Well-Known Member
just buy the damn tanks will you guy? these diy co2 aren't worth it if you want to know the truth, yeah a boost but don't get your hopes up of doubling your yield or cutting growth time in half. just try to cycle the air as fast as possible i remember reading somewhere that if you could cycle the air in a room 10x a min it would be equivalent to running a co2 tank at 1500 ppm
 

kpmarine

Well-Known Member
Sounds like a lot of work and cost ineffective along with a lot of variables. Im not knocking the guy at all; it is a really clever way to produce CO2. I would just prefer something that is effective, consistent, easy to use, easy to replace, cheap, and doesnt take up a lot of space. This really fits the bill all across the board.

Oh yeah, and it doesnt smell at all..
I already ferment beer in my flower room, so smell wouldn't be an issue for me. I'm a fan of all things DIY though. I get alot of free time, so new mays to MacGyver things are always fun. Most of it's downside is the lack of regulation, followed by he smell.

EDIT: On the plus side, UCC's CO2 generator can't get stuck on and asphyxiate you in your sleep.
 

infinitalus

Active Member
I already ferment beer in my flower room, so smell wouldn't be an issue for me. I'm a fan of all things DIY though. I get alot of free time, so new mays to MacGyver things are always fun. Most of it's downside is the lack of regulation, followed by he smell.

EDIT: On the plus side, UCC's CO2 generator can't get stuck on and asphyxiate you in your sleep.
Thats pretty slick, you ever do any mead? I swear its almost impossible to find any mead in my region and if you do, even harder for it to taste good.

Im all about DIY too but everyone has more important factors for themselves I suppose. With my grow tent in my bedroom (severe space limitations) having a CO2 tank in here doesnt seem like a good idea lol. I also dont have the time to rig stuff like that up. I work two full time jobs to pay my bills and invest in additional equipment and have a girlfriend who lives separately from me. In the future when I expand with more equipment, I will need consistent results with materials that are readily available and dont require much, if any modification.

Beagle, 50lbs of CO2 lasted 2 grows from start to finish? I wonder about your setup
 

kpmarine

Well-Known Member
Thats pretty slick, you ever do any mead? I swear its almost impossible to find any mead in my region and if you do, even harder for it to taste good.

Im all about DIY too but everyone has more important factors for themselves I suppose. With my grow tent in my bedroom (severe space limitations) having a CO2 tank in here doesnt seem like a good idea lol. I also dont have the time to rig stuff like that up. In the future when I expand with more equipment, I will need consistent results with materials that are readily available and dont require much, if any modification.

Beagle, 50lbs of CO2 lasted 2 grows from start to finish? I wonder about your setup
Nah alot of Irish stout and home-made blue moon. I still have yet to try mead, it's up there on my list of things to try eventually.
 

infinitalus

Active Member
Heh, stout is too dark for me. Lager is about as dark as I like to go. Ales like blue moon are quite satisfying.. but theres nothing like a fresh mead made with both honey and fruit other than grapes and apples. I had a kiwi-raspberry mead once and I was disappointed at once because I knew I would never taste anything quite as good as that ever again.. and so far I was right :D

It might take you quite a few brews to get what you are really looking for, but I assure you that you will be more than pleased with the pay off.
 

AltarNation

Well-Known Member
Not to mention the PM limits are absurdly low on this site. Used to frequent the shroomery and you can pretty much message til the cows come home without ever deleting anything. Oh well. Just not used to limits on things like that.

Anyway... good news friends, my 660 bulbs came in today. I haven't opened or installed 'em yet, but i should have 'em in sometime tomorrow perhaps. I think I am going to go ahead and bump my second set of ladies to 12/12 now without all the bulbs in play... get 'em a little headstart before i harvest...
 

infinitalus

Active Member
Not to mention the PM limits are absurdly low on this site. Used to frequent the shroomery and you can pretty much message til the cows come home without ever deleting anything. Oh well. Just not used to limits on things like that.

Anyway... good news friends, my 660 bulbs came in today. I haven't opened or installed 'em yet, but i should have 'em in sometime tomorrow perhaps. I think I am going to go ahead and bump my second set of ladies to 12/12 now without all the bulbs in play... get 'em a little headstart before i harvest...
Bandwidth is a premium these days, and I dont think rollitup is a revenue generator so it comes from out of pocket cost... Im assuming.

I think youll like the 660's as much as I do, I just wish I had more than one. It was free for me though, so no complaints here.
 
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