Co2 gas type

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Roadblock007

Well-Known Member
What type of gas do I need.

This was from a suppliers website.

we supply industrial grade (carbon dioxide 2.5), laboratory grade (carbon dioxide 4.5), food grade and aviation grade CO2 gas. Both our carbon dioxide 2.5 and carbon dioxide 4.5 can be used for MIG welding, increased spatter, plasma cutting, cooling, inerting and pH balancing. Carbon dioxide 2.5 is also used for dry ice making, cleaning and blasting, while carbon dioxide 4.5 is used for pipe freezing, carbon dating and in laboratory liquid trap applications, in addition to the aforementioned uses.
 
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Nitrous2022

Member
personally, I would buy the cheapest gas available.... that being said, I doubt food grade would be much more expensive than industrial grade. Do not waste your money on high purity gas. The CO2 in the air isn't that pure :)
 
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Roadblock007

Well-Known Member
Between the food grade and industrial grade the price is not much the food grade is the cheapest, lab grade is like nearly 3 times the price.

Food grade
  • Gas Properties: Odourless, but can cause the nose to sting. Non-flammable & Non-toxic. Will cause asphyxiation.
  • Gas Mixture Impurities: CO2 (Liquid phase) >99.9% Moisture: <100ppm
  • Gas Grade: Food Grade
  • $75 for 22kg
Scientific grade
  • Gas Properties: Odourless, but can cause the nose to sting. Toxic. Will cause asphyxiation.
  • Gas Mixture Impurities: Moisture less than 10ppm, Hydrocarbons of which: less than 20ppm, Oxygen & Nitrogen of which: less than 70ppm
  • Application: Specialty Gas
  • Gas Grade: Scientific Grade
  • $196 for 22kg
Industrial grade
  • Gas Properties: Odourless, but can cause the nose to sting. Toxic. Will cause asphyxiation.
  • Gas Grade: Industrial Grade
  • Supply Mode: Cylinder
  • Brand: BOC
  • Application: Fabrication
  • Industry: Industrial
  • Gas Code: 081
  • Type of Gas: Carbon Dioxide
  • Gas Composition: Carbon Dioxide greater than 99.9%
  • $89 for 22kg
 
Aeroknow

Aeroknow

Well-Known Member
Roadblock007 said:
Between the food grade and industrial grade the price is not much the food grade is the cheapest, lab grade is like nearly 3 times the price.

Food grade
  • Gas Properties: Odourless, but can cause the nose to sting. Non-flammable & Non-toxic. Will cause asphyxiation.
  • Gas Mixture Impurities: CO2 (Liquid phase) >99.9% Moisture: <100ppm
  • Gas Grade: Food Grade
  • $75 for 22kg
Scientific grade
  • Gas Properties: Odourless, but can cause the nose to sting. Toxic. Will cause asphyxiation.
  • Gas Mixture Impurities: Moisture less than 10ppm, Hydrocarbons of which: less than 20ppm, Oxygen & Nitrogen of which: less than 70ppm
  • Application: Specialty Gas
  • Gas Grade: Scientific Grade
  • $196 for 22kg
Industrial grade
  • Gas Properties: Odourless, but can cause the nose to sting. Toxic. Will cause asphyxiation.
  • Gas Grade: Industrial Grade
  • Supply Mode: Cylinder
  • Brand: BOC
  • Application: Fabrication
  • Industry: Industrial
  • Gas Code: 081
  • Type of Gas: Carbon Dioxide
  • Gas Composition: Carbon Dioxide greater than 99.9%
  • $89 for 22kg
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Although i’m way more of a co2 generator type of guy i’ve done the bottle route so many setups. Just go to a welding shop and get you some co2. Don’t think too long about it.
 
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Roadblock007

Well-Known Member
Aeroknow said:
Although i’m way more of a co2 generator type of guy i’ve done the bottle route so many setups. Just go to a welding shop and get you some co2. Don’t think too long about it.
Click to expand...
Its different here in rural Aus mate, I got to order it online and get it a few days later at a depo.
 
Drop That Sound

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
Only the food grade is non toxic.

Screw that, just get a burner and use propane. Do you have to order propane online too in Aus?
 
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Nitrous2022

Member
The difference between the various grades (at least at the scientific level) is a certification. Ie they actually test it.
When you buy dry ice from many welding suppliers, they’ll tell you that the food grade and the ‘non-food’ grade are the same things. There is no Difference. CO2 is an asphyxiant. There are no toxic compounds there to worry about.
 
farmerfischer

farmerfischer

Well-Known Member
Maybe Get the 100lbs cyclinders or bigger that paintball suppliers use.. so you can refil your smaller tanks that supply the grow room.. would be cheaper in the long run i would think.
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
I just use a little alcohol burner fueled with methyl hydrate. Gets the CO2 over 1500 in 20 min in my grow room. I have a CO2 controller so have seen the amount but never had it hooked up to a tank.

The first one I made with 2 tiki torch wicks and 3/8" copper tubing but that's way overkill for my 7x9x6.5'h grow room so made another with a single wick and still too much so the last one I now use during the stretch is 3/16" tubing and a cotton shoelace for a wick. Burns about 100ml in 12 hours and still goes over 1500 when it's cool and the exhaust fan doesn't come on. I'll set the controller at 90F and with a 600W HPS the fan may not come on at all. Our low RH keeps that control from triggering the fan too.

When the wicks are near flush to the top of the tube there's just a faint blue glow you can't see with the lights on.

AlcoholLamp.jpg

AlcoholLamp4CO2_1.jpg

You can just barely see the blue flame around the wick here.

AlcoholLampv3.JPG

Made in Canada too!

CO2Controller03.jpg

In a grow tent a candle can supply plenty of CO2 if the exhaust isn't running all the time.

:peace:
 
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Roadblock007

Well-Known Member
Looks really cool but you have no control and I can see a fire risk with things like this, Id just sooner get the right gear and do it how the professionals do it, Ive learned you end up doing this in the long run anyway so why not start there.
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Roadblock007 said:
Looks really cool but you have no control and I can see a fire risk with things like this, Id just sooner get the right gear and do it how the professionals do it, Ive learned you end up doing this in the long run anyway so why not start there.
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I wonder what the hazard is for me if a tank of CO2 leaked down there and flooded the basement with pure CO2. I could walk down those stairs and never climb back up. Same with a propane or nat gas CO2 generator plus the explosion factor. I'm trained in the hazards of enclosed spaces so I'm happy with my little burners. They're just like the little ones we used to use in science class and I set it where the jar could break and it would just burn itself out in the can and stone crock I keep it in. 10 years and no mishaps yet. Knock wood.

I've spent enough money on grow gear in the last 20 years and still don't grow lots so will never bother getting a tank. I only run the CO2 for the stretch anyway.

:peace:
 
L

Lou66

Well-Known Member
Theres also the risk of the flame going out and evaporating methanol. That stuff is no bueno.

For the CO2 leak you can have a detector that ascreams if it goes too high.
 
OldMedUser

OldMedUser

Well-Known Member
Lou66 said:
Theres also the risk of the flame going out and evaporating methanol. That stuff is no bueno.

For the CO2 leak you can have a detector that ascreams if it goes too high.
Click to expand...
It would take months for a jar to evaporate from the wick if the flame goes out and it has. I have a cap for it when not in use.

Then I got to buy a detector as well as a tank of CO2 and those aren't cheap. I've priced them out here in northern Alberta and with the $200 deposit, tank rental and the gas in it I'm looking at almost $500 to get started and over $100/fill from the welding supply an hour away.

I'll be OK.
 
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