CO2

Racky

Well-Known Member
When does using CO2 become detramental? I know you dont need to in a 2x4 under a 300 watt light. When must you use CO2? Is there like a certain wattage and up that determines when to start using CO2.
 

PopAndSonGrows

Well-Known Member
A huge detriment is that you can kill everyone in your house if you aren't careful with it. You can accidentally make the air of your home toxic to breathe. Probably not with Exhale bags, but if you're using C02 tanks and aren't monitoring the PPM in the air, it could be a problem. You're also just throwing money into the air if your room isn't set up to handle & utilize enriched C02.
 

MidnightSun72

Well-Known Member
A huge detriment is that you can kill everyone in your house if you aren't careful with it. You can accidentally make the air of your home toxic to breathe. Probably not with Exhale bags, but if you're using C02 tanks and aren't monitoring the PPM in the air, it could be a problem. You're also just throwing money into the air if your room isn't set up to handle & utilize enriched C02.
I am assuming you don't grow with CO2 and never have.

CO2 is great. It's extremely cheap comparing to the cost of electricity and can increase your photosynthesis by 30-50% resulting in roughly 30% higher yields. It cost me $70 every 2-3 months in a 10x17 flower room. When you take into account the amazing growth it's actually much cheaper to use CO2 supplementation ALL the time to save money on watts. It lets you run the room hotter which also saves watts on cooling as well.

as far as danger goes I understand the concern but disagree on it killing your entire family. You would have to be pretty incompetent to let that happen in which case you shouldn't be around grow lights or anything else dangerous either. Get a quality controller and regulator and it's something you never even have to think about.

you can use CO2 at any light intensity. But the recommendation is to definitely use it if you are going to exceed 1000 PPFD light intensity with your plants.
 

meangreengrowinmachine

Well-Known Member
Once you get everything else perfect, that's when you start to look at CO2.
I'm Close!

I am assuming you don't grow with CO2 and never have.

CO2 is great. It's extremely cheap comparing to the cost of electricity and can increase your photosynthesis by 30-50% resulting in roughly 30% higher yields. It cost me $70 every 2-3 months in a 10x17 flower room. When you take into account the amazing growth it's actually much cheaper to use CO2 supplementation ALL the time to save money on watts. It lets you run the room hotter which also saves watts on cooling as well.

as far as danger goes I understand the concern but disagree on it killing your entire family. You would have to be pretty incompetent to let that happen in which case you shouldn't be around grow lights or anything else dangerous either. Get a quality controller and regulator and it's something you never even have to think about.

you can use CO2 at any light intensity. But the recommendation is to definitely use it if you are going to exceed 1000 PPFD light intensity with your plants.
Very good info and makes me want to dig into this more!
 

effexxess

Well-Known Member
CO2 is great. It's extremely cheap comparing to the cost of electricity and can increase your photosynthesis by 30-50% resulting in roughly 30% higher yields. ...
Affirming this post from MidnightSun72 on CO2, Dr. Bugbee notes 30% increase at any light intensity. And plant saturation is about 1200ppm.

"How much does elevated CO2 increase cannabis yield" (3min Youtube vid)
 

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
in a 2x4 under a 300 watt light
well shit.... looks like Im going shopping and researching!
I would just stick to the research part and skip the shopping. It's a waste of money in your case. A 2x4 tent is not the place to utilize C02. C02, when used correctly, does have a positive effect on your plants but you won't be able to use it properly with your setup. Just my opinion.
 

meangreengrowinmachine

Well-Known Member
I would just stick to the research part and skip the shopping. It's a waste of money in your case. A 2x4 tent is not the place to utilize C02. C02, when used correctly, does have a positive effect on your plants but you won't be able to use it properly with your setup. Just my opinion.
I am running larger then a 2x4 tent. Sorry I am not the thread starter just hijacking lol
 

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
Co2 is Necessary when ambient levels of co2 in the air are less than 400 PPM
Co2 is Helpful/Useful when the environment is optimal and you have co2 levels at or below 400 PPM. (In general)

If you want to learn how Cannabis plants actually use Co2 look up "C3 plants and co2" this will avoid all the theories and bro science.

As others mentioned, use proper equipment and controllers. I recommend using a co2 burner as they tend to last way longer than co2 tanks, less chance of contamination if your swapping tanks (other grow rooms could have spores/bugs). If you plan to use a gas burner to generate co2 please invest in a couple Carbon Monoxide alarms just to be safe, put one in your sleeping area and one in the grow space.

I personally keep co2 levels around 1000 PPM but have ran levels as high as 1500 PPM without noticing additional benefit. In my grow it is quite sealed so the co2 levels when the room is stuffed with plants can drop as low as 200 PPM!

When your using high powered lighting that is achieving 600+ PPFD you are wasting your money on electricity if your co2 is inadequate.
PPFD, or photosynthetic photon flux density, is a measure of the amount of light that is available for photosynthesis in a given area. CO2, or carbon dioxide, is a necessary component for photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy. In general, the higher the PPFD, the more CO2 that plants will need in order to fully utilize the available light. However, there are other factors that can affect this relationship, such as temperature, humidity, and the type of plant being grown. It is important to consult with horticulturist or other experts in order to determine the optimal PPFD and CO2 levels for a specific growing environment.
~Unknown source, in my notes..
 

meangreengrowinmachine

Well-Known Member
Co2 is Necessary when ambient levels of co2 in the air are less than 400 PPM
Co2 is Helpful/Useful when the environment is optimal and you have co2 levels at or below 400 PPM. (In general)

If you want to learn how Cannabis plants actually use Co2 look up "C3 plants and co2" this will avoid all the theories and bro science.

As others mentioned, use proper equipment and controllers. I recommend using a co2 burner as they tend to last way longer than co2 tanks, less chance of contamination if your swapping tanks (other grow rooms could have spores/bugs). If you plan to use a gas burner to generate co2 please invest in a couple Carbon Monoxide alarms just to be safe, put one in your sleeping area and one in the grow space.

I personally keep co2 levels around 1000 PPM but have ran levels as high as 1500 PPM without noticing additional benefit. In my grow it is quite sealed so the co2 levels when the room is stuffed with plants can drop as low as 200 PPM!

When your using high powered lighting that is achieving 600+ PPFD you are wasting your money on electricity if your co2 is inadequate.
~Unknown source, in my notes..
I already heat with propane so I have the monoxide detectors covered... is there an "affordable" burner anyone recommends?
 

calvin.m16

Well-Known Member
I already heat with propane so I have the monoxide detectors covered... is there an "affordable" burner anyone recommends?

I personally use the Atlas 4-burner with the Atlas 7 co2 controller set to 1000 PPM. You could get a more modern/affordable controller. They all do the same thing. It has been a real set it forget it thing for me other than refilling my 30 lb propane tank every couple months. I can't vouch for AutoPilot or the other one but the reviews look good and that one is only $180 shipped on Amazon.

Reading your thread again, looks like you're growing in a 2x4 tent, I would get the 2-burner off Amazon and hang it in the same room as the tent for efficiency & heat reasons.[/URL]
 

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member




I personally use the Atlas 4-burner with the Atlas 7 co2 controller set to 1000 PPM. You could get a more modern/affordable controller. They all do the same thing. It has been a real set it forget it thing for me other than refilling my 30 lb propane tank every couple months. I can't vouch for AutoPilot or the other one but the reviews look good and that one is only $180 shipped on Amazon.



Reading your thread again, looks like you're growing in a 2x4 tent, I would get the 2-burner off Amazon and hang it in the same room as the tent for efficiency & heat reasons.[/URL]He i
He is not the OP and is not growing in a 2x4. What space are you growing in @meangreengrowinmachine ?
 

Doug Dawson

Well-Known Member
Ah yeah that would change things. Personally I grow in a 1000 sq/ft basement and the 4 burner does the trick.
I grow in 3 tents so don't play with C02 but many use it quite effectively. When speaking of a 2x4 it normally means 5 feet tall. I can see no benefit in using C02 in a tent you could overgrow with 1 or 2 plants but that's me. Folks should do what makes the happy.
 
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