ruva
Well-Known Member
Not that I trust all the BS from the Hydro shop guys, but they def spent time with me to dial in the Co2. Let's hope it's solid info. My room is 1300cuft. Basically a 200sqft room with about 7ft ceilings.
Using a bottle, regulator and that timer we came up with this...(keep in mind the regulator has glass chingas where a ball floats in the air. That little ball when the tank valve is opened floats. You adjust the knob to a desired number)
level 2 = 29min on every 1 hour for 1500ppm
level 3 = 19min on every 1 hour for 1500ppm
level 4 = 14min on every 1 hour for 1500ppm
A few thoughts. These settings (if accurate) only fill the room. Nobody could tell me how fast my plants would consume the Co2. My plants are still babies. Just put them in the room a few days ago so I'm running an half strenght on the bottle. I chose level 2 for 15min to achieve what is supposed to be about 750ppm. In a week or so when my veggin is done and the girls are really strong and I flip to 12/12 I will run level 4 every hour to acheive 1500ppm.
I'm also running a fresh air intake AC unit. That' supposedly should bring in another 300ppm.
Final analysis...I'm only dealing with all this bull shit cause my room is sealed. My room is sealed because I need a sealed room. My humidity averages well over 60% so the sealed room gives me the chance to run a dehumidifier and use it effectively. I'm not terribly concerned with my Co2 ppm so long as I'm feeding the room at an adequate rate. I don't think + or - 500ppm is going to kill me. I got buddies with the same gear, some with Co2 fancy boxes and others just using fresh AC intake. Both yield almost the same. So who knows...
I'm learning the numbers to learn them. I could buy a fancy box but I know people that doubt those. So basically I'm fakin' it till I make it....making chicken soup out of chicken shit. I'm gonna watch my plants and see what happens. But I know for a sealed room you do need Co2. I'm pretty fucking close to sealed and I'm pretty fuckin sure I'll be staring at my regulator and timer until harvest and dry weigh ins
Edit- Those plants are rocking dude. I'm doing hydro for the first time and that soil with those wings makes me feel like I'm drinking hot coco with an old comfy sweater on while watching "A Christmas Story." Part of me wants to dump my hydro and buy some winged reflectors and some dirt! They look really good man.
That was my problem. I know, using a couple formulas and calculators I found online how long it takes my 6CFH CO2 generator to fill my room to the optimum level. I just dont know how long it takes to dissipate, therefore how often to cycle it. I went and got a recycle timer this afternoon FINALLY. I ended up getting the ART-2 and I set it for 10 minutes on every 80 minutes. Ill start there. My room is pretty tightly sealed.
I would double check those numbers. There is another calculator here: http://www.hydrofarm.com/co2calc.php
Dude, under optimal conditions CO2 enrichment can double your yield . Seriously. The problem is every aspect of your grow has to be at optimum conditions. If you are lacking in just one, water, Nutrients, light, temperature, humidity. Its going to limit the efectiveness of your CO2.
I sealed my room completely by choice rather than need. Following the instruction of Advanced Nutrients and The Urban Grower. If you talk to them a sealed room is better than venting.
"Fancy Boxes" do you mean the CO2 controllers? I dont know who your talking to that you doubt those or CO2 enrichment but you are getting some bad advice my friend. This isnt some kind of voodoo trickery. It is proven scientific fact. CO2 enrichment works and those "fancy Box" controllers and CO2 generators keep CO2 at an optimal level.
Thanks for the compliment. Its going so good Im almost expecting something to go wrong.
Good luck with your first hydro grow. When I was building my room I started a thread HERE and I was really close to going hydro. I even bought a 48 site aeroponic system. Kick ass system. But I ended up selling it and going soil. Im sure hydroponics is in my future though.