Hi, so I’m wondering has anyone actually measured the output of one of these generators? pics attached. I’m growing 1 plant week 3 flower in a 3x1.5x5 tent and from most things I’ve read, any increase in co2 is beneficial between 25-30 degree temps.
I can get the pressure of this unit up to 15-20psi with a mix of citric acid and bicarbonate soda it will run almost full noise for a day and I feel like this would fill my space in minutes I’ve purchased a meter waiting for it to arrive so I can attempt to see if there’s any worthwhile build up of co2 hoping to be able to cycle it in the future with a controller if I can get the room to a reasonable level with this system My question is has anyone setup and measured the output of one of these units? I’ve watched a few videos where people use yeast mix but I’ve seen a few bubbles at best from those mixes but this thing builds up some proper pressure so has anyone actually measured the output of this setup in a sealed or unsealed room?
Cheers happy growing
Do you know what your ambient co² levels are? Asking because it takes a lot of light to justify increasing co². Then you have to consider keeping co² in the space and maintaining other environmentals. When you look at cost of getting everything to jive for a few extra grams per ft² of canopy usually aren’t worth it. If you already have sealed room or running large enough then maybe.
I have not used this system but pieced one from items at work. I didn’t see enough difference to deal wirh aggravation of swapping out tanks all the time.
I love the fact you are pushing the envelope. Only bad thing is,as said above, is need a sealed room. Super high par. Very high. If you lose seal while the sun is turned up you risk frying them. The yield for us at our levels does not justify the expense AT ALL. Just my opinion. I have tried every co2 way but a tank. Dropped it like a hot potato when saw no co2 supplement grow vs co2 grow yields. Some of the techniques used by large growers doesnt translate to home style well.
Hi thanks for the reply… I’m waiting on a meter so I can measure co2 levels and to see if this system does anything at all. I’m currently running it half noise with the exhaust on low because I have no real idea if it’s raising the co2 level but it’s definitely not harming my plant I know that much and I get about 11hrs out of it before refill but I can’t see me refilling everyday so I’m hoping the meter shows an increase and I can then cycle the solenoid or adjust the needle valve to suit, I’m not sure what my ambient level is until meter shows up.
From a graph I’ve read it says that even enrichment up to 600ppm is beneficial and growth increases up to 1500ppm. The graph shows benefits from anything above ambient so I figure it’s a very cheap and reasonably hassle free way to produce co2 with citric acid and bicarbonate soda and there are more commercial type reactive generators out there to step it up another notch if needed but still very cheap to purchase and refill and would last a bit longer maybe. So I’m very curious to see what sort of levels these things can produce and maintain in a small tent. Another benefit of these systems is no bad odour, I’ve noticed a lot of people complained with the yeast type mixes which didn’t look like they built up pressure at all either.
I’ve searched high and low on the web and can’t find anyone who’s actually measured the outputs of these specific systems in a grow tent so maybe that’s a good indicator that they’re useless but I’m going to find out the hard way.
You never know till you try.
Another reason I’m looking into this is my current plant is outgrowing its tent and it’s starting to grow into the 1100 ppfd levels by the time she pulls up I’ll be 10 inches from the light and I measure over 1400 ppfd at this height so I’m wondering if co2 will be my saving grace. Another option would be to dim the light I guess but where’s the fun in that
@Bjg
Adding co2 actually creates a problem, it closes the stomate which affects the plants transpiration rate. Plant is now not drinking as much/feeding.
Just like if you and I were to walk into a room with elevated levels of oxygen, our breathing would slow and heart rate would drop and we would lose less moisture from breathing less.
Now that we have created a problem we need a work around to solve it and utilize the added co2.
This is we’re increasing heat comes into plant, increase the plants use of water to a more normal amount, increasing EC levels to maintain proper nutrition with less water and keep up with the added growth rate.
Increased lighting to obviously take advantage of co2 and drive faster growth rates.
I’m hoping this explanation gives you an idea of what co2 does and how good or bad it can be in the wrong environment.
600ppm and below is a good place to be with added benefit without having to make sure other parameters are in check.
Excited to see your experiments!
I don’t lack of information determines it useless. It’s more a matter of what people are willing to do and what it will get them. If the co² was free I still wasn’t going to swap the bottles regularly. I would maybe if yield was expected to double but the increases achievement aren’t that much.
Yeah that makes sense if it’s not going to alter the outcome very much and possibly even hinder when I’m unable to keep other parameters in check to properly benefit from it. It makes it hard not to wonder when you see these side by side pics of aquariums with and without co2 and the benefits are like night and day there’s no question the plants grow more vigorously so that’s where my curiosity is being fed from and I like to tinker with all this stuff.
Understanding this is a much different environment as I’m definitely not an aquarium guy. I think normal water only has about 5 ppm of co² and it doesn’t replenish itself. So if you have something needing co2 then it will eventually deplete and you will have to supplement. Typical atmospheric co² is usually 300-400 ppm and can be replaced by merely exchanging with fresh air. So it would seem like you could just constantly exchange water in an aquarium to keep the co² but that doesn’t seem reasonable so people supplement when needed.
I still think you should try it and see, just keep it in an acceptable range. Who knows.
I myself have thought about giving it a run many times! I have Haun drop off welding tanks to me every week at work, it would literally be no effort to have them drop off co2…
My house is all gas appliances and I have a dog and my co2 sets between 455-500. It’s not uncommon tho for a couple mature plants to suck the co2 out of a well sealed newer home or room…
600ppm is still a safe dose without having to change anything, depending on what your area sits at it could be beneficial and depending on where you live in the work 600ppm is still about double ambient levels.
I was trying to find the Bruce bugbee video I watched, this is where that info my previous post came from. If I find it I will post it here. I know it’s out there on the old tube.
Yeah I figured it’s not a great comparison being underwater plants the co2 would have a completely different effect most likely only require a very small amount to have good results
This is the graph I’m referring to and it shows an increase in photosynthesis at any PPFD level with an increase in co2. I’m assuming someone a lot smarter than me done some tests to come up with this.
That’s graphs 100% correct, as you see anything above 600ppm the increase is less and less almost as if diminishing return is coming into play.
Plants are about 45% carbon so it’s very important, the easiest and most efficient way is through co2.
You just can’t increase one too much without increasing rest, everything needs to be a balanced harmony.
Yeah so being summer I can run the tent as hot or as cold as I want with aircon. I hover around the 28-29 degree mark but turn ac off and I’ll average 30-35 degrees without a problem supposedly good temps for co2
PPFD is approx 1100 and increasing as plant grows into light so plenty of light
Plants are well fed and I can maintain water levels without an issue.
I try to keep my vpd above 1.0 but humidity is a bit high at the moment
So I figure a little boost in co2 might be a good thing for me, maybe I can run the aircon a bit slower.
It works! My standard co2 level is 400ppm Currently hovering at 800-1000ppm with exhaust on low to keep humidity down it is a little bit unstable but I’m sure with a few tweaks or a co2 controller I can get it sorted
Hello,
1st post.
Ok I havea couple of small/micro grows.
Both 18"x24", and was thinking the same as you have done with the aquarium CO2 generator.
You have around 24 cubic feet and the generator lasted a day?
What size canister?
What release rate?
Did you get a controller?
I would love to do this.
Especially for the summer where I can get away with higher temperatures.
My thoughts on the best deal for a quality controller is ac infinity.
Any help would be appreciated.
@peachfuzz used to run CO2: maybe he will weigh in…
@RightAway uses the cO2 generator for aquariums. He runs a high performance garden. May have some advice.
I almost bit the same thing but would have to change too much