I am starting to look into running CO2 and have no clue on what equipment i will need exactly and i want something economical for the time being. I will upgrade eventually but i need the low down on ratings and different equipment i will need to run a smooth operation. I have pets and worry about toxicity in they’re environment also.
I know using CO2 produces much better plants but is it worth the price and is it safe? Is there a company i could order all i will need from or will i need to pick through the internet to find all tje seperate components?
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CO2 isn’t worth it for hobby growers and I am aware of no experienced growers who use supplemental CO2. Maintaining the environment for a plant to use the excess CO2 is expensive and requires some technical knowledge to maintain the proper environment.
For CO2 to be effective you need:
-A sealed grow space
-Environmental controls to manage high humidity and temperature
-Double the light needed to grow conventionally (1,500 µmol)
-Gas monitor to maintain correct partial pressure
-Oxygen to root mass to prevent suffocation of the plant
If you don’t have all of these in place it would really be a waste of time to try to deal with it. Also; most dedicated CO2 users run their plants in some kind of hydroponics so they can push insane nutrient loads.
In short you don’t need it to grow good cannabis. If you are technically-minded and have a large budget then CO2 might be for you.
I’ll add that a former member of this forum lost a friend to CO2 poisoning from his grow space.
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I second @MidwestGuy on the use of CO2.
If you optimize your grow conditions for standard atmosphere you can yield fairly well and consistently. I average in the 12 oz. per plant dried flower range. So 4 plants produces around 3 pounds of primo flower. I give most of it away.
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Thanks… thats enough to convince me. I knew CO2 was toxic but to have it kill someone is enough to tell me that its for Comercial growing with large open areas. Not in a confined bedroom with cherished pets hanging around. I think i will pass on using it. I thank you both!
I guess those Exhale bags they sell on Amazon are for amusement only because i really don’t even see those doing that much if a true CO2 pump isn’t worth the risk for someone like me?
@Myfriendis410
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Exhale bags are a waste of money as they don’t put out enough CO2 to make a difference even if you do have the proper environment in place for the plant to even use above 450 PPM CO2. Ambient CO2 is sufficient to grow great weed.
These sellers will sell anything they think people might buy whether it helps or not. You have to be careful out there. I put bloom boosters in the same category, though they are not dangerous to your health like CO2 can be if not managed properly.
Mastering the basics (pH, nutrient PPM, good lighting, proper soil, proper watering,…) is the best method to achieve great grows.
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Thank you once again @MidwestGuy. This is sound advice. I need to keep reminding myself of this daily. The media advertisements are very overwhelming and alluring if you give them a chance but none of it actually seems to do anything worth investing in. If it weren’t for this forum i would probably look like Clark Griswald trying to hang my Christmas lights on my house…lol.
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I meant to point out too that in my case, living at high altitude, the plants receive even less CO2 than at lower elevations. Still yielding 3/4 lb. per plant.
There is a place for CO2 but it’s a highly technical type of grow with a lot of equipment necessary to do it both effectively and safely.
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Do you know your ambient CO2 PPM at that elevation? I’m only at 800 feet and ambient CO2 averages around 450.
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It looks to be nonlinear on a graph but appears to be around 385 ppm.
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That is low. Ambient CO2 is around 400 everywhere else. According to Dr Bugbee
I simply provide good constant airflow and the plants do the rest.
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Not necessarily. Air at higher altitudes is less dense. Said differently - there are fewer molecules of “air” per cubic meter at 7,000 feet than there will be at 800 feet. Air is mostly nitrogen. O2 and CO2 are at a significantly less concentration. Nitrogen, O2, and CO2 are present in lesser quantities at higher altitudes because of this lower density of those molecules. The lack of O2 at high altitudes is responsible for people getting “altitude sickness,” for instance.
I believe what Dr. Bugbee was referring to is CO2 density at sea level where these types of measurements are usually standardized.
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You have received great advice Keep it simple. Get your space dialed in and Every grow will get better and better.
Happy growing !
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Awsome blossom people and thanks for the heads up! One less thing i have to stress over to get good buds! 
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