Indoor CO2 conceptual questions

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StoopidLungs

Well-Known Member
I am growing in a 5'x5' walk-in closet with no CO2 supplementation and minimal cooling system. My temps range from 80-85. I have a small office fan that pulls air out of the room from the top of the exit and an oscillating fan blowing on the plants, as well as a HEPA air purifier that also moves air around. Since I am using an LED light, heat isn't a big concern. However, CO2 is. I would rather not invest in a CO2 system until I get some experience under my belt. I am in the process of getting a much better fan to replace the tiny one that I am using as an exhaust. I started worrying that my plants don't have enough CO2. I have a window near the closet (outside of the closet) and I read that fresh air is a good thing to try to get into your grow room. But after trying this for a few days, I uncovered some new information that made me think that I am probably actually fine on my CO2 levels and shouldn't be trying to get fresh air from outside into my closet. Here is what I learned and I have a few questions about these concepts: CO2 levels have been steadily rising throughout the world due to pollution. The average ppm in CO2 in the outside air has risen to 390 PPM, and is even substantially higher in big industrial cities. I live in a big industrial city. The next thing I learned was that CO2 levels are much higher inside houses than outside. How much higher depends on the amount of ventilation, people, pets, and appliances in the house. Also, the more time people are actually home, the higher the CO2 levels. I am home pretty much all the time with 1-3 other roommates in the house at a time. Also, I have a baby bunny in my room connected to the closet who is raising the CO2 levels (dont worry, rabbits are very clean pets and there is a HEPA air filter on full blast in my closet, and she isn't allowed in the grow room). I read that CO2 levels in poorly ventilated houses can be as high as 1000 PPM but I am thinking the average range is about 500 to 600 in my big city. Basically, I realized that my house is FILLED with CO2! Which is no bueno for me and my roommates, but, on the bright side, is extremely good for plants. So instead of moving air in from outside I am getting a better fan to make sure there is a decent amount of air pumping in from inside my house. So even though I will not reap the benefits of adding CO2, after reading about normal indoor CO2 levels, I feel that there is no way that my grow room will dip down to below 200 PPM where cannabis starts struggling and might even contain more CO2 than average! Any thoughts or guidance is appreciated!
 
dbkick

dbkick

Well-Known Member
co2 supplementation for an area that small would be pretty inexpensive after initial cost and well worth the cost of a bottle every two weeks. you'll need all you can get if you're flowering with led. It would certainly help out with your high temps.
 
GrowinTheDank

GrowinTheDank

Active Member
I suppose the difference between an actual CO2 system, and simply venting CO2 from your house, into your room. Would be the CO2 not being pressurized, so there isn't a concentrated flow of CO2 directly into your room. More pressure = more efficiency Less Pressure = more deficiency

If my theory is correct, you won't be getting nearly as much CO2 supplementation as you're thinkin'.
 
GrowinTheDank

GrowinTheDank

Active Member
​http://boards.cannabis.com/advanced-techniques/183121-co2-enrichment-guide.html

Sugar Fermentation: Very inexpensive, simple to use, and an all around great 'ghetto CO2 setup haha.

Fermentation

It is widely known that CO2 is a byproduct of fermentation. CO2 is the gas found in bubbly beverages, such as champagne and beer. The same process that "carbonates" these beverages can be harnessed to create CO2 for a grow area. A pound of sugar will ferment into approx. 1/2 lb of ethyl alcohol and 1/2 lb of CO2. We've determined that we need 0.8 cu ft of CO2 for our 512 cu ft grow room (see above.) Then calculate the size container needed by dividing the size of the grow room by 32.

512 / 32 = 16 gallons. (A tall kitchen garbage can would make a good 16 gal. bin)

Assuming that the bin will produce half alcohol and half CO2, the bin will consume .16 lbs of sugar every four hours, which is roughly 1 lb per day. This means that about 45 lbs of sugar will be used over 6 weeks (assuming that not all sugar is completely converted to alcohol).

To get the process started, mix a pinch of yeast, 12 ounces of warm water and a half-cup of sugar and keep warm and covered until bubbles form in a day or so. Use this mixture to inoculate the main bin.

To create a yeast bin mix, dissolve 3 lbs of sugar per gallon of boiling water. Cool the mix to 80°F before adding the yeast. Locate a container with a tightly fitting lid. The lid should be equipped with a hose to direct CO2 gas towards a fan for distribution into the space. Increased air pressure in the bin will force the gas out of the hose.

Both canister and lid should be thoroughly cleaned with hot soapy water and rinsed well before use. Start off the bin a little more than half full (10 gallons of water and 30 lbs of sugar). Every week, add another gallon of water and 3 lbs of sugar. The yeast bin must remain at 80-85°F for the reaction to continue.

To monitor activity and prevent contaminants from entering the bin, create a fermentation lock by placing the end of the hose into a glass of distilled water. The bubbling water will be an indicator that there is still a reaction in the bin and prevent bacteria from entering the bin through the hose.

Our bin will need to be completely replenished every 6 weeks, or when the bubbling slows. A simple taste test will tell if the bin needs replenishing. If the taste is sweet, there is still sugar in the water and the reaction should continue. If the taste is dry like wine, the bin is mostly alcohol and should be replenished. Some growers preserve a cup of liquid from the old bin and use to inoculate the new bin, however if an infestation is starting to occur, this can contaminate an otherwise fresh bin with bacteria. It's just as easy to inoculate with new yeast as above, and extra yeast stores easily in the refrigerator for months. Corn sugar (available at wine making shops) is a less expensive fermentation medium than regular cane sugar. Other fermentation mediums can be used depending on materials cheaply and readily available to the grower. Corn syrup, maple sap, even old fruit juice can be fermented, although with increased odors and more waste cleanup when the bin is refreshed.
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