Cheap C02 Solutions?

[budleydoright]

I have a 5 by 7 room (8ft ceiling) completely sealed. I control humidity with a humidifier and using LEDs, have no heat issues (range is from 74 to 84 degrees). I have a CO2 data logger for continuous CO2 monitoring. I am using the fermentation method with 2 small carboys and a standard stopper that allows the CO2 to vent thru a water chamber - all standard wine store equipment. Each is filled with 10 litres of pure water, 2 dry litres of sugar, one multi-vitamin tablet, 2 tsp of yeast booster and 2 tablespoons of regular bakers yeast. The specific gravity starts a 1.08. The theory is that bakers yeast promotes more vigorous fermentation but is killed off a lower alcohol concentrations (I've yet to prove this, but it is cheaper than wine yeast). Prior to logging the CO2 data. I generally replaced the carboy when I saw no more signs of bubbles thru the stopper and found the specific gravity was about 1.02, so there's still sugar in the mix but the alcohol is killing off the yeast. Using a wine yeast, you could get the sp gravity down to 1.00 but it's expensive and releases more slowly.

The data logger records CO2 levels of between 2,000 ppm and 3,500 ppm depending on the time of day and how recently the carboy was refreshed. I've only had the data logger for 1 week so I'm still trying to work out the best combination of carboys and fermentation materials. Both carboys were refreshed the day I started using the data logger and are still cranking out good amounts of CO2. I'll refresh them when my morning CO2 levels are down to 1200ppm.

What's interesting is that my portable closet nursery is in the furnace where there's a pilot light for the natural gas hot water tank and one for the natural gas boiler and the CO2 readings are 850ppm - which I figure is enough for veg. That room is not sealed but neither is there any effort to vent it. I can see advantages to a CO2 tank in a sealed room but will hold off buying one until I see if I can control the fermentation process. Carboys do take up room that could be filled with plants.

What type of datalogger and sensor are you using? Have you checked its reading outdoors. My morning ppm levels are 350-500 before my tank fires. I have a telaire 7001 and a hobo datalogger but haven't used it yet.

 

[dgroman]

I'm using a CO2 meter sold at CO2meter.com. The outside readings are 350ppm, so I think it's pretty accurate. Its a USB CO2 Probe Meter/Data Logger 1/ 30/ 100%.

 

[dgroman]

Yes, I'm using a fermentation lock. I also make wine, so just use the carboy setup for that with the sugar/water etc formulation. I've got half sized carboys so I use them cause their lighter to pack around. I've been reading about too much CO2 for plants and will cut down to one carboy using wine yeast and then measure the CO2 output over the next week on that. I have had some problems with these gals on this my first grow and am thinking it might be in part to too much CO2 and large part to my ignorance. But this is what makes this fun. Lots to learn and a prize at the end.

 

[legallyflying]

Although you are more than double the concentration that you need, it should not be toxic to the plant. Have you graphed your co2 data out? I would be very interested to see if your recording co2 spikes when the lights are out and if so, how much.

Cheers.

 

[dgroman]

I Will run it overnite and get the graph. Up to one I've just been sampling for a half hour here and there.

 

[budleydoright]

I've been curious about their datalogger. Looks like top notch stuff. Nice to get tome real data on fermenting. what types of problems did you experience last time?

I know my biggest issuebeing sealed has been humidity and its associated issues namely pm and edema.

 

[dbkick]

Exhale Co2 bags, don't use them myself but have heard good things about them, they're like 35 bux and last a few months from what I understand.

 

[dgroman]

I Will run it overnite and get the graph. Up to one I've just been sampling for a half hour here and there.

Well I ran the test but forgot to turn off sleep mode on my laptop, so I got 30 minutes of data. (Nice boy, just a little dumb!). I'll try again.

 

[hoagtech]

Make beer in your grow area. Your making an "ex-hale" bag every time you mix your yeast and sugar together. So why not make a lot of batches? I can picture 10 or so food grade buckets with their own brew names next to your strain

"right here we got the irish moss next to the acopulco gold, the australian barley chillin next to my chemdawg, and here we got the german stout next the barneys lsd"

thatd be sick and youd be recycling your co2 and harvesting beer? how can you lose?

 

[Stoner Smurf]

Legally Flying, would you mind explaining what you had to do to use a tankless water heater as a CO2 burner? Does it come out of the box ready to be used as a CO2 burner? I was looking at installing one of these, seeing as they're about 50% of the price of a 'water-cooled co2 burner' (AKA a tankless water heater, they look almost identical inside and out). The only reason I haven't done this yet, is my partner who is a plumber thinks these make CO (Carbon Monoxide) not CO2. I know traditional water heaters make way more CO than CO2, so are these somehow different? I am not going to kill myself with CO poisoning am I?

Hogatech I am no brewer I am a farmer. Admittedly I don't even drink beer. But I was under the impression beer is suppose to be brewed in a cool, dark place. A room with 80 degree temps and HID lighting is not the place to brew good beer. So you would see minimal difference in your plants, and have a bunch of gross beer. Lose lose.

 

[legallyflying]

Legally Flying, would you mind explaining what you had to do to use a tankless water heater as a CO2 burner? Does it come out of the box ready to be used as a CO2 burner? I was looking at installing one of these, seeing as they're about 50% of the price of a 'water-cooled co2 burner' (AKA a tankless water heater, they look almost identical inside and out). The only reason I haven't done this yet, is my partner who is a plumber thinks these make CO (Carbon Monoxide) not CO2. I know traditional water heaters make way more CO than CO2, so are these somehow different? I am not going to kill myself with CO poisoning am I?.

https://www.rollitup.org/advanced-marijuana-cultivation/410850-well-n-tankless-water-heater.html

The exhaust from modern day burners is around 99% co2. No changes or adaptions needed. Take out of box and install. There around $170 shipped on feebay.

Your buddy is misinformed about CO. old water heaters, yeah, new ones, not a problem. I ahev a co alarm in the basement right outside the room. Never a peep out of it.

 

[Stoner Smurf]

Now the real question is, do you think it would be possible to convert a tankless water heater to run on LP instead of NG? My grow building doesn't have NG run to it, and I don't feel like digging a 100yd trench. Even with a ditch witch it sucks.

 

[legallyflying]

Just buy a LP tankless heater. theya re designed for RV's and cabins and what not. They are cheaper and smaller.. MY 6l per hour is on the lowest setting BTW.

 

[dgroman]

I'm collecting several days of data on a single CO2 fermenter of 10 liters and will post the graph in a few days. I'd like to observe one cycle of fermentation over 5 to 7 days.

 

[LilChron]

Dry ice is co2 and heard it works very well. Just get a kettle add hot water to it and drop the piece of dry ice in. Im only doing my second grow but seen it on youtube and looks like it works well. Just go to youtube and type in dry ice med grow,should come right up. I get my dry ice at a grocery market i used to work at and go when they get shipments of ice cream and other frozen food products. They use in in the portable cooler to keep everything cold!

 

[legallyflying]

I just jump rope in my flower room. Gets it to about 800ppm.

 

[projectmayham]

Thanks for all the info. Little Tommy, i like the beer idea.... The treadmill could be good too. I ended up buying these pucks called Excellofizz. They actually seem to be working pretty good. The guy at the hydro store, said it will bring the ppm's up by 1000-1500 if i close off all my ventilation properly. I've been using them every second day for the past week n' half. Its been killing it. I've never seen my veg look so good and grow so fast.

 

[LilChron]

How much were the things you got at the store?

 

[projectmayham]

I bought a 15 pak for $55 work out to less than 4$ a puck. they fizz away for like 6 hours, but if you put too much water in, then they fizz away faster.

 

[budleydoright]

I think all Co2 supplementation can be beneficial, there is quite a difference between sealing up a room and providing life support and just trying to add more to a vented space. If you seal your space and can't maintain at least 400 ppm CONSISTENLY, then your taking a step backwards. Ideally your sealed space will maintain a 1200-1500 ppm co2 concentration during the daylight hours.

If your venting and adding a supplement like a co2 bag or bucket, it's all going out the with your fan. I think concentrating on good ventalation and air exchange will net you better results than soda water, dry ice and many of the other home brew methods.

just my .02