Another C02 bottle recipe

My Co2 bottles were going flat again, so I figured as long as I was at it, I'd give you my recipe, and show you how I roll.

The basic additions in this tutorial are to use heat to dissolve your sugar, and activate your yeast (it's just like making bread baby), and using plastic tubing to deliver the C02 exactly where you want it (above the canopy)

1. 1.75 - 2L filtered water
2. 2 cups sugar
3. 1 tsp baking soda
4. 1 tsp active dry yeast
5. 1/4 packet carnation instant breakfast - this ingredient is optional, but I believe it help boosts the yeast with extra vitamins and protein.

I like to use whiskey bottles, but any 1.75 - 2L bottle will do.

These bottle have a cork so there's no need to silicone the tubing to the cap. I just drilled a hole in the cap so that the tubing fits tight, and I'm ready to go.
'The tubing is to deliver the Co2 to the top of the canopy. I'll go into that more in a minute.

Out with the old

Once you have your bottles (I use 2 in a 2 x 10' area) ready, start heating enough water (filtered, or distilled) to fill your bottles, adding 2 cups of sugar per 1.75 - 2L of water.

We're looking for 110 degrees Fahrenheit. This is warm enough to dissolve the sugar crystals, and activate the yeast. Any hotter will kill the acitve yeast



Now that our simple syrup is hot carefully pour it into your bottle (s)

Be sure to leave some head room at the top, so the mixture has room to bubble without shooting out the tube.

Next we add the dry ingredients and give it a little swirl to mix


Within 10 minutes the yeast is activated and bubbling


Time to smoke and count the Co2 bubbles emitting from the tube - about 1 every 2 seconds is about right.

Swirling the bottle will give you a Co2 boost. For faster bubbles you can use twice as much yeast, but the mix will go dead faster. This mix lasts between 10 days and 2 weeks, depending on how ofter you swirl it. I say swirl, because you really don't want to shake this stuff.

Placing the bottle in a larger container of warm (100 -110 degree) water, will also give this mix, a temporary boost, during daylight hours, when plants take in the most C02.

Next we move our Co2 factories into garden. Always be careful to keep liquids away from electricity

Co2 is heavier than air, so the tubes can be positioned to wash the canopy with C02, or just place the ends of the tubes near your fan.

Sweet info, thanks bud. I have but one question though, have you ever measured how many ppm is in your air with this method? Never mind that question, I have a different one. Does this noticeably increase plant growth/yield? I've been thinking about doing the DIY CO2 in a 4x4x6 area, but am not sure if it's worth it or how many bottles I would need. Or if I should just wait and get the real deal.

yeah ive always wondered what 2 or 3 of these bottles can do the you co2 PPM. deff seems like a way better deal than getting a whole co2 setup

MrJoshC said:

Sweet info, thanks bud. I have but one question though, have you ever measured how many ppm is in your air with this method? Never mind that question, I have a different one. Does this noticeably increase plant growth/yield? I've been thinking about doing the DIY CO2 in a 4x4x6 area, but am not sure if it's worth it or how many bottles I would need. Or if I should just wait and get the real deal.

Click to expand...

4x4 - 2 bottles is all you need.

As long as you're exhaust isn't constantly pulling all the air out of your grow, it will enhance the Co2. Even spending time in the garden, raises Co2 a little, because we exhale C02. talking to your plants really works

Thanks for the kind words, and questions

If your lights are exhaust separately rather than pulling air out of the grow, you can get a good concentration of C02 washing over the plants.

I see a difference using it in my setup, even though I pull hot air off the ceiling.

But sugar and yeast in bulk and it only adds up too $10 a month if that