Free CO2 with Living Soil

I run a small (8'x8') sealed room and use larger smartpots 25-45 gal with about 200-300 gallons in total of living soil from my mix (Peat,coco,rice hull base). The microbes in my living soil has produced the majority of my CO2 going on two grows now and have only recently needed to use my tank (Wasn't even connected for last grow). This is soil respiration and the carbon cycle.
CO2 levels are highest at 78 degrees during dark cycle (Day temps up to 88 degrees drop levels in half but possibly because the plants opening stoma during that time and not temp?)

My soil mix contains 50.1% organics which is higher than most I would assume (university tested not just me guessing).
First two or three weeks of making a new batch of soil and hydrating it, the soil is very active and dangerously unstable in terms of off gassing (ammonia, high CO2 levels 3500ppm, and whatever else???).
After about three weeks it is ready to plant IMO, my soil mix respirates 2200ppm-1000ppm and is easily manipulated with water and temp (78 being ideal for decomposition and the drier the soil the less the respiration). Toy with those to things can bounce the levels to what you want.

Second grow in same soil now, still able to maintain 800-1200ppm using forest microbes and EM-1 but decomposition has slowed to the level its hard to manipulate it as much with same temps/water.


http://soilquality.org/indicators/respiration.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_respiration

Sounds to me that you are on your way and in a knowledgeable manner too!

If I may ask, how did you manage to develop such bio-active soil? Are you going out and getting soil samples from different places (forest floor, back yards, compost heaps, etc) and making teas out of those/mixing them in with your soil?

50.1% sounds pretty high, but in fabric pots it's certainly doable. Do you use any perlite or anything to aerate the soil? I've found when using hot, high organic soils, I experience issues with non-beneficial fungus and stunted root growth, which is mitigated to some degree by fabric pots.

NaturalFarmer said:

CO2 levels are highest at 78 degrees during dark cycle (Day temps up to 88 degrees drop levels in half but possibly because the plants opening stoma during that time and not temp?)

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As for that observation, I would attribute that to the fact that plants actually respire at night, and don't do photosynthesis. This means they're burning the sugars they've created via photosynthesis, but are not producing any more. Thus, the plant is not splitting H20 to get that sweet hydrogen, and no oxygen is being released. CO2 on the other hand is being released hand over fist as a result of cell respiration.

I harvest forest microbes by using Dr Cho's method of using starch (white rice) to draw them out from under an old growth tree on my property (or any healthy tree would work I assume). EWC's, leaf litter also help.

Rice hulls aerate for about four months.

What are you using for organic matter? I imagine ewc and compost are a big chunk but what else?

Also let's see your garden bro! Sounds like it should be a beauty.

17 gallons Coco coir
5 gallons Earth Worm Castings
5 gallons sphagnum peat moss
5 gallons rice hulls
5 cups gypsum
3 cups crab meal
3 cups kelp meal
3 cup soybean meal
6 cups bone char
1 ½ cups dolomitic lime
2 cups food grade Diatomaceous Earth
4 cups pine wood shavings
4 cups leaf litter

NaturalFarmer said:

I run a small (8'x8') sealed room and use larger smartpots 25-45 gal with about 200-300 gallons in total of living soil from my mix (Peat,coco,rice hull base). The microbes in my living soil has produced the majority of my CO2 going on two grows now and have only recently needed to use my tank (Wasn't even connected for last grow). This is soil respiration and the carbon cycle.
CO2 levels are highest at 78 degrees during dark cycle (Day temps up to 88 degrees drop levels in half but possibly because the plants opening stoma during that time and not temp?)

My soil mix contains 50.1% organics which is higher than most I would assume (university tested not just me guessing).
First two or three weeks of making a new batch of soil and hydrating it, the soil is very active and dangerously unstable in terms of off gassing (ammonia, high CO2 levels 3500ppm, and whatever else???).
After about three weeks it is ready to plant IMO, my soil mix respirates 2200ppm-1000ppm and is easily manipulated with water and temp (78 being ideal for decomposition and the drier the soil the less the respiration). Toy with those to things can bounce the levels to what you want.

Second grow in same soil now, still able to maintain 800-1200ppm using forest microbes and EM-1 but decomposition has slowed to the level its hard to manipulate it as much with same temps/water.


http://soilquality.org/indicators/respiration.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_respiration

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what light are you using that doesn't build up the temps?
considering co2 is useless under even moderately high lights
I hate to be an asshole, but i'm skeptical here...
but eager to see pics and such

Something doesn't smell right here... I can't imagine the soil volume required to achieve this, even if the soil did that some CO2 fixing bacteria.

Keep in mind that like 95% of the dry mass of a plant is CO2 converted to cellulose. That is one ass-ton of CO2 from the 5 gallon pail of soil

NaturalFarmer said:

I harvest forest microbes by using Dr Cho's method of using starch (white rice) to draw them out from under an old growth tree on my property (or any healthy tree would work I assume). EWC's, leaf litter also help.

Rice hulls aerate for about four months.

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You need mouse traps you get more microbes that way but the problem with having to much microbes is that they will consume everything to fast
when making a hot soil and leaving it in your room what your actually doing is probably releasing more ammonia then anything else which can cause you more harm then good

This goes to the next question why not just spray plants with carbonated water lol

If you want to spend $1.50 a liter than by all means.

What does high lights mean?

I am not selling anything here

NaturalFarmer said:

What does high lights mean?

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I believe he means height from the plants. Industrial grows with lots of light and high temps will run grows with the lights a considerable amount of distance from the canopy than you traditionally see in basement grows.

NaturalFarmer said:

I am not selling anything here

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We're all about the spirited debate in the organic section. Its how we help each other learn!

MynameisSolo said:

This goes to the next question why not just spray plants with carbonated water lol View attachment 3825241

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Holy shit that's a thing? That cracks me up.

Rasta Roy said:

We're all about the spirited debate in the organic section. Its how we help each other learn!

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I love plants brother, just not a people person.

Here is a bit more info for skeptics.

"The amount of soil respiration is an indicator of nutrients contained in organic matter being converted to forms available to crops (e.g., phosphate as PO4, nitrate-nitrogen as NO3, and sulfate as SO4)."

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_053267.pdf

Rrog said:

Something doesn't smell right here... I can't imagine the soil volume required to achieve this, even if the soil did that some CO2 fixing bacteria.

Keep in mind that like 95% of the dry mass of a plant is CO2 converted to cellulose. That is one ass-ton of CO2 from the 5 gallon pail of soil

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as usual we think alike

NaturalFarmer said:

What does high lights mean?

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i'm not busting balls here man, it just doesn't add up.
what lights are you using that would necessitate the needed higher co2 levels?
that's my point, it's all just for educational purposes if we aren't using that co2.
Right?

Natural i know your not selling anything here, and trust me.
There are Hundreds of threads on making c02 or how to use it ..
I just think best way is not playing around and biting the bullet and i using real c02 from a bottle

Even if very little C02 comes out of the soil its going to stay on the floor so this means more money in spending on fans in hopes there is any coming out to begin with that will be efficient for the plant