Box in a garage: ventilation and CO2

[pineappaloupe]

I recently set up a 8w x7h x 4d (220ft^3) box in a garage. It is at its very early stages right now, with a 1000W MH. Eventually I am moving to 2 600W with AC hoods (supersun2 or daystar) with a 449cfm ecoplus, 200cfm carbon filter.
I dont have the funds to use a CO2 system, so I am planning on using circulation to change up the air. I am not concerned about heat issues once I air cool the hoods.

Here is my question: Since I am using the air in the garage as an intake, and as exhaust, will the garage air become stale (depleted CO2)? It is a 2 car garage, 10ft ceilings. The garage isnt perfectly sealed, but there isnt a large vent anywhere.

all advice helps. I will have some pictures of the setup later.

peace

 

[Guest]

Only one way I know of to know for sure,get the 5 dollar tube and syringe co2 tests from a hydro store and take intermittent readings.You'll be surprised how much co2 is made by the plants during dark hours and how slowly the plants use it up during light hours.I'm about to discover this for myself in my vegroom where I sleep all night,thats me and the plants making co2.I bet in the end I decide to keep the room sealed and shut off all ventilation.I really believe that.

 

[Guest]

Sorry,let me explain why.My 8 by 8 flower room full of plants normally is at 2500PPM when the lights come on,some is due to a pilot light but most is from the plants.It'll take my roomful of plants more than half the daylight hours to bring the level down to 1800,that surprised me a lot.I took 1 reading in my vegroom sleeping with the door open and the fart fan on in the veg closet,the reading was still well over 1000PPM.Had I slept with the room closed and no fart fan it would be 2000PPM minimum I know it,and the plants dont bring that level down quickly either.Like I said,the only way to know this is intermittent testing,do it when the plants are at mid maturity I'd say for mid level results lol.The larger they are in size and number,the more co2 they will emit during dark hours.

 

[minds_I]

Hello all,

Can you vent out of the garage like maybe through the ceiling into the attic? If you could do this I would think your CO2 issues will go away.

I have my box in a well insulated shed that intakes and exhausts to the same space. I leave a window cracked. At the moment I have a fan blowing cool eveining air into the shed.

You should be fine if you can open a window a little. IMO.

I minds

 

[pineappaloupe]

Well, there are no windows, except ones built into the garage door. I have been eyeing them up for a few days to see if i can angle each of them to make an air gap. I cant remove the glass, it would definitely look weird. I am hesitant to cut a hole in a wall or ceiling. Once I light seal the box, I can crack the garage door less than a foot when the lights are off.

I wonder if car exhaust is harmful for plants...

thanks for the input

 

[Guest]

I seriously doubt you will any probs with low levels of c02. If your hot water heater is in the garage and uses a pilot light that'll be enough to keep the levels up.... even if it's not I still wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Guest]

I agree,I've personally never seen an instance on OG or here where co2 became a definate issue for the plants to photosynthesize,even in "sealed rooms without co2 enrichment.One reason like I said before is because they will make co2 at night,depending on how big and how many,a lot of co2.If you have a pilot light you have nothing to worry about IMO.I live about a quarter mile from a major 6 lane highway,when I calibrated my cap PPM3 co2 controller out in the backyard,co2 levels were over 450PPM.Carbon monoxide is a poisonous byproduct of auto exhaust,but co2 is also a major byproduct,just ask Algore lol.Running the car anywhere near the plants will significantly up the ambient co2 level,but I dont know the reaction of foliage to carbon monoxide,may be bad may be nothing.