co2 controller help !

[skin]

hello i would to use co2 in my next grow , i have found a supplier for bottled co2 but i am now looking for a controller ?
some plug and play ones look simple and others with sensors measuring the amount of co2 and dosing when needed seem better but the bit that confuses me a little is the venting ?
i thought the room had to be completely sealed but some of the more expensive ones run extraction fans between cycles ?
is there benefits to this or is it to do with helping cooling ?
also what about running aircon in a sealed room ? does this not extract the air ?
never used aircon so not sure ?
any help and advice is most welcome !

 

[Guest]

I use a Cap controller.... works like a champ. I have everything on timers and it works similar to this:

Fans are turned off with timer
CO2 timer is turned on and let's controller dose chamber with co2 until 1500ppm. Holds this for 45mins and then timer turns off
Fans turn on and vent for 15mins
Cycle repeats

I like the timer method as my ambient temps are not always the same. I like to run the temps in the flowering chamber at 80-85 so this takes a little adjusting on my part. Sometimes I can keep the co2 injecting for a full hour before temps creep to 86-87, other times I can only give it 30min injections. All based on how you set it up.

 

[skin]

thank you klutter and bignugget , i will take a look at both controllers now as i think i have a bit to read up on

skin

 

[george j warner]

yer or you can get some air cooled reflectors to remove the excess heat then the main fans can be used less so the co2 is used more without wastage ... just have a movement fan in there to move that co2 around a bit : )

 

[skin]

hello gjw i have air cooled reflectors , i have beem growing a while but have only just got access to co2 and as i have heard so much about it i thought i would give it a try !

 

[Guest]

I use a wall mount air king oscillator under my wall AC and four lasko desk fans in each corner.The desk fans point upward at a 45 degree angle to recirculate the co2 through the plants,and upward airflow through the plants is recommended in literature I've read and the fox and the hydro shop.Lasko desk fans from walmart are the best way I've found to do this

 

[skin]

thanks for the input the american , i am europe based and most of the best kit i find is in the US and 120v and we are 240 v so is no good to me !
i have been looking for window ac as bignugget suggested but cannot find any and i think the other ac will extract the co2 ?
any ideas on compatible aircon anyone ? ive been thinking of trying to run the aircon in a seperate room and pumping the cooler air through my aircooled lights instead of in the room itself ?
well winter is coming pretty fast here so i shouldnt need it for for a while hopefully , but it would be nice to be prepared .

 

[Guest]

I used a dual hose portable with the intake through a wall to another room and the damn thing still shot my gas through the exhaust into the attic,a window unit is the only way I've been able to do it.I use uncooled 1K vertizonatls too

 

[george j warner]

wasnt that air tight then lol .... seal the lights as well!

 

[skin]

just been reading up on aircon and if i get a self install split system with an umbilical cord the coolant is the only thing that leaves the room and no co2 enriched air

 

[skin]

sorry gjw this is me planning my next venture , i have the cooled reflectors and the rest of the kit , i am asking about co2 and aircon as these are the two things i want next .

bignuggets , do you just constantly add co2 to your grow with no extraction at all ? just the pressure venting itself ?

 

[skin]

hey bignugget i just found window aircon
cannot find much info on installing though ?
do i just sit in the window hole and seal round it ?
it seems that way from what i have read
thanks again

 

[Guest]

You have to screw the sliding canvass arms to each side first,set the AC in the center,close the window,extend canvass arms to window edges and put screws where it counts.A window AC is the only way to go with co2 enrichment,at 1500PPM you want canopy temps around 85.Do it right and the plants arent bigger,only heavier.

 

[skin]

thanks bn much appreciated , i think i will cut a hole in the wall as it will be easier than messing with the windows !
thanks the american aswell , can i ask what size aircon unit your using and how many 1000w verticals it is cooling ?
i have seen an 18000 btu unit that should do the trick , i have never run a sealed room before so i am a little concerned about temperatures .
but on the other hand it is quite exciting getting all these new toys to play with lol co2 ,aircon , new fancy electric timer boards etc
i cannot wait to get it all installed and running !

skin

 

[Guest]

I have a room slightly over 8 by 8 with 3 1K vertizontals and a 12,000 BTU wallshaker,its plenty of cooling a bit more than I need.Better to have enouigh cooling power to bring canopy temps down to the 70s in case you have co2 problems.

 

[BlindDate]

Skin....Why would you want to f&%k with a window AC unit when they make so many excellent small split systems in Europe. The Americans use the window units because that is all that's available to them. In the USA split systems are relegated to large whole house central systems only.

When running CO2 it is unnecessary to ever vent a grow so long as temp and humidity are correct. The proper AC will take care of both.

Spend the extra money on a PPM controller. What is the point of guessing at injection rates and plant use rates? It defeats the whole purpose of adding CO2, which is to boost production.

Tell us the size of your room and the lighting you intend to use.

 

[Guest]

I never guess at injection or use rates anymore,thats why I highly unrecommend a cyclestat timer with a generator.A controller is a must or just forget it,you won't get results.

 

[skin]

hello BlindDate i hadnt ever actually heard of a window ac unit untill i read posts on here ! i had intended on a split self install ac unit as it will hide well and is less bulky than window units and no floor unit as with mobile units . but btu wise i am not sure as the aircooled lights take alot of the temperature issues away ?
at the moment the room i intend on using is 5m x 5m and i have 12 x 600w aircooled lights to play with if needed .
i have got bottled co2 and i plan on buying an ecotechnics co2 controller with ppm sensor and regulator etc (http://www.ecotechnics.co.uk/site/index.html )
i didnt know if the ac dehumidifier would be enough to keep the humidity down so was going to get myself a big ass commercial de humid aswell .
this is all very new to me co2 and ac wise , i have read everything i can find on the subject but things vary ! i had only intended on using thermo controlled extraction as a last resort in case of serious temp issues !
anyone with advice or info to offer, it will be greatfully recieved

 

[Guest]

With a room full of stretching,transpiring plants you will need a dehumidifier.I use a 45 pint and at peak stretch can pull 4 gallons of water out of an 8 by 8.

 

[BlindDate]

I'm going to agree with Bignugget on the CO2. A 7200 watt grow is going to use massive CO2.
From my experience a properly sized AC will control humidity. The problem arises at night when the AC is not pumping so hard. Then you have the choice of adding a dehumidifier or venting. Maybe add a servo diverter gate off one of the air cooled lights to vent the room.