Co2 question?

[Rolling_Stoned]

Howdy folks I have been trying to improve the functionality and effectiveness of my grow room, and it may be time to try and incorporate some kind of Co2. I am not really interested in one of these elaborate systems that involve bulky tanks or an open flame, but have found some of the passive Co2 systems advertised to be unappealing. For example i've seen one that involves growin mushrooms? Could i just get one of those fermentors/carboys used in brewing/distilling? I know those put out alot of Co2 and arn't that expensive, any suggestions?

 

[Blunted22]

honestly man as long as you live in a decent size town and only running a 400w i would go get a 20 pound tank its expensive for tank but like 12 to refill. You might want to get a Co2 ppm controller to runs from 80-140 so you know that your not just wasting your money on all this shit.

 

[pico]

Don't waste your time. Spend your money on another light.

 

[Guest]

I agree with pico,no offense but your not ready to utilize co2.If you were you'd have a better understanding that a product that "puts out a lot of co2 is useless without a controller.Also if you're uninterested in the two only real productive ways to enrich a room,you cant be too serious.

 

[Rolling_Stoned]

Thanks for the advise fellas. I run a pair of 400w's, but it would be nice to get another light. I am interested in a pro Co2 set up, just don't think im quite ready for that size of an investment.

 

[Berry_Coughin']

$100 dollar deposit on a tank, or just go buy one..
$15-$20 to fill, and depending on how much gas you're using you might need to refill more than once per run.....

I refilled it once my last flower period... so two full tanks= $40 in gas + $100 deposit=$140, knowing you probably just doubled your yield=priceless

 

[Rolling_Stoned]

Wow that sound great man, but isn't the regulator like $150? I could be incorrect

 

[Berry_Coughin']

yea sorry forgot that.., I picked mine up for $125, and I know I've seen them used for under a hundred bucks.

 

[Berry_Coughin']

You could get a full tank and regulator for an investment of under $275 and make it right back your first harvest.

 

[pico]

Doubled your yield? I don't know if CO2 is that amazing.

I still think on a grow this small another light will give you more yield than the CO2 will. For instance if you just got another 400 watt light you will get a 50% increase in yield. That cost you like a $100 or so right? Well the CO2 is going to cost you at least 3 times that on a basic basic setup. You are not going to get more than 30% increase in yield.

problem with the DIY co2 controller is that the telaire co2 part needed is hard to find on Ebay the last time I checked. I think new it is around $150 then you need to buy the other parts. I don't know, CO2 is going to cost you a bunch of money no matter how you look at it.

 

[Rolling_Stoned]

Well im running 2 400's, but as i said earlier another would be a nice addition, it would probably give me like 30% more yeild. HTG has 400 HPS' for like $119 or $109 on there ebay store, or you could just build one for maybe $20 less. Are there any major health or saftey concerns with running one of these Co2 tanks and a regulator?
P.S. Sorry if this is just one of those repeditive threads, I would like some help/ ideas on how to improve the productivity of my grow. Thanks for bearing with me.

 

[Berry_Coughin']

Or you could do the DIY co2 controller mod I listed in bartenders walk through, buy a used gen3 for 150 bucks, and have a co2 generator that is monitored and controlled all for 275 bucks, and only need to refill your propane tank (or buy one if you dont have one)

I posted this in the other 3 co2 threads this week, if you browsed a bit you would have ran across it.

Anyways HTH

Bignugget

........add to that, you have to deal with the heat and humidity the propane burners generate as a by product.... which is why I went the tank route...

 

[Berry_Coughin']

I dont think you run into health concerns until you get to 10k PPM of co2 and as far as safety, I guess the damn thing could explode and take off like a rocket or something, other than that they seem pretty safe, as safe as running 1000's of watts of power around 50 gallons of running water while growing illegal plants can be :]

HTH

Bignugget

you might get woozie if levels reach 5000 ppm... that's in an MSDS... says here, to find fresh air... but you'd have to dump a lot of gas to reach levels like that, you'd almost have to do it on purpose....

and it won't explode...

 

[Rolling_Stoned]

Bignugget- haha thanks for the help man.
Berry_Coughin'- yeah the whole flammability factor of propane kind of turns me off.

Where is a good place to get one of these tanks locally?
What are the legal uses for big tanks of Co2?

 

[Berry_Coughin']

Paint ball is classic....... beertap/fountainpop.....

hydroshop or if not then, welding supply outlet is your best bet, or beverage supply ie.. budweiser/coke/pepsi....

 

[Rolling_Stoned]

Thanks a lot for the help dude! Do the regulators tell you the ppm or is it necessary to buy a separate meter?

 

[Berry_Coughin']

there is a basic 'rule of thumb' formula that was included with my regulator... I'm sure there is one on this sight somewhere... asks for volume of growspace, and then you follow an x-y axis to the recommended setting for the regulator.... real easy to set, not extremely accurate, but it works. If you want to shell out more money, you can get a monitor/controller, but it's another hefty investment whether you go propane or tank...

 

[yamaha_1fan]

Is C02 flammable? Would you run it near a hot water heater that has a pilot light? My gas water heater is right outside my grow room.

 

[AlienX]

CO2 is NOT flammable