CO2 supplementation while venting 24/7.

[Shmavis]

Greetings, fellow heads.

I am preparing for a major room renovation.

With that said I’d like to run some preliminary thoughts by y’all and see what kind of advice, suggestions, smacks upside the head for wrongheaded thinking, etc., that my thoughts (along with a couple test runs) bring to mind.

I have a room that’s roughly 748 cubic feet. In the past I’ve supplemented CO2 at the recommend time for 1200 ppm, which is about eight minutes per hour. As temp and or humidity reached the max set points, two 6” fantech inline fans would engage to exhaust and intake. I found this setup to be quite effective. After the CO2 generator would cycle, charging the room, it would be a good ten minutes or so later that temp and or humidity would reach max level, triggering the fans.

The negative side of this setup was that it sounded like a jet engine taking off when the fans engaged. (OK, jet engine is a bit of hyperbole, but you get the point.) This could be heard from each room upstairs. Didn’t really concern myself with this in the past but now circumstances have changed a bit and I’d like to silence my room.

To that end, I plan to insulate and go sealed. I haven’t figured out just yet how I am going to go about setting this all up. But an initial thought I had was that I might be able to supplement CO2 while exhausting through a carbon filter 24/7. I understand that this goes against conventional wisdom. So here’s a little test I ran:

I set up a tent in the room. It’s 4x4x6.5, 104 cubic feet. The generator remained in the room, outside of the tent. The charging schedule was kept the same. A carbon filter ran 24/7 in the tent pushing the air it took in through the light’s hood and out to another room (not the lung room). The charged air from the lung room was pulled into the tent by way of passive intake through a 6” duct. I only ran a few plants during this test. The monitor I placed in the room registered just shy of 700 ppm with the generator off. Was getting readings of around 1000 ppm with just the pilot light lit, not cycling the generator. I think in the picture you can see the reading on the monitor with the generator cycling. It’s 1750.

So...

If I can maintain such high levels of CO2 while still venting 24/7, do you think I could do this in the room? I’m thinking about sealing the room, placing the generator lower on the opposite wall from the carbon filter, which would be placed at ceiling level, so that the CO2 heavy air would be pulled through the plants on its way to the filter...

I would also have an intake fan controlled by a humidistat to bring in cooler, clean, dry air from the basement to control humidity.

Anyone successfully supplement while still venting 24/7?

Does this seem doable?

Help me brainstorm! (please.)

 

[Mikell]

I'd do the math and figure out when increased power/gas use makes a proper sized AC more tempting to shell out for.

You're getting 700ppm with air exchange and no burner? This seems high. Growing on an interstate?

 

[DunHav`nFun]

Never supplemented a grow area with CO2 in my life , but rather ran air exchange twice per minute with lung rooms as well as fresh air intakes via crawlspaces to the basements I grew in , all the while maintaining 750-900 ppms CO 2 constant in the air we breathe , well........

Rather where I breathed and grew in a major southern metro area with all manners of manufacturing plants and CO2 emissions out the ass , along with yes Mikell , all the neighborhoods I grew in were "right off the interstate" , so......there yas go.....but....

It`s been well proven over the yrs that pot`s either C-3 or C-4 category depending on which debate and argument you get into with minds waaaaay smarter than us , just ask em , but the plants don`t need over 750-900 ppm`s CO2 per lights on sequences since anything over that once lights off occurs has been proven to be transpired out along with excess humidity/water vapor `s left in em till lights on again....anyways....

Just what I`ve learned over the yrs first hand , so thoughts to ponder....Good luck and....

Peace....DHF.........

 

[Shmavis]

I'd do the math and figure out when increased power/gas use makes a proper sized AC more tempting to shell out for.

You're getting 700ppm with air exchange and no burner? This seems high. Growing on an interstate?

I also thought it was high. I even took the monitor outside to recalibrate it, per instructions. The problem is that I never had a ppm reading before, so I have no point of reference. The monitor was purchased recently just for this test. To go from 700 to 1000 with just the pilot light, and then to 1600 to 1800 when running, had me questioning the accuracy of the monitor...

As much as I’d like to get a mini-split, I can’t get around the suspicion factor. Can’t help but think an air conditioner running in the dead of winter would raise eyebrows. It sure would be nice though to run year round.

At this point I’m thinking I’ll redo the room and when doing so prep it so that next spring I could add a mini-split, if needed.

Thanks Mikell for taking the time to share your thoughts.

 

[Shmavis]

Never supplemented a grow area with CO2 in my life , but rather ran air exchange twice per minute with lung rooms as well as fresh air intakes via crawlspaces to the basements I grew in , all the while maintaining 750-900 ppms CO 2 constant in the air we breathe , well........

Rather where I breathed and grew in a major southern metro area with all manners of manufacturing plants and CO2 emissions out the ass , along with yes Mikell , all the neighborhoods I grew in were "right off the interstate" , so......there yas go.....but....

It`s been well proven over the yrs that pot`s either C-3 or C-4 category depending on which debate and argument you get into with minds waaaaay smarter than us , just ask em , but the plants don`t need over 750-900 ppm`s CO2 per lights on sequences since anything over that once lights off occurs has been proven to be transpired out along with excess humidity/water vapor `s left in em till lights on again....anyways....

Just what I`ve learned over the yrs first hand , so thoughts to ponder....Good luck and....

Peace....DHF.........

Hey DHF,

So let’s say I don’t run the generator. I exhaust 24/7 through a carbon filter pushing air through the hood and send it outdoors. And instead of using the other inline to control humidity, I just set it up on a cycle-stat to intake fresh air (from the basement) into the room every two minutes... is this a correct understanding of what you’re saying?

Thanks.

 

[DemonTrich]

where the hell do you all live to get ambient 700ppm +/- of co2 naturally? do you live 10' away from a nuclear power plant, live on the shoulder of an LA freeway, live with 50 ppl living in one household? ambient co2 ppm in the air is 380-440, 380 being your normal residential dwelling, 440 living near a busy freeway.

 

[DunHav`nFun]

You know it`s amazing to me that so many folks g*ow sealed with CO2 supplements up to 1500 ppms fo* inc*eased yields and faste* so-called finishing times , when 9-10 folks have no clue what inhe*ent CO2 levels a*e whe*e they live geog*aphically , but *athe* take what one *eads as the wo*d of God....

DT....CO2 monito*s a*e cheap and po*table....get you 1 of em...why ?....CO2 ambient levels have been *ising fo* y*s and y*s , and the "no*m" as you say most likely came f*om Montana whe*e the ai*`s clean with little to no manufactu*ing facilities , but I dig*ess....

Whe*e I live 60 some odd miles f*om whe*e I g*ew CO2 levels ave*age in the low-mid 500`s and lowe* in the winte* , so again....Instead of believing what you *ead as fact , get a cheap ass batte*y ope*ated CO2 monito* you hang in the g*ow*oom like a temp/ humidity/hyg*omete* and *epo*t back to us on you* findings.......now...Schmavis...

It`s ai* exchange "twice pe* minute" not once eve*y 2 minutes b*o , but I *an active intakes on speed cont*olle*s designed to not out*un the exhaust/sc*ubbe* combo`s so as to maintain negative p*essu*e and keep smell inside the g*owing a*eas.....lastly...

If you* *oom`s sealed , you HAVE to supplement CO2 o* the plants won`t make it , BUT... Many of us old heads have *un majo* ai* exchange fo* y*s and y*s with dialed success as long as envi*onment was taken ca*e of fi*st and fo*emost without any supplements needed othe* than inhe*ent ppms whe*e we live constant .....eve*...*ega*dless.....things that make yas go hmmmm....

Peace.....DHF.........

 

[DemonTrich]

Dude, I g*ow in a sealed *oom with co2, no ai* exchanges pe*iod. I also *un a bluep*int bdac2 fuzzy logic cont*olle*, 14k a/c, 71 pint deheuy with pump featu*e.

WTF is up with the * button

 

[stoned-trout]

I have done both increased ventilation and co2 addition...yeehaw..co2 sinks,,,my intake comes from under house where its nice and cool...

 

[Shmavis]

So I take it that no one is exhausting through a carbon filter 24/7 while supplementing CO2 and maintaining desired levels while doing so...

 

[DemonTrich]

Your gonna blow thru tanks like I smoke wax.

 

[Shmavis]

Your gonna blow thru tanks like I smoke wax.

Ha!

I'm running natural gas. As mentioned above, I've changed nothing about the cycling of the generator. For the test I used no more gas than I have in the past. And actually, if the monitor is accurate, then I should be able to step down the length of charging, i.e., less gas.

 

[DemonTrich]

If your exhausting c02 enriched air and keeping it at a desired level, then your using more co2, period. It's simple math.

 

[Shmavis]

If your exhausting c02 enriched air and keeping it at a desired level, then your using more co2, period. It's simple math.

Did you read my initial post?

The generator is cycling on time, not ppm.

The ppm monitor is new to me. It may be that in the past I was overcharging the room; it may be that the ppm monitor is not accurate. Whichever is the case, I am not using more gas than I was in the past.

Leaving the charging cycle the same as before, I was able to exhaust 24/7 while maintaining high CO2 levels... or so the monitor told me.

 

[DemonTrich]

If you have no ppm monitor, or even have the slightest idea what ppm your running, then your lost. I could care less if your bottle or tank. Usage is usage. A cup of coke is the same as a cup of pepsi. Drink half cup of each, your left with a half cup of each. Usage is usage, tank, bottle, or fake co2 things. It's all the same.

 

[LastHurrah]

why exhaust 24/7?

why exhaust 24/7?

I'm building my room now too. Debated about sealed vs. exhaust cycles. If I understand DHF correctly, he's saying he exchanges air twice per minute, so.... why exhaust 24/7? For temp issues?

I got a through the wall a/c in the room with 2 10" DustShroom filters for passive intake from outside (lights will run at night). 8" scrubber with 8" hyper fan (built in speed control!) exhaust room into adjacent garage (just had ridge vent installed to let heat out).

DHF got me wondering when he said exhaust the room twice per minute, but those 30 second cycles seem awfully close... exhaust 10 seconds - wait 20 seconds - exhaust 10 - wait 20... Is that what you mean DHF? No strain on the fans going on and off that much? Or am I misunderstanding you?

I was gonna order an environmental controller (Sentinel CHHC) that can monitor co2 levels, but it'll have to wait until I get some more cash. I'll get one of the cheap ones DHF is talking about so I can know what's going on.

Keep us informed on this build. I'm interested for sure!

LH

 

[Levitationofme]

I have a monitor in my grow box. It has 3 settings
Up to 1500 ppm. I go thru 5# co2 in 8-10 days.

2x2x5 ft box.

I have not done the math. But it seems to work fine at all the levels. Not enough experience yet to break it down.
I run 1 4.5 inch fan pulling thru a small carbon filter.
Fan runs 24/7.
It seems to me to be a no brainer. I have lots of ventilation outside the box,and I don't worry about ambient co2 Levels.

How far into flowering is it worth running CO2?

 

[DunHav`nFun]

Hey guys....and yeah DT....WTF`S up with the server this morning.....lil trouble with r`s ?....lol....now....

Shmavis , I do indeed know several old head bro`s on the left coast that even after going to air exchange twice per minute , couldn`t get away from using CO2 , so what I came up with for em was to keep the ppm`s as close to 900 by either tanks on controllers or burners/generators in the lungrooms where ......

As close to perfect environment`s sucked in , sucked out and re-mixed while being used over and over FTW...and also....not very much more CO2 needed to feed all rooms as needed like DT stated earlier , although he`d be right if exhausted CO2 wasn`t caught and recycled......also....

Last Hurrah....My active fans were on speed controllers that turned em down in cfm`s so they wouldn`t pull more air in than the exhaust scrubber combos sucked out since positive pressure would push stankass smell out thru every nook and cranny available in my non-sealed flip rooms....but....fans all ran 24/7 to clarify things to maintain "negative pressure"........aight...

Nuff outta my old ass....HTH...and....

Peace....DHF..........

 

[Shmavis]

If you have no ppm monitor, or even have the slightest idea what ppm your running, then your lost. I could care less if your bottle or tank. Usage is usage. A cup of coke is the same as a cup of pepsi. Drink half cup of each, your left with a half cup of each. Usage is usage, tank, bottle, or fake co2 things. It's all the same.

I hope you didn’t take my replies to you as me being a dick. That was not my intent.

Your contributions are welcomed and appreciated.

 

[Shmavis]

Hey LH, thanks for stopping by.

I’m still trying to figure how I’m going to go about this. This here hobby (love) is about as humbling of one as I’ve ever ventured into. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that I don’t know nearly as much as I’d like to, or even a scintilla as much as some of the folks herein. Hence this thread, hoping to bounce some ideas.

I’ve had my hands in the dirt since ’98. I started small. Went a bit bigger and that included CO2 and intake and exhaust. Like Levitationofme, I never got overly into the math. I charged the room at the recommended time for the cubic feet I had. I’ve always been very pleased with my results. This method was loud though.

I now want to be as silent as possible. To rip all the drywall out of my room, spray foam insulate it, install an insulated exterior door, and replace the drywall with soundboard is going to be a project. Time and money. (Time away from my babies ) So my thoughts are that when doing this I can set up an exhaust port and intake port.

Reason for exhausting 24/7 is twofold. One, I’ll need to be able to control heat (from the lights and CO2 generator), two, for the smell. My test run seem to bear out that I can vent like this and still maintain favorable CO2 levels. The intake would engage for a set humidity level. Also, it’s been my experience that the noise level of an inline isn’t as pronounced when running non-stop, as opposed to starting and stopping.

Again, this is mostly about reducing sound, to the point of it not being a factor. I figure that if I can come up with some way of setting up the room now, without adding a mini-split, I’ll be better able to see where I stand in relation to sound when I fire the room back up in mid to late summer. It may be that insulation and soundboard will do wonders for the sound level. But at the same time I’ll be in a position to easily seal off the ports and go with a mini-split next spring. That is, if the sound levels (or results) aren’t favorable.

To DHF’s advice, I remember years ago watching a video about growing and they were interviewing one of guys from a well known seed company. I think it was Adam from THseeds, but it may’ve been someone else... anyway, he was saying that CO2 supplementation is not necessary if and when you have proper air exchange. And really it’s just a waste of resources. Frankly, I’d rather go DHF’s route... and maybe with some guidance, that’s where I’ll end up.

Welcome to all. Please feel free to share...