Is CO2 really a 50% yield increase?

[ItsGrowTime]

I was hoping those of you with CO2 experience could chime in. I tried searching but waaaay too many threads popped up.

I keep seeing a figure of 50% increase in yield from using CO2 in a dialed in setup. If I can pull 4ozs dry from a single heavy yielding plant without CO2 can I realistically expect 8ozs from that same plant with the additional of only CO2? Seems unlikely but I wanted some input on the real world increases from those that use CO2. Thanks!

 

[bartender187]

First off your math is off... 8oz from a 4oz plant is a 100% increase. In a DIALED in setup with CO2 being used correctly (i.e. not being vented out, constant ppm) it can increase yield signaficantly,,, heard all diff types of percantage increases, most go with a 20-30% yield increase IF all other variables are dialed in.... my .02 bartender187

fyi,,20-30% increase on a 4oz plant is 4.8-5.2oz.

 

[ItsGrowTime]

D'oh! Yep you're right about 100%...its been a long day. Thanks for the clarification though, those numbers do make a lot more sense.

 

[MTF-Sandman]

20-30% is a much more realistic expectation for a dialed in sealed CO2 room...IME the best gains were obtained by running the room at 90f+ and having COMPLETE control of the enviro - especially RH%.

 

[Guest]

You will see an increase of about a third if done correctly,the biggest thing you will notice is how the plants fly through the "stretch" of 12/12.A 3 week plant will be equal to a 30 day plant without co2,this I find very noticable.After the flowers really start to form like day 35-40,growth basically seems to return to normal.I made a few changes along with the co2,but it'll increase yield for sure if done correctly.It took me years to get this right literally,dont give up.Dont even mess with it unless you plan on using a tank or generator with a CONTROLLER.Paintball,yeast infections,even a generator with a cyclestat timer are all ineffective.You need a controller to make results

 

[Guest]

I'm with soilman on this one. Took me spending the jack on a ppm monitor to really get the results outta the co2 investment. Plus, surprisingly to me, it actually saved me co2 by maintaining the level instead of blasting it all at once.

Sadly, co2 is not something one can just half ass, not if they expect to get the 30-40% increases outta it. Another thing it requires is the ability to monitor temperatures. The longer the fans are off and co2 is maintained, the longer the plants can enjoy bathing in it. But if you can only handle 15min spurts, once again, ya probably wont get those high % increases....

 

[LED_experiments]

i heared it also depends on the lighting. if you pump the co2 into your box, the plant needs more light. if there is not enough light avaiable, adding co2 makes no sence (the yield increase is minimal).

 

[ThereIsHope]

30% increases are about right and what I have noticed as well. I am able to keep a constant 1,500 PPM of CO2 thanks to a CAP PPM-3 CO2 monitor controller. If you are not using a CO2 monitor/controller, you are wasting your time and money on ghetto CO2 set-ups.

 

[icdog]

What does that mean soilman.
Do they take less time before they finish stretching and make the flower or to finish flowering 50 days instead of 60

 

[Guest]

Don't forget to bump up the humidity along with the temps..

 

[OsWiZzLe]

Indica Sativa what room humidity % and Co2 PPM level do u prefer in both Veg/Flowering?

 

[Berry_Coughin']

20-30% is a much more realistic expectation for a dialed in sealed CO2 room...IME the best gains were obtained by running the room at 90f+ and having COMPLETE control of the enviro - especially RH%.

Would you care to elaborate a little?

If I have temps @ 90+ wont it burn up the buds?? I have read that above 85 will slow growth dramatically??

What is the prime temp to run with co2? RH?

 

[thc43]

20 to 30% gains on an already sorted room yielding above 1gpw sounds nearly too good 2 be true. 900g from a 600wt could be your new goal after a few grows.. Ive never heard of anyone yielding like that in my area..

 

[bbudd]

Is it more beneficial to add CO2 in the lighted or dark stage-or is it needed always??

 

[Dr. Bloom]

C02 is needed by the plant in order to turn light into energy. It is only useful to any great extent when the light is on, so its a waste to enrich C02 during the dark period.

 

[ThereIsHope]

Is it more beneficial to add CO2 in the lighted or dark stage-or is it needed always??

What the dude above me said.

CO2 is used only during lights-on.

 

[Guest]

Berry at 1000PPM or more preferably 1500PPM,you want canopy temps to be a minimum of 85 F,90 is definately not too high.This will speed up the growth in early flower visually,after 40 days or so the budding plants will use much less co2 and enrichment can be halted and temps lowered.Its not necessary though,if harvesting in different stages I'd let the plants finish in high co2,high heat environment.

 

[MTF-Sandman]

It kinda concerned me at first until I saw them thriving under 90f temps...then all worries went out the window.

The key factor is that the entire setup must be controlled 100% so that you can maintain the high levels of photosynthesis.

The warmer a room is, the more nutes/water a plant can uptake - and with elevated levels of CO2, you fuel the process even more. If any of the major environmental/nute/setup factors are not balanced, you won't notice much of an increase in yield if you see any at all. To make it more difficult, you need to maintain ALL of the factors at the right balance the entire grow as well...if you give them CO2 enrichment and don't maintain the levels you'll just be pissing in the wind. This is why so many people don't understand that it really is something you do AFTER your room is dialed in...trying to use Co2 before you know the quirks of your room is just gonna make it more difficult to figure out what part of the equation is out of balance.

For RH, I prefer the 45-50% range in flowering...60-65% for veg.

 

[Neptune]

sup guys,

I just added co2 to my room via GEN-1 NG(~$400.00) and CAP PPM-3(~$350.00) last grow, I definatly noticed thicker stems, and denser buds than before. Also, an earlier harvest, by 1 week. I pulled my biggest yeild yet, and the CO2 was hardly "dialed" in. I never really exceeded 900-1000 ppm CO2 becuase my room is FULL of airleaks, I could not possibly enrich the room above concentrations of 1300ppm, at this setpoint my burner would just BURN nonstop... raising heat drastically in the room (+10-15F).

To combat the heat raise, I had to turn on my AC. (~$200.00/month)
To combat the RH% raise of all the burning NG I had to run a dehumidifier.(~$150/month) Plus the invstment in the equipment.. (~$500.00).
Gas bill: ~$25-50/month


I spent close to $1500.00 to enrich my room with Co2. It was most certinaly not worth it for the first run. Future dial ins will probably see that it is infact worthwhile... but right now, In the summer, it will be a BEAR to run a co2 gen. Some strains don't like the heat from the gen either (Granddaddy) so you have to consider that too. the GDP I grow likes temps 75-80F... making it kinda silly to grow with co2. Gotta work on this....

In the end, I'd say it's even money.. I have seen people pull GPW without CO2. That said, with CO2 it is much easier, but then you need a buttload of environmental controls... it really complicates your growroom, and you must precisely control your temperatures, humidity, and co2 ppm to get that "20-30%" yeild increase.


Conclusion: Learn to grow for a year or two, then if you feel you are experienced, invest in CO2. I would nto recomend a new grower to fuck with co2.

 

[Rush Limbong]

Neptune is hitting the nail on the head ^^^

His explanation is probably why I WONT get into co2 anytime soon.

RUSH