Soil CO2 Emission - When does it slow?

[jHands]

Greetings. Long time lurker here and have gathered lots of info. Currently just planted my first crop in a 4x8 soil bed (used coot’s mix). I’m in a tightly sealed room that’s about 7’6 by 11’. My soil was mixed outdoors during the cooler months here in the PNW. It sat for 30 days but I don’t believe it was finished cooking due to the cooler ambient temps. I filled my beds the other day, added plants, and my co2 levels are going bonkers in the room if I leave it sealed. I woke up this morning to curled new growth leaves and levels above 4k ppm. Is this going to be an issue long term? Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[ShLUbY]

It seems as though your soil was not quite close to fully composted. If you can, leave the room vent for a couple more weeks. Microbial activity should decrease once the populations stabilize. They are working hard And emitting A lot of carbon dioxide still.

 

[jHands]

It seems as though your soil was not quite close to fully composted. If you can, leave the room vent for a couple more weeks. Microbial activity should decrease once the populations stabilize. They are working hard And emitting A lot of carbon dioxide still.

I’ve come up with a system of fans and open doors to keep the levels at 1200-1500. However, I have plants in the ground. How will this affect my girls that are already planted?

 

[ShLUbY]

I’ve come up with a system of fans and open doors to keep the levels at 1200-1500. However, I have plants in the ground. How will this affect my girls that are already planted?

I can’t say for sure. I do know that the guys who run CO2 increase light intensity to compensate for the extra gas. I’m not well versed on how to approach high CO2 environments

 

[jHands]

I’m more or less asking how the immature soil is going to affect them. I have the appropriate lighting requirements to utilize the excess co2. The reason I even know the co2 levels are way too high and started to research why this would be is because I have a co2 controller in the room hooked up to a tank and it was reading high constantly.

 

[ShLUbY]

I’m more or less asking how the immature soil is going to affect them. I have the appropriate lighting requirements to utilize the excess co2. The reason I even know the co2 levels are way too high and started to research why this would be is because I have a co2 controller in the room hooked up to a tank and it was reading high constantly.

ahhhh ok man haha. sorry i wasn't picking up on that. i think your biggest concern would be excess heat from all the microbial action. if you have a meat thermometer or any kind of compost thermometer, monitor the temperature of the soil. another thing i'm thinking about is the use of O2 by the microbes and the competition between them and the roots of the plant... i think you're in for a fun experiment that we could all learn a bit from for the future

 

[jHands]

So far with keeping the co2 levels at proper levels, the ladies have sprung back to health. Will follow up tomorrow.