I'm getting ready to start a grow in a gutted refrigerator, and I have a question on adding co2. I have the bottle, solenoid, and timer from an old grow room. My question is, I am using cfls, and have 2 4" computer fans to evacuate the heat from the lights, but how do I keep the co2 in the fridge for the longest possible time? Do I need to run the fans off a temperature switch, or is there a better way?
co2 control
- Thread starter linkff4i
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cc08150
Well-Known Member
Man not trying to bust your bubble or anything, but plants need a high amount of light source to really benefit from CO2 enrichment...we are talking 600-1000watt HPS.....CFL grow is easily going to have plenty of CO2 if you have that much circulation keeping the temperatures in the 70-85F range.
I have the co2 system from a larger grow set up. I figured, I have it, I may as well use it. I have 7 24w and 1 120w bulbs in the fridge, so I'm hoping that there will be enough light to get a decent result. I have used 400 and 1000w lights in the past, but thought I would try and keep the light bill a little lower on this one.
FreeRangeZombie
Active Member
Not enough light for there to be gains . I would just install a intake and exaust fan for that purpose. CC is right
cc08150
Well-Known Member
My suggestion would be to use it about 10 minutes after the lights first come on....then maybe every hour or two that they are on, have the fans go off on a timer, then have CO2 come on and let it sit with the fans off for a good 15 minutes each time....you would just have to be careful about not letting tops of the plants burn by being too close to the lights when the fans are off for the short 15 minute enrichment....but in all reality i think you are going to find that this is more trouble than it is worth. CO2 enrichment is best left for the HPS setups that are in sealed rooms with AC units or whatever you need to keep temps below 85. Because in this type of setup, your room is constantly at the correct CO2 enrichment PPM level, whereas with what you are trying to do, its gonna be CO2 at a high PPM for a few minutes, then clear all the CO2 out in order to keep things cool, just wasting it...I don't even try CO2 enrichment in my tent anymore just because I found that having an intake fan and exhaust fan works just about as good since plants are getting constant fresh air.
a mongo frog
Well-Known Member
did u measure theco2 in your tent?
cc08150
Well-Known Member
Yes, it averages 380-420ppm most of the time unless temps outside are outrageously hot. I'm not saying that CO2 enrichment isn't good if you are trying to catch me in something like that. I am saying in his case it is not a benefit and neither is it in mine. We don't use SEALED rooms where CO2 is a benefit. If you don't have a sealed room, you are just enriching for nothing because its just leaking out of your exhaust. End of story.
a mongo frog
Well-Known Member
not end of story, u could always use a damper for exaust. u do not have to be totally, totally sealed to get great benefits from enritched co2.
cc08150
Well-Known Member
Sure if you got good temps you can, but try that with outside temps being high 80s low 90s...i have to have both fans at 75%-Max all the time...even when lights are off, otherwise humidity buildup to 70% or more.
Now once winter comes, I am going to try CO2 enrichment again, because I won't have to have fans on constantly...but thats getting way too off topic. This guy wants to do CO2 enrichment in too small of a space and is not in a situation where he can use dampers. He is using computer fans....in a refrigerator where heat buildup is gonna happen fast with the fans turned off to get a CO2 injection. If it was a tent setup it would be different.
Now once winter comes, I am going to try CO2 enrichment again, because I won't have to have fans on constantly...but thats getting way too off topic. This guy wants to do CO2 enrichment in too small of a space and is not in a situation where he can use dampers. He is using computer fans....in a refrigerator where heat buildup is gonna happen fast with the fans turned off to get a CO2 injection. If it was a tent setup it would be different.
I think I'm gonna go without the co2 for now. I have a second fridge that Im working on that I am thinking about trying to enclose the bulbs in a glass/plastic unit with its own fans. Kind of like my cool tube light from my old set up. I will use the co2 calculator I found on here last night to figure it out from there. Thank you for the feed back.