Co2

Keesje

Well-Known Member
Of course growers of cannabis indoors don't use the generator to heat their grow room. But the heat is an unwelcome side effect of a CO2 generator that runs on gas.
The lights we use (especially HPS) already generate so much heat that we are not happy with this extra heat.
That is why some people use the well known CO2 cylinders to prevent that extra creating of heat.
But gas is often cheaper and easier, especially if you have a large growing room. So then a CO2 generator that runs on gas is a better choice.
To beat the heat, people who use these gas run CO2 generators when growing cannabis, often have some kind of AC to control the heat.

In a commercial greenhouse they have to use heaters, otherwise in wintertime the temperature will be too low inside.
They only have sunlight (with sometimes some additional electrical light) and that is not enough to heat these enormous spaces.
So they heat this space by burning gasses. If you burn a gas like propane or butane or a mix, only CO2 and H2O are formed. Nothing else.
So it is not at all like the gas that is leaving the exhaust pipe of a car. Ridiculous thought.
(except if you don't burn propane or butane properly. Then you have the risk of getting carbon monoxide)

I am aware that not all people know this. (or care :) )
But what keeps surprising me is that people don't make the slightest effort to research things themselves. The knowledge and the science behind it, is easily available for everyone, but nevertheless people continue to utter the utmost nonsense.
A bit similar to flat earthers.
You can give them facts, but facts are meaningless to them.
 

BudgetMessiah

Well-Known Member
So you're doubling down on saying that greenhouses are equipped with CO2 generators that also heat the greenhouse in the process of CO2 generation?
 

Keesje

Well-Known Member
I don't know what 'doubling down' means.
But if your question is if greenhouses are equipped with CO2 generators that also heat the greenhouse in the process of CO2 generation, the answer is yes.
This is an example on how such a machine looks in a large greenhouse.

1579538222848.png


If you don't accept the fact that they do that, I can't help you anymore.

I wrote a post before, but somehow it disappeared.

I will give it one more try.
When we grow cannabis in a tent or a room, we use HPS or led.
HPS gives a lot of heat, especially if you consider the space it is in.
Often just 3 or 4 M3 per 600 HPS.
Led gives less heat, but still a lot.
So if you use a CO2 generator you do get extra CO2. The annoying side effect however is heat.
Normally you would suck out all this heat, but then you would also suck out the CO2.
So that is why growers with CO2 generators often use AC.
You can also buy those CO2 cylinders. They create no heat.
But your HPS will still give a lot of heat. If you would suck that out, you loose the heat, but also the CO2.
So also here an AC is the solution.
Growers can choose the CO2 cylinders, but a CO2 generator on gas is often cheaper and more practical. Especially when you have a large room.

A greenhouse is outside, as even you might know.
Wind, rain, snow, low temperatures, they all have a direct effect on the climate inside the greenhouse.
The panes are not very thick, so when it is cold outside it would be cold inside as well.
But for a lot of plants, flowers, vegetables, herbs, you need a nice temperature of let's say 68 degrees. If it is just 50 outside, you do have a problem.
So the greenhouse needs heating (unlike a cannabis grow room that needs cooling most of the time. Except during lights out)
In greenhouse they normally don't use HPS lamps, so no heat is coming from lamps.
The sun gives some heat, but when it is cloudy, or raining, it would be too cold. Also in winters with low temperatures.
That is why they use heaters. If you heat the greenhouse with a gas heater, it has 2 advantages:
1. The greenhouse gets warmer
2. The ppm level of the CO2 gets higher.
Higher ppm's mean higher yields. That is what those commercial greenhouse growers want.
You can call it a heater or a CO2 generator. Doesn't matter: different names for the same machine.

As you are not the smartest cookie in the jar, I will add pictures of a growtent and a greenhouse.

This is a tent, it is inside

1579537823011.png

This is a greenhouse, it is outside

1579537886274.png

I don't think you will really understand what I wrote, but I did my best.
You are either a flat earther or a troll.
Don't know which is worse.
It is meant for the people who might just think that you are right.
Don't think that there are many out there who do, but you never know.

Until yesterday you didn't even know that cannabis growers use CO2 generators, so perhaps it is all a bit too much for you.
It was really funny when you said 'only 71 sold so far'.
Made my day.
 

BudgetMessiah

Well-Known Member
I'm no brain genius, but I'm pretty sure you fundamentally misunderstand the purpose and function of a greenhouse. And also that it's generally a bad plan to pump heat into a greenhouse during the day, with or without CO2.
 

Keesje

Well-Known Member
I'm no brain genius, but I'm pretty sure you fundamentally misunderstand the purpose and function of a greenhouse. And also that it's generally a bad plan to pump heat into a greenhouse during the day, with or without CO2.
You are not serious, are you?

Where I live it is between 25 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit during the day in this time of year.
In the vicinity where I live there are hundreds of greenhouses where they grow tomatoes, cucumbers, orchids, freesia, strawberries, basil. lettuce, and hundreds of other plants, vegetables and herbs. All in greenhouses.
This is an aerial photo
1579541760965.png

Most of these greenhouses are heated.
Some just a little bit, some more. For orchids you need more heat then for cucumbers for example.
Otherwise, all crops in these greenhouses would die, or at least grow poorly.
It is a huge industry and they grow strawberries for example 365 days a year. Impossible if you would not heat the greenhouse.
Growing orchids in a greenhouse in winter that is not warmed during the day, is nearly impossible.

They now try to heat the greenhouses in a different way.
Geothermal heat and residual heat from other industries, for example.
And more and more you see that they also try to use CO2 that is a by-product from other industries.
 

Keesje

Well-Known Member
You are by far the weirdest guy I have ever seen on RIU.
Facts and science don't matter to you.
You have never seen or visited a greenhouse in your life, except maybe that of you grandma's.
But you talk if you know it all.

But I have to admit: You are a lot of fun.
Like I said before: You are like one of those flat earthers.
It doesn't matter how things are or work in reality, they - and you - keep on coming up with the weirdest answers.

All those commercial growers have heaters in their greenhouse... they export vegetables, flowers, fruit, plants for over 10 billion dollars yearly... but BudgetMessiah is telling that half of them are doing it wrong by heating their greenhouses... Hahaha.
 

BudgetMessiah

Well-Known Member
Look, I don't even know what your argument is anymore, to be honest. I know that some commercial growers use CO2 systems. I'm pretty sure all of them want to be able to do it independent of heating their greenhouse / growhouse because extra CO2 is good only when your lights are on, and as you've noted, lights generate a fair amount of heat on their own. The sun does as well, of course, and greenhouses are pretty great at retaining that heat. It's weird that you are seemingly so familiar with them but don't get that.

I think, if you do live so close to this hub of amazing winter greenhouses, you could do far worse than to visit one. Maybe even work at one for awhile. They've got to have very interesting designs to make them work, a lot to learn for sure.

More than you will by Googling and guessing. ;)
 

Keesje

Well-Known Member
You don't stop to amaze me.
Please stay on this forum for a while. We all need a good laugh now and then.

Yes, CO2 is only good when plants have light as well.
But it doesn't harm them if they get CO2 in darkness.
So when the growers heat their greenhouses at nights as well with gasheaters, the greenhouse stays warm and there is still CO2. Useless at that moment but not poisoning the plants or bad for the plants.

I worked in greenhouses (we all did when we were younger) and I still go there.
When you think that the sun in the wintertime is strong enough to heat a greenhouse, you have no clue.
If you don't heat it, it is just slightly warmer inside then outside.
For your information: Orchids do not like temperatures around 30 degrees.
Fuck, Eskimo's could live in a greenhouse on the North pole and walk around in swimming trunks!
Because 'greenhouse have a special design so you only need sunlight to heat them up'.

But I give up: Facts don't matter to you.
You refuse to look anything up yourself.
You just think you need no heater and therefore it must be like that.
You have an opinion, which you are entitled to of course.

Some links that others can perhaps visit (no need for you; you already know the 'truth')
A big company in Holland that builds huge heating system and CO2 generators. But this must be a hoax. :)
A really nice gas heater from an American company. Although they say on their website "This direct-fired heater with open combustion enables heating as well as dosing CO2", this must be a lie according to Tin Foil Hat wearer BugetMessiah.

1579558052693.png
 

BudgetMessiah

Well-Known Member
Fuck, Eskimo's could live in a greenhouse on the North pole and walk around in swimming trunks!
Nikolski-2x33-Build-SEP2013-071_web2.jpg
:lol:
Interestingly, one of the challenges to keeping a greenhouse in those latitudes is that they have several weeks where there is effectively no sun at all! ;)
 

etruthfx

Well-Known Member
Commercial greenhouse growers use CO2.
It is not cheap, so there is a reason they do it: better yields.

For us hobby growers it can work as well.
But you have to have a sealed room, otherwise your sucking out the CO2 the minute it gets released.
Sealed room means some kind of climate control like an AC.
Also you need to pimp up the rest: Heat, light and often EC. Otherwise the plant can't handle the CO2.
CO2 in cannabis can easily give a 10 to 20% higher yield.
What do you mean it's not cheap? It costs me 18$ to get a 50lb. co2 tank filled at my local welding supply.
Most of the people here have no idea what they are talking about. Make sure you have co2 in veg AND in flower as it will make plants grow faster, yield more, and even your clones will root faster.
Do not waste your time with co2 bags or burners. Get a co2 bottle, 50lb if you can, else 25lb.
 

BudgetMessiah

Well-Known Member
Will it help me finally get a girlfriend, too? :p

Look, whatever else anyone takes away from this about CO2, it is heavier than the stuff you need to breathe. So if you're using it in a sealed environment, particularly underground, make sure you air it out a little if you're going to be working. I wouldn't get too worried, though, as your lungs can recognize CO2 as "the suffocate-y one." But if you happen to feel like you're short of breath, pay attention, because you probably are! o_O
 

Keesje

Well-Known Member
What do you mean it's not cheap? It costs me 18$ to get a 50lb. co2 tank filled at my local welding supply.
Installing a CO2 set up costs money. Regulators and such.
For growing like we do - in our small settings - you are right: it is not that expensive.
But if you grow large scale it costs a lot of money. But because of the higher yield, it makes more money.

The bottles are ok, but in my old set up I used about 1 x 20 kg bottle per week, per room. I had 2 rooms.
Got fed up with that. Installed a burner. Way cheaper and easier.
The room was chilled with some kind of AC (watercooled)

So the choice for a burner or a bottle also has to do with the scale of your grow room.

In greenhouses they all used burners. It is only since the last couple of years that they use CO2 in containers.
Other industries are happy that they can get rid off it this way.
The heating of the greenhouses is also done by alternative ways of heating (if possible)
 
Last edited:

tko2184

Well-Known Member
In flower, you want that air moving as much as possible. Mold can be a factor without proper flow
Agreed! Can’t stress enough how you will want to control humidity. That and as you pot up the media will carry more liquid, thus more humidity. Couple that with the fact that when you flip and begging flowering almost immediately thing get humid. My 2 cents as I’m going through it now
 

tko2184

Well-Known Member
Not having air flow through my tent will cause a problem during flour? I have a lot of air moving around inside strong fan carbon filter with fan to scrub the air
I will need a good dehumidifier, think about it, if you are not bringing in any armor and cleaning what air you have inside, when you water feed or specifically when you begin to fruit and the moisture the buds have will only add to your current environment. Mixing in you will be subjugated to molds mildews PM amongst other problems

I.e. most tent growers usually opt for an open loop system or a hybrid to say due to all the money you will invest making in a tent suitable for co2 when you will indeed be wasting that money sealed room co2 or get a humidifier and shoot your shot
 

tko2184

Well-Known Member
CO2 is heavier than the other elements of air, so if you can figure out a way to keep a pocket of it hanging around the air intakes of your tent, you'll increase its presence in your grow environment. You wouldn't even need a full floor to ceiling vapor barrier, just a container that is taller than the intakes of the tent. It could even be open-topped.
That said, I have no idea how it pays off. I was hardening cider right next to my tent for several weeks of veg. It may have helped, but I have no frame of reference to compare it to.
In no way do I disagree with you, but to use co
Commercial greenhouse growers use CO2.
It is not cheap, so there is a reason they do it: better yields.

For us hobby growers it can work as well.
But you have to have a sealed room, otherwise your sucking out the CO2 the minute it gets released.
Sealed room means some kind of climate control like an AC.
Also you need to pimp up the rest: Heat, light and often EC. Otherwise the plant can't handle the CO2.
CO2 in cannabis can easily give a 10 to 20% higher yield.
geesh this guy gets it, key point is running co2 is an entirely different setup meaning you have to be dialed in as well as be dialed in in the other departments as well (limiting factors). What that means is simply adding co2 to an environment wont increase yields!!! Be prepared to handle the limiting factors and spend a bit more money as well to do so ( my 2 pennies)
 

tko2184

Well-Known Member
This is contradicting to about 1,000,000 other peoples recommendations.

typically people use CO2 in flower exclusively to increase yield.

only time it would make sense to use co2 in veg would be if you reallyneeded to reduce veg time
Tell me more?... for effective and optimally grown wouldn’t you run co2 all the way through l?, especially if you have all the other limiting factors dialed in or are at least capable of dialing them in? Such as temps nutrients co2 lighting...... I’m interested in hearing more on your take
 

TintEastwood

Well-Known Member
Co2 helps in veg. I run it around 800ppm.

During stretch @ 400ppm. To reduce stretch.

800 to 1200 during flower.


Also down to 400ppm last 2 weeks of flower.
 
Top