Homemade co2 generator successful :)

GreenMONSTAH

Well-Known Member
So I made one of those homemade Co2 generators out of

- A 3L Poland spring bottle
-1\2 tablespoon of active dried yeast and a pinch more for good measure
-1 cup of sugar
- Some small clear tubing for a aquarium about quarter inch in diameter

Really simple and really effective as far as I can see so far got a lot of new foliage growth pretty rapidly and played a good part in saving a plant that was on its way to sure death [ arajans strawberry haze] . The leaves seem to stand more at attention too and just all around healthier looking then the nodes that were grown before the Co2 entered the picture. From what I've read the combo above should be alright but its better to add some kind of food to fuel the yeast and slow down the process thus far prolonging the Co2 production.I used some o my breakfast a bannana peel and a small handfull of cereal. If you look it up on youtube there's some good video examples hope it helps somebody!
 

GreenMONSTAH

Well-Known Member
im sorry pftek what do you mean ? I sealed the tube into the cap on both sides of the cap with plumbing cement if that's what your asking
 

Ryder on the Storm

Well-Known Member
How much C02 is it releasing? MJ needs a certain concentration to be deemed effective or your just pissing in the wind. Are you regulating it?
 

rzza

Well-Known Member
i made it once, measured the room co2 was 1200 and 1000 the next day. 8x12 bedroom.
 

sk8disgruntled

Well-Known Member
yeah i have heard these arent even worth using. having good ventilation would be better. the only way to know if it is working is to check co2 ppm levels. im sure you havent raised your ppm a noticeable amount. if these things worked everyone would use them.
 

newworldicon

Well-Known Member
There is a thread dedicated to the effectiveness of home made co2 somewhere on here. His experiments showed that he would hit the 1550ppm the first 24 hours after that it would drop to 1200 and 1000ppm the following days so you only get 3 effectiveish days of co2 before needing to replenish, he got two in rotation...
 

rzza

Well-Known Member
yeah i have heard these arent even worth using. having good ventilation would be better. the only way to know if it is working is to check co2 ppm levels. im sure you havent raised your ppm a noticeable amount. if these things worked everyone would use them.
you read the whole page or no?
 

had5onit

Member
yea but with these expert growers they will tell you that home made c02 is worthless, what fools natural air has around 350ppm's in a grow room they usauly put 1,200 ppm's in it so adding any kind of c02 is it weight in gold to plants am doing a sun light c02 to a home made green house sun light grow so any c02 increase will make it better will . keep it chunky.
 

newworldicon

Well-Known Member
yea but with these expert growers they will tell you that home made c02 is worthless, what fools natural air has around 350ppm's in a grow room they usauly put 1,200 ppm's in it so adding any kind of c02 is it weight in gold to plants am doing a sun light c02 to a home made green house sun light grow so any c02 increase will make it better will . keep it chunky.
I have read studies that show in the urban areas co2 increases to around 850-900ppm in households and built up areas. Your constant breathing ups the co2 in your home by double so already you are above 350ppm. This 350ppm figure is taken over an average outdoors so is it really reflective of what's going into your grow room from the house.
 

dudeface

Active Member
I read this on several places, cannot find the actual published paper it is from, there is a correct way to use fermentation reasonably reliably by sure math of sugar available for fermentation.


"
4. FERMENTATION METHOD OF CO2 ENRICHMENT:

Sugar is converted into ethyl alcohol and CO2 when it ferments due to the action of yeast. In this method, the following ingredients and equipment are needed:




1. Suitably sized container, plastic or glass

2. Sugar, common or invert

3. Yeast, brewers or bourgelais wine yeast

4. Yeast nutrient

5. Sealant, cellophane, tape or lid

6. 1/4 plastic tubin

7. 1/4 shutoff valve

8. Balloon

9. Starter jar or bottle

A pound of sugar will ferment into approximately half a pound of ethyl alcohol (C2H5OH) and half a pound of CO2. One pound of CO2 makes 8.7 cubic feet of CO2 gas at normal atmospheric conditions. In our standard 8 X 8' X 8' grow room, you will need to generate 512 cu. ft. X .0013 (1300 PPM CO2) = 0.66 cubic feet of CO2 every four hours. It takes time for the yeast to ferment sugar, so the size of container you should use in determined by dividing the cubic feet of growing area (512 Cu. ft.) by 32 = 16 gallons.

A convenient container to use here would be a plastic kitchen garbage can. These are inexpensive and easily obtainable.

To determine how much sugar we need for six weeks of operation or until fermentation ceases, the following calculations are necessary: From the above paragraph, we need 0.66 cu. ft. of CO2 every four hours. If one pound of CO2 makes 8.7 cu. ft. of CO2, we will need 0.08 lbs. of sugar, but because every one pound of sugar only makes 1/2 lb. of CO2, we must double the amount of sugar needed, i.e. 0.08 X 2 = 0.16 lbs. of sugar every four hours. Since there are six four-hour periods in a 24 hour day, the amount of sugar we need is 0.16 x 6 or 0.96 lbs. of sugar per day.

If we round this off to one pound of sugar per day, we will need 42 lbs. of sugar in six weeks. We must consider that only 80 to 90% of the sugar will be completely converted in this length of time, therefore, we should actually use about 48 lbs. of sugar in six weeks.

The sugar solution to start with is 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. per gallon. You can use hot water to start with, as sugar dissolves faster in it than in cold water. You must let it cool to 80-90 degrees F before adding yeast to it or the yeast will be killed. Start with the fermenting container only half-full as you will be adding an extra gallon per week for 6 weeks. Begin with eight gallons per week and 24 lbs. of sugar.

To start the solution fermenting, you will want to make a "starter batch" of sugar water, yeast and yeast nutrient. To do this, use a coke or beer bottle (approx. one pint), dissolve 1/4 lb. of sugar in 10 oz. of warm water (approx. 3/4 full), add a pinch of yeast and two pinches of yeast nutrient to this sugar mixture. Place a balloon on the bottle and set in warm location, 80 to 90 degrees F, for one to two days or until the balloon expands and small bubbles are visible in the solution.

After the starter solution has begun fermenting vigorously, it is added to the main fermentation tank at the same temperature already mentioned. After a day or so, to see that the system is working properly and that CO2 is being generated, close the valve to the supply tube and, if the unit is sealed properly, the balloon should expand in a short period of time. To regulate the amount of CO2 being delivered to the plants, open the valve until the balloon is only half the size of full expansion.

The CO2 supply tube with in-line valve should have a 2" loop in it half full of water to serve as an air-lock. This loop can be held in place with tape on the side of the fermentation tank. The open end of this tube can either be positioned in front of a circulating fan or run through "T" fittings to make additional tubes, the ends of which can be positioned above your plants. Remember, CO2 is heavier than air and it will flow downwards.

Once per week, undo a corner of the Saran Wrap and add an extra gallon of sugar solution and yeast nutrient, then reseal the top with tape. Use three lbs. of sugar and one teaspoon of nutrient per gallon.

After the last gallon is added, after six weeks of operation, let fermentation continue until the balloon goes down and no more bubbles are visible in the "U" tube. When this point has been reached, taste the solution. If is it sweet, fermentation is not complete and a new starter batch should be made and added to the tank. More yeast nutrient should also be used. If the solution is dry (not sweet) like wine, fermentation has stopped and the alcohol content has killed the yeast. At this point, it's time to clean your tank and start a new batch.

The fermentation process is quite good for generating CO2 and relatively inexpensive. Regular or invert (corn) sugar is inexpensive and available. You may have to purchase invert sugar at a wine supply store. This method of generating CO2 will cost approximately 50 to 60 cents per day.

To save money on extra yeast, you can either take out approximately a gallon of fermenting liquid and save for the next batch, or start a second system identical to the first and alternate themóclean and replenish one, then three weeks later, clean and replenish the second."

if you follow this, you may be able to get some results.

good luck!
 

Nitegazer

Well-Known Member
There is a thread dedicated to the effectiveness of home made co2 somewhere on here. His experiments showed that he would hit the 1550ppm the first 24 hours after that it would drop to 1200 and 1000ppm the following days so you only get 3 effectiveish days of co2 before needing to replenish, he got two in rotation...
Here is my favorite thread on this topic, though it was killed by a troll (hardly ever happens around here...). Check out post #130 for the summary. The gist is that if everything is controlled, and you have a small space (a couple hundred sq.ft.), DIY CO2 is a good option.

https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/343918-myth-busters-real-truth-co2-13.html
 

GreenMONSTAH

Well-Known Member
Well I completely missed all the comments on here last time I checked i must of been boooted -__- but for those who doubt this working I beg to differ. About a day or two after the Co2 ran out the plant that wasn't doing so well due to a couple different factors , went back to not doing so well. But im going to keep making these things like CHUCKTYLAH said if nothing else it shows my plan ts i care and plus i only have a small growtent that uses little ventilation due to the fact im vegging with just one 90w UFO for some experimentation so it holds in there nicely.
 

faithfulmastiff

Active Member
i was going to try this, they sell just the ingredients in a kit for $12 without the bucket & tubing, got to love ebay....lol

You are bidding on a NEW CO2 Crew CO2 generator. This unit uses special micro-organisms to convert sugar into CO2. The micro organisms feed on ordinary inexpensive sugar from your local aNEW CO2 Crew CO2 generator. This unit uses special micro-organisms to convert sugar into CO2. The micro organisms feed on ordinary inexpensive sugar from your local grocery store to produce CO2 as a waste by-product. As long as you keep feeding the organisms according to the included instructions, they continually produce the valuable CO2 plants need to thrive. This unit can produce CO2 indefinitely for just the price of sugar.
CO2 (carbon dioxide) is what plants need from the air for use during photosynthesis. The carbon dioxide is combined with water and light inside the plant and oxygen is released. The amount of CO2 available to a plant determines how fast the plant grows, how healthy the buds become, and ultimately how big the final fruit is.
Plants grown indoors or in enclosed containers need additional CO2. You will see the benefits in faster growing plants, large buds and flowers, and heavier fruit. A CO2 generator is a must for any serious indoor gardener.

 
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