CO2 generation for small spaces (2024)

Hi folks

Since I switched from HPS to LED for illumination, I no longer need to circulate air in and out of my box to maintain steady temperatures as it stays at room temperature LEDs on or off.

So I'm considering removing the 12v fans that intake and exhaust air from my box (saving 12W of power too! lol) and adding CO2 enrichment. So I'm interested in cheap DIY CO2 solutions.

Anyone ever used a homemade DIY CO2 Generator? I believe all I need is a plastic bottle full of water, add yeast and a length of drip line connected to a hole in the lid to allow slow release of CO2? Do I need to add anything apart from water and yeast?

Will just a normal brewing yeast like this one work?

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/invt/0022654

Yes it will, but you'd be better off getting a turbo yeast that can ferment up to ~23%. You will also need to add sugar and yeast nutrient, as well as checking the PH of your solution, and possibly boiling prior to innoculation.

If I were you I would try this, and every week or so, dump off the liquid and add fresh sugar water, since once a certain % of alcohol is reached the yeast become inactive. Also, you could build a magnetic stirrer(youtube DIY hotplate stirrer) to agitate it constantly.

Any more question pm me

A

So I need:

Yeast
Yeast Nutrient
Sugar
Water

For agitation I think giving it a good shake a couple of times a day will be fine won't it?

Hey therE

I have been using this method since day 1 in bloom.
I add one pack of this yeast to 1 gal of h20 that is approx. 110 degrees to activate the yeast. i then add 1 cup of sugar and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds. and wallah.....you got yourself some C02...
And yes Buddah, I do shake the gallon a couple times through out the day to get that yeast going again. and then i just simply leave the lid off. I do this while the air is on low.

Hope this helps some!

Peace...ro;)

I haven't heard of it happening from DIY CO2-via-yeast (or similar) methods, either, but then again it was always in a ventilated closet which completely negated the CO2 enrichment attempts.

I have, however, read / heard of growers making their plants sick from too much CO2 enrichment, typically in a bottle setup w/o a monitor, just a controller and solenoid in a timer method which they apparently miscalculated.

In any case... do you have some previous runs w/o CO2 under that lighting & environment to compare with, when the results come in?

I use to make large 5 gal. buckets of Co2 via yeast. I would seal the top up and poke hole in lid and use a clear 3/8 - 1/2 hose around 6' long and have it dangle over canopy.

Neat watching the gas bubble run the length of the tubing so you deff. know it is creating Co2.

Many would say it is a waste of time but I actually believe it helped. But then again I occasionally spray my plants with Seltzer water.

Good Luck

Might check into Brewers yeast. I believe I read it works better. But this could be wrong gl!

I also use to do what BOG did with the BB gun co2 cartriges and the Bike tire inflator. But that got expensive

Thankyou rowanoak and pops, I shall gather the bits and pieces for my setup this weekend, so I will be picking your brains then!

I am just over halfway through flowering, perhaps a bit late to add CO2, but it's worth a try considering the very low cost of yeast, sugar, a plastic container and a piece of plastic pipe.

Good luck BB,
i seriously havent seen any signs of sickness from my plants. it does not get humid in my grow rooms just to remind you! I don't know how much of a difference it would make to leave (C02/H20) out in a humid tent....I know it usually fluctuates somewhere between 35% and 45% between day and night in my basem*nt...which i find ok for this.

I have only heard about this method from other experienced growers, but this is my first run so you may want to get someone else to place their two cent down first as i would hate to stear anyone the wrong way. i just simply stated what I am doing for c02, and my plants are totally healthy... no faded leaves at all!

Peace ...ro;)

I guess what I'm trying to get at is... how will you know it's making any sort of difference at all, if you have no control subjects to compare it with? How will you know what you're doing isn't a big waste of time & money and mess?

I've personally always seen these DIY CO2 enrichments as useless and that one could improve other areas of your grow to get better bottom-line results, but at the same time I'd love to be wrong... :study:

I've personally always seen these DIY CO2 enrichments as useless and that one could improve other areas of your grow to get better bottom-line results, but at the same time I'd love to be wrong...

Click to expand...

My environment is close to ideal - rh is always in the 55 to 65% range, temperatures are stable in the 22 to 25 range, so I have all my variables where I want them. So now I am looking at further enhancement and CO2 is one of the few areas I could enhance my grow setup within the boundaries of the facilities I have to work with. Adding DIY CO2 is such a low cost option that it is well worth experimenting with.

Anyone will tell you, CO2 is only worth the hassle and effort if you already have the other variables sorted, and I have, so I'm going to the hassle! lol

I will indeed be doing some comparison grows with and without CO2, I believe that DIY CO2 is an area where further research is needed, and i love to experiment!

Touche' :ridinghorse:

big_buddha said:

My environment is close to ideal - rh is always in the 55 to 65% range, temperatures are stable in the 22 to 25 range, so I have all my variables where I want them. So now I am looking at further enhancement and CO2 is one of the few areas I could enhance my grow setup within the boundaries of the facilities I have to work with. Adding DIY CO2 is such a low cost option that it is well worth experimenting with.

Anyone will tell you, CO2 is only worth the hassle and effort if you already have the other variables sorted, and I have, so I'm going to the hassle! lol

I will indeed be doing some comparison grows with and without CO2, I believe that DIY CO2 is an area where further research is needed, and i love to experiment!

Click to expand...

Pops said:

May do no good but watching the bubbles in the bottle is far better than watching the news on the telly!

Click to expand...

Sure beats biting them too!