Boosting CO2 levels to improve harvest is nothing new for cannabis growers. Yet, even experienced cultivators can make mistakes as they get a handle on the technology in their hydroponic grow system. Unless you’ve purchased a complete indoor grow closet, with a fully installed CO2 system, planning out a custom built CO2 system takes a bit of work. Supercloset is a subsidiary of Grow Strong Industries. We manufacture the #1 selling grow cabinets worldwide. Visit us at http://Supercloset.com

1. An Introduction to CO2
Enrichment for Hydroponics

2. Boosting CO2 levels to improve harvest is nothing new for cannabis
growers. Yet, even experienced cultivators can make mistakes as they get
a handle on the technology in their hydroponic grow system. Unless
you’ve purchased a complete indoor grow closet, with a fully installed
CO2 system, planning out a custom built CO2 system takes a bit of work.
Every indoor grow room is different and will have different CO2
enrichment requirements. It can be challenging to find the most effective
CO2 method for your particular set up. How much CO2 can your room
take, and when can it take it? Although you might see progress during the
first harvest, it's also likely you'll need a few more crops under your belt to
get the system fully dialed in.

3. Choosing the Right CO2 System
Not all grow rooms are created equal, and neither are CO2
systems. Enrichment systems vary in price and practically, with
some working well for home-growers and others requiring a
substantial investment only feasible in commercial operations.
Before deciding on which system to implement, consider how
many plants you intend to grow, the size of your grow room, and
how much money you want to invest. As far as CO2 systems go,
knowing how much your cannabis can handle will save you from
investing in excessive equipment

4. For smaller home-based cannabis hydroponic grow systems,
growers can get by with a do-it-yourself CO2 kit using relatively
cheap supplies. This also requires a much lower technical skill
set; helping you get your feet wet with the mechanics of a CO2
enrichment program. The most straightforward setups require
little more than some CO2 enriched organic materials like yeast,
fungus, or compost.

5. Although you can create a CO2 composting system yourself, they
are available through many online retailers and are cheap and
easy to install. Small CO2 release composting bags can usually
cover 4 to 6 plants for upwards of 6 months. Another option is
using a compost bucket with a yeast fermentation or fungi based
organic CO2 generator. You can make these systems at home
with a few basic ingredients.

6. All of these small do-it-yourself systems, while cheap to
implement, are difficult to regulate. Even with CO2 sensors in
place, the average parts per million of CO2 will vary wildly from
one area to the next, or one day to the next depending on
environmental factors. More experienced growers may wish to
have more control.

7. The next step up in CO2 enrichment, for larger rooms or
those which prefer a more regulated CO2 release, is with
CO2 tanks. Refillable tanks are a little more technical to
install but have better overall control. Alongside the
compressed CO2 tank, you’ll also need to set up a
pressure regulator, and a controller (unless of course,
you choose a time release method). Some growers also
install a long, perforated hose throughout the room to
help spread out the CO2 among the plants.

8. For commercial operations with a more substantial equipment
budget, they may want to go all out to invest in a full CO2
generator. These come in a variety of sizes, so plan accordingly
based on the size of your room. Generators rely on natural gas,
propane and sometimes gasoline to pump out CO2. Not
surprisingly, the generator method requires a rather significant
up-front investment, but over time it works out to be slightly
cheaper than replacing emptied CO2 tanks. Generally speaking,
only large-scale growers need to concern themselves with going
into a full-blown generator system.

9. Tips for Using CO2 in Hydroponic Grow
System
Carbon dioxide is denser than the oxygen-rich atmosphere, which
means it tends to sink to the floor of your grow room. No matter what
CO2 option you’ve chosen to implement in your hydroponic grow
system; some experts believe it’s more useful to release as a gentle
invisible rain over your plants.

10. If you have a proper CO2 hose system, strung throughout your
room, try elevating it above your plants. As it releases CO2, it will
fall through the canopy, naturally improving its availability and
absorption rate. This suggestion also works for the fungi or yeast
fermenters, so long as you place them on an elevated platform
above the plants.

11. Plan your CO2 enrichment program to coincide with the various
stages of marijuana growth. Not all stages need a CO2 boost. During
the final stages of growth, increasing the atmospheric CO2 to 1000 to
1,500 parts per million can increase yields by 20 to 40 percent.
But during more sensitive stages, like during the seedling or
transplant stages, marijuana just isn’t equipped to absorb more CO2.
It's already using all its energy to adjust to the new environmental
conditions, especially in hydroponic grow systems. Only introduce
CO2 once the plants are fully established.

12. A final rookie mistake is scheduling CO2 release throughout a
standard 24-hour period, both during the light and dark phases
of the light cycle. However, plants only require CO2 during
hours of light. Because CO2 is a critical component in
photosynthesis, it doesn’t make any sense to apply when
marijuana plants are essentially sleeping. Only schedule CO2 to
release during the light cycle to reap the most benefit.