cheap analog CO2 generator theory..

first off, yes, i'm high.

so, the idea is this: a glass bottle with a timed release pressure valve on top (just a piece of mechanical hardware, nothing digital). you put a piece of dry ice in the bottle, it evaporates, pressurizing the bottle, and CO2 escapes through the valve at a constant rate.
you could put this setup right behind the fan blowing over your canopy and boom.

legit CO2 generators are expensive and the yeast thing seems kinda iffy.
share your opinions, please

I dunno, if the gas isn't being released at a high enough rate, eventually that thing will blow up, setting off your neighbors car alarm...lol...Alternatively, whats wrong with getting a styrofoam cooler, poking some holes in it, and placing that behind your fan...The styrofoam cooler might help the CO2 sublimate at a slower rate.

Personally, thats what I built this thing for...to load with ice and some dry ice, to keep the ice frozen longer...to try to cool the grow a few degrees and release a little co2 at the same time...they sell dry ice at the supermarket by me for like a buck a pound...haven't actually ried it yet, might give it a crack sometime soon!

[video=youtube;uOGfqvFaWm4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOGfqvFaWm4[/video]

I even hooked it up to a variable voltage 12v adapter, so it acts as a speed controller and runs both fans at the same time.

whoa, sweet! test it out soon!!

Metasynth said:

I dunno, if the gas isn't being released at a high enough rate, eventually that thing will blow up, setting off your neighbors car alarm...lol...Alternatively, whats wrong with getting a styrofoam cooler, poking some holes in it, and placing that behind your fan...The styrofoam cooler might help the CO2 sublimate at a slower rate.

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lol. hmm. i'd wrap the bottle in a bunch of gorilla tape for sure to keep it from literally exploding and sending shards of glass everywhere, but the top might just fire off.
the styrofoam cooler thing.... yyeeaaaaahhhhhh, but you don't really control the rate of release..

styrofoam cooler isn't airtight, the lid just sits on top. But a bottle can contain pressure...lol...tape or no tape, I've seen dry ice bombs do some damage...And I dunno, unless you can measure the PPM's in your room, who knows how effective it really is...I just figured a little extra co2 is better than no extra co2...lol

sweetarded said:

lol. hmm. i'd wrap the bottle in a bunch of gorilla tape for sure to keep it from literally exploding and sending shards of glass everywhere, but the top might just fire off.
the styrofoam cooler thing.... yyeeaaaaahhhhhh, but you don't really control the rate of release..

Click to expand...

TBH I think youll struggle to create enough co2. Fans need to go off, co2 PPM needs to be high like 1500 for a long enough time with hot enough temps to be worth the effort. You need either a co2 bottle or generator to make any meaningful use of co2. Your pretty much wasting your time otherwise.

Metasynth said:

styrofoam cooler isn't airtight, the lid just sits on top. But a bottle can contain pressure...lol...tape or no tape, I've seen dry ice bombs do some damage...And I dunno, unless you can measure the PPM's in your room, who knows how effective it really is...I just figured a little extra co2 is better than no extra co2...lol

Click to expand...

I didn't really want to spend a lot of money on tanks, regulators, timer and/or meter. I decided to try the various homemade methods, and so I spent some bucks on a digital CO2 monitor. Paid 250 for the thing, but they can be had more cheaply. Mine does other stuff too.

Anyway, I never had much luck with yeast, I would need a bunch of them for my 10x12 rooms. Tried vinegar and baking soda too..even rigged up a drip system with a medical IV. That went nowhere.

I read about propane heaters. While I wouldn't mind the propane expense, they get too hot. That got me thinking about my Coleman lantern. I tried it and was amazed. I can easily double the CO2 in the room with the lantern at about half intensity, to over 800. I can get well over 1000 by turning up the lantern (remember, I have a good monitor so I know exactly what the before and after is).

It uses a bbq size tank a month (approx). It does not add significantly to the heat in the room.

Some have mentioned carbon monoxide whenever I talk about this. I do not believe that is a concern. I have CO monitors nearby and they have never even chirped. Plus, gas lighting in buildings has been going on for a long time.

Anyway, this really does work. They have hoses and stands that connect a tank to a lantern instead of the disposable tanks.

I've never done co2 but always thought I'd like to give it a try. There is a thread where a chemical engineer with a full CO2 setup made from commercial parts went ahead and tried a soda bottle with sugar yeast and water. He found that the co2 levels were at 2000ppm ( I think that's the right number) for two or three days after which it began to drop. So simply replacing the yeast mix every three days would keep things going.

If you talk to the brewers who know a lot about yeast, they have methods of keeping the yeast productive for much longer. Again there is a thread somewhere where a brewer/pothead (wonder how he ever gets any work done ) discussed nutrient solutions for yeast.

I've always wanted to try this, but I know I have a natural tendency to over complicate and over engineer my projects so I try and keep it in my pants .

Your dry ice bottle must have some kind of pressure release other than the regular exit valve. As someone said, if the exit valve is blocked and pressure builds up in the container it could be bad.

your idea is already in production. well sort of... instead of using dry ice which is expensive and doesnt last long they use an all natural bucket with a pump on top. you just plug your co2 boost bucket into your timer and you are in business for 3 months which is perfect for one grow. then you just buy the refills. but im sure with some homework you could go online and make your own homemade compost to put in the bucket and maybe even improve on it.

[video=youtube;W1_H3LXQQSE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1_H3LXQQSE&feature=player_embedded#![/video]

I have never used one yet but this is what im going to rock in my 10x5x7 tent. according to what they claim it should be the perfect amount for smaller gardens and large tents.

"If your growroom is properly sealed, you can achieve optimum growing levels at 1200-1500ppms in areas up to 10 x 10 x 10 feet. If your growing area is larger than that we suggest multiple buckets. The manufacturer guarantees CO2 output for 60 days if used constantly. If you coordinate it with a timer to coincide with your lights on/lights off phase, it could last you 75-90 days. Once your bucket has expired use the remaining ingredients as high grade fertilizer!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CO2-Generat...594?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c5b568802

hot damn.

i figure CO2 should be the last "extra" i get if i have spare money. it looks like i can't get a meter for under $100.. idk. i probably will end up going with yeast or figuring out how that boosterbucket works.. burning methane though produces ONLY CO2 and water vapor, so a little methane lantern would hella work.. propane produces a little CO unless you've got a higher concentration of oxygen burning

pipe dreams!

Seems like you've done some research on CO2 generators. Perhaps you could post a few useful links?

chyea. sum up some info from this thread as well.
meters on ebay- http://www.ebay.com/itm/Indoor-Air-...967?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aad3add1f they're like $115

some gaslight burners, under $20 http://www.gas-lights.com/burners.html and tanks of methane http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/LAB-SAFETY-SUPPLY-Calibration-Gas-Cylinder-8RW44?cm_mmc=GoogleBase-_-Safety-_-Gas%20Detection-_-8RW44&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=8RW44 for $55

then you've got the frickin expensive crap like this http://www.bghydro.com/BGH/itemdesc.asp?ic=ACO2HIHGLP basically a gas heater, but it's water cooled. and this one is air cooled: https://www.greenair.com/browse/co2-generators.html
and there are the old generators that just release CO2 from a tank.. i'm having trouble googling them for some reason.. idk
it seems like the newest beastiest ones are designed to burn gas for their CO2 rather than drain a tank. but obviously an open flame produces unwanted heat.

then organic shit. here's a beast one http://www.ebay.com/itm/CO-2-Crew-CO2-generator-tank-regulator-NEW-KIT-/310167452493#vi-desc and only $35
i've seen another thread where you just put yeast sugar and water in a 2-liter. but people say those don't last nearly as long as those dudes on ebay say theirs last.


so, methane combustion produces CO2 and H20, propane combustion produces CO2, H20 and CO (deadly) unless you flood it with a higher ratio of oxygen to make it burn hotter. that's all from wikipedia.

tet1953's got the right idea as far as i can tell from cost, efficiency and additional effort. burning propane and methane is like a guaranteed formula, you spend X on gas, burn it for Y hours, it produces Z CO2. solid as a rock.
these organic things though.. they seem hella interesting. and idk i think it feels nicer to have a vat of happy well-fed microbes feeding your garden than burning gas.
i'm gonna look into the organic things more, try to figure out why they work longer

Propane is nasty stuff. I work with it a lot. It flashes easily, it's heavier than air which means it can pool from a slow leak, and it tends to produce CO.

How much heat will the CO2 generator put into the room? I doubt it amounts to much. Just wondering.

some people are saying around 10 degrees hotter for an average sized burner in an average closet. check this out, CO2 exhale bags:

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/co2-bags.html kind of like the booster buckets (mrfootball420 started a thread about those a minute ago) except it lasts 6 months and doesn't need to be plugged in. $25

and these things you have to replace every week, i don't really know how they work. some low-key chemical reaction i guess. http://www.thegreenpadstore.com/HOW_TO_USE___FAQ_S.html
5 pads for $25, that's like $75 a cycle. not bad.

also, fermentation produces CO2. so if you're making beer, you can vent it into your room. and then you could make hashbeer. interesting side note- cannabis and hops are each other's closest genetic relatives.



it seems like i'm considering the buckets from the wrong perspective. these buckets and the CO2 bags and shiz don't sustain a ppm in your room. these spray CO2 at your plants. they serve a different purpose than regular generators or burners. makes sense, why waste energy filling your room with a consistent amount of CO2 when the only part of your room that needs CO2 is the canopy?