CO2 Basic Equipment Rundown Infomation Home | Articles | Video's | Home Click here to view our CO2 Products featured in our online store... All plants require CO2 to photosynthesize. CO2 is present in relatively low quantities, 300-450 Part Per Million or "ppm" in normal everyday air. But plant growth can be increased and accelerated by as much as 35% if the level of CO2 is increased to 1500 ppm. As with all of the other aspects of hydroponics, controlling the CO2 level within the area is crucial to maintaining a high level of productivity. Todays hydroponic and lighting systems are designed to provide the most efficient method for distributing nutrients and providing usable light however, without proper ventilation and/or an adequate supply of CO2, the plants may actually be starving! Starving because of too much food and/or light, and not enough CO2 for the leaves to achieve a high level of photosynthesis. CO2 enrichment has been used in commercial greenhouses for more than 50 years. Providing more CO2 to your garden air stimulates growth. Indoor growing is similar in conditions to a greenhouse and indoor gardeners should apply the same principles. Most plants will use more CO2 than the 0.03 – 0.04 percent (300 – 400 PPM) which naturally occurs. By increasing the level of CO2 to 0.12 – 0.15 percent (1200 to 1500 PPM), the optimum amount agreed upon by professional gardeners, plants may grow two or three times as fast, providing that light, water and nutrients are not limiting factors. Creating a CO2 enriched environment can be a complex business. If it were too easy then everybody would be reaping the rewards from increased levels of CO2, but with effort comes reward, a properly constructed CO2 injection system can increase yield by as much as 30%. a properly constructed CO2 injection system can increase yield by as much as 30%. In order to maintain constant CO2 levels it is necessary to contain the CO2 enriched air within the environment. Therefore, exhaust fans need to be turned off for extended periods of time. There is very little point in injecting expensive CO2 gas, only to exhaust it straight away. Only burn your CO2 lamp during the light cycle, i.e. when the lights are turned on. You can use a timer to alternate your exhaust fan on & off to give the CO2 a chance to build up in your grow area. Calculate how much oil is required in your lamp to burn for the light period. Fill only with enough to burn for this period, as the lamp will affect the development of the plants if it interrupts the dark cycle. Don’t place the lamp near anything flammable. A separate shelf is preferable, as this will ensure the lamp operates safely. CO2 is heavier than air, so it will drift from the shelf down onto your plants. Do not place the lamp on your reservoir if you are using a hydroponic system. Don’t feed too much wick into the glass casing. Only a minimal amount is required for the lamp to work effectively. If too much is fed through you will end up with too much heat for the glass to handle and the fame will be yellow and burn smokey, which you do not want. You want to see a blue flame. Infomation Home | Articles | Video's | Home