o harvest large, sticky buds is every cannabis grower’s ambition. Indoor growers concentrate on the big 3: water, nutrients, and light, in order to enhance plant yield.
Modern gardeners, however, are aware that raising the carbon dioxide in the growing environment can also help them by increasing their crop.
Why do marijuana plants require CO2?
Cannabis, like all other green plants, uses a process called photosynthesis to convert light energy into chemical energy. Sunlight enables chloroplasts, organelles that contain chlorophyll, to transform CO2 and water into the carbohydrates (sugars) that plants need to thrive.
Fortunately, a by-product of the process is oxygen. As they take in CO2, plants release it during the day. The plants’ stomata, which are tiny apertures enclosed by guard cells on the undersides of their leaves, are where both gases are emitted and absorbed.
Cannabis plants will keep growing until their sugar reserves are exhausted if they do not receive adequate CO2. They will stop developing after that since their metabolism will slow down.
On the other side, if a plant receives too much CO2, photosynthesis will be slowed down or even stopped. To enhance photosynthesis and productivity, the secret is to find the ideal CO2 level for a grow space.
When should CO2 be used in a grow room?
When should carbon dioxide be introduced into a growing environment indoors?
The flowering phase is crucial for individuals who want to add carbon dioxide to their grow space. You must add CO2 to your crops between the first 2 to 5 weeks of flowering in order to ensure success. If your lighting, heating, watering, and nutrition levels are just right, this can increase crop size by 20 to 25 percent.
The best method for supplying CO2 to a grow tent
About 400 ppm, or 0.04%, of fresh air is composed of CO2. In a closed greenhouse, you might feel sleepy sitting inside if you double or quadruple that amount, but your plants will flourish.
Hanging slow-release CO2 bottles or bags is the simple method used by many small growers to add CO2 to their grow space. They continuously emit CO2 over a period of days. One CO2 bag per 4×4 area or per 4×4 grow tent is a general rule of thumb for confined spaces.
Growers employ CO2 generators or compressed CO2 tanks for large-scale operations to automate delivery and send the CO2 gas down through pipes for a continuous supply to your crops.
You should assess the CO2 levels throughout time with a CO2 monitor in addition to CO2 supplementation. You can use this to determine whether your plants are receiving the appropriate amount of CO2 and whether it’s time to replenish your CO2 bags.
How much CO2 is sufficient?
The ideal CO2 concentration needed to increase cannabis plants’ productivity relies on a number of variables, including the light’s intensity and the grow room’s size. The CO2 content in an interior environment with typical fresh air ventilation should be around 400 ppm. As a result, the growth rates reach what you would anticipate from outdoor plant growth.
The best results for growing have been seen when CO2 levels are between 1,200 and 1,500 ppm. However, unless your plants can use it, you can’t just raise the level of CO2.
Light and CO2
By keeping CO2 levels at 400 ppm when growing cannabis plants in low light conditions (about 12,330 lux/1150 fc), you can boost their photosynthesis. You must turn up your grow lights’ intensity if you want more development.
You can stimulate plant development by raising the CO2 level and light intensity to about 49,310 lux/4600 fc. As you increase the CO2 level to 600 ppm, the rate of photosynthesis will accelerate. After then, the rate will rise more gradually. Under those conditions, you can raise the amount to as much as 1200 ppm, albeit photosynthesis will proceed more slowly.
Your cannabis plants may use higher CO2 levels of 1200–1300 ppm if you can raise the light intensity to 59,201 lux/5500 fc. If your light intensity rises to 80,400 lux/7500 fc, you could raise the level to 1500 ppm. The rate of plant growth was increased by 100% for growers who took it to that point.
Calculating the necessary amount of CO2
Calculate how much CO2 your space requires before you begin your grow.
For instance, it would take 0.048 (48×0.001=0.048) cubic meters of CO2 gas to increase the CO2 level in a space that is 4 m long, 4 m wide, and 3 m high to 1,000 ppm (4x4x3 = 48).
What locations should CO2 sensors be used?
When utilizing a CO2 monitor or controller, it should be positioned at the level of the canopy and elevated as the plants develop.
A CO2 safety device should be installed 12 inches (30 cm) off the ground.
For your grow area, the best CO2 system
The “best” system will depend on your needs and financial situation.
- An cheap option to get started that can increase yield in a tiny grow tent is with CO2 grow bags and a CO2 monitor. You’ll be informed when to replace the bags by the CO2 monitor.
- Gas, flame, and a lot of heat are all produced by CO2 generators. They are therefore actually only useful in substantial commercial greenhouses.
- The most popular items used now by far are CO2 tanks and controllers. Although they are expensive up front, they not only offer accurate CO2 management to enhance yields but also allow for greater security for the grow space because they can be employed in a sealed room.
As a reminder, it’s crucial to keep in mind that CO2 leaks might be hazardous while using CO2 tanks and controls. Despite the fact that CO2 is good for plants, it is dangerous for us. For indoor grow areas, you should always provide effective CO2 safety detection.
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