The gas carbon dioxide, also known as “CO2,” is essential for boosting and improving plant yields. Therefore, the inert gas is a critical ingredient in the “growth recipe” of many indoor growers and cultivators.
This is due in part to the fact that CO2, along with water and light, is an essential component of photosynthesis. a method by which plants transform light energy into chemical energy that can then be released to power their metabolic processes.
Is using CO2 in my grow room safe?
Indoor growers might not be aware that while high CO2 levels are necessary for plants, they are harmful to people. It is real. When carbon dioxide is trapped in an enclosed, sealed space for growing plants, it can cause dangerously high amounts of health problems, including dizziness, unconsciousness, and even death.
While utilizing CO2 in your grow room can be safe provided the equipment is set up properly and a carbon dioxide safety monitor is installed, exposure to higher amounts of the gas can be lethal.
Without a CO2 safety monitor, if you are in a confined place, you risk suffering from CO2 poisoning or oxygen deprivation. This is owing to the fact that when CO2 levels above 5,000 ppm, poisoning may result from the increased CO2 exposure that a human body is not accustomed to. Furthermore, unless you experience vertigo or lose consciousness, you won’t be able to detect the presence of carbon dioxide because it has no smell, no color, and no flavor.
Always remember to turn off your CO2 system while your plants are “sleeping” and purchase a safety monitor. Your plants will stop taking in CO2 at night, which will save you money and improve your overall security.
What is the purpose of a CO2 generator?
CO2 generators, which produce carbon dioxide by burning fossil fuels, have been utilized for many years in indoor grow rooms. The main purpose of these CO2 generators is to raise CO2 levels in order to stimulate plant growth and increase crop productivity.
Recent studies have even demonstrated that plants will develop at yields that are significantly faster and will encourage increased agricultural productivity, sometimes up to 30% higher, when CO2 concentrations are two, three, or four times the normal concentration.
Today’s producers, however, largely avoid utilizing generators and favor CO2 enrichment as a substitute. This is related to the fact that burning fossil fuels leaves behind carbon residue in plants and can result in dangerously high quantities of carbon monoxide. Additionally, CO2 is more affordable and simpler to monitor in facilities due to its cheap cost.
Enrichment of carbon dioxide: what is it?
By using compressed CO2 cylinders or tanks instead of burners, farmers can eliminate the burner issue in indoor growing environments thanks to CO2 enrichment. By doing this, the crop can reach its maximum photosynthetic production and the air can be enriched with carbon dioxide.
An entry level CO2 monitor and controller will maintain the necessary CO2 levels, which are normally between 800-1,500 ppm, for people operating in indoor greenhouses, grow rooms, or agricultural facilities.
The controller activates a tank regulator with a solenoid valve that opens and releases CO2 to enrich the grow area when CO2 levels fall below a certain level. The valve closes, cutting off the supply of CO2, when the controller detects that the ppm level is at or over the recommended high set point.
As the plants take up the CO2 and lower the levels inside the chamber, this process is done repeatedly. A clever system can reduce gas expenses by hundreds or even thousands of euros since the CO2 level is properly measured and maintained.
One CO2Meter customer, for instance, claimed that switching to a liquid-based CO2 system resulted in a 30–40% decrease in gas use.
Your Grow Room Gets CO2
You must add CO2 to your grow area in a precise, controlled, economical, and well-thought-out method. It is not ideal to just open the valve on a CO2 tank at one end of the space and hope that the gas would spread equally across your grow space.
Recognizing when to add carbon dioxide is also crucial. Because photosynthesis often only takes place in the daylight and because CO2 is never advised to be used at night. Some controllers include built-in light sensors, limiting the CO2 enrichment to times when the lights are on.
If you want to start growing plants indoors, you need hire a qualified HVAC contractor that has experience designing systems for commercial growing operations and indoor facilities. It won’t work to just install fans or regular business HVAC systems to get the required results.
A system that regulates temperatures, finds the ideal balance between fresh and returned air, and ensures that CO2 is distributed evenly throughout the room, eliminating hot and cold places inside, can be designed with the assistance of HVAC professionals with experience in this industry. Finding an expert HVAC contractor will speed up the process of designing and implementing the required systems.
In order to succeed, it is essential to install a system with the proper CFM air flows, pressures, valves, and safety measures.
Your local, independent CO2 supplier or draft beer technician is another resource for the appropriate planning, building, and operation of a successful CO2 enrichment system. They have had nearly identical experiences with CO2 systems for soda and beer as they have with systems for CO2 enrichment in grow rooms. Ask your local CO2 supplier about their experience installing in commercial grow facilities if you get in touch with them. And finally, if you need help locating a credible partner in your area, you can always get in touch with CO2Meter.com.
As a reminder, aim to maintain CO2 levels between 800ppm and 1500ppm when adding CO2 to your crops. Although this is the “sweet spot” for the majority of indoor grow rooms, you should keep your temperatures higher if the ambient CO2 levels are higher.
Safeguarding CO2 and sealed grow rooms
The bulk of cannabis growers and cultivators are transitioning to sealed grow settings, in contrast to greenhouses that are utilized for growing flowers and vegetables. In fact, almost all professional or commercial growers favor sealed grow rooms over open-loop growing environments.
This is partly because having a sealed room where environmental conditions may be changed will provide the farmer more overall environmental control.
Among the benefits of a sealed grow room are:
Individualized plant strain approaches
improved regulation of nutrients, water, and temperature
tighter regulation of pests, molds, and plant diseases
regulated levels of CO2
reduced CO2 costs
Security
The disadvantage of a sealed grow room is that it could provide a safety risk to farmers who must operate in such environments.
Since CO2 is heavier than air or oxygen, it will initially “settle” at the floor before rising to fill a space. Due to the high percentage of CO2 being used, this lowers the oxygen level in a closed space to levels that could result in a person passing out or even dying.
In these circumstances, humans can also quickly suffocate or even develop CO2 poisoning if the CO2 levels are too high. Because CO2 is being utilized at 100% concentration, even a tiny leak in a supply line or a malfunctioning regulator can cause CO2 levels to climb quickly to the point where the air in the room becomes lethal.
In order to ensure the safety of any cannabis or crop growing activities, municipal fire marshals and inspectors have established standards that include CO2 monitoring.
For instance, local fire marshals are now requiring licensed cannabis businesses to install CO2 monitors for safety in each grow room in states like Michigan and California. The Remote CO2 Storage Safety 3 Alarm is a comparable CO2 safety monitoring gadget. Their demand is that the apparatus be put at a height that will prevent asphyxiation. Other communities have started requiring the installation of strobe lights, exhaust fan activation, and even safety monitors that send out automatic fire department alerts.
There are new legislation governing the usage of carbon dioxide storage in practically every state and municipality. However, it makes sense to spend money on a CO2 safety monitor even if you are growing and using compressed CO2 in a controlled environment.
Grow room CO2 safety monitors
We advise the Remote CO2 Storage Safety 3 Alarm for cannabis growers who employ liquid CO2 enrichment.
Remote CO2 Monitor & Wired Display
Designed to Comply with Local Fire Regulations
meets the requirements of the NFPA, IFC, and NBIC
OSHA and NIOSH TWA Standard compliance certified by UL
It installs quickly, complies with all local regulations, and protects you and any staff members from stored CO2.
For many farmers, growers, and cultivators, carbon dioxide is still the ideal way to enhance productivity and growth while consuming less energy. Any grower’s ultimate goal is to find premium fibers that offer maximum yields, so why not use CO2 to advance your efforts?
Contact a professional right away at [email protected] if you need more information or want to increase yields while adhering to CO2 safety regulations.
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