During photosynthesis, plants take in carbon dioxide (CO2) from air and water from the soil and give out oxygen as a waste product. In the air, CO2 takes up only 0.04% of the atmosphere, which is less and discourages plants from growing to their full potential. I’d advise you to go for the cheapest way to add CO2 to grow tent to maximize your yields while limiting your spending.
Yes, you can make a homemade CO2 generator for your grow tent using various methods and steps. Plants use CO2 and water to make the sugars they need for their growth, which can be made in a DIY generator. The cheapest CO2 generators use home-based ingredients like dry yeast, baking soda, and sugar.
Factors To Consider Before CO2 Supplementation
Carbon dioxide supplementation increases photosynthesis by adding more carbon dioxide to a greenhouse or a grow tent. While making a CO2 generator, there are several factors you should consider, including cost.
The cheapest way to add CO2 to grow tent is by making a CO2 generator using ingredients found at home. You should also consider the following factors to make it meaningful.
1. Age of the Plants you intend to Supplement
CO2 Supplementation is very important to young, growing plants but doesn’t work much for mature ones. It is also critical when the plant is underdeveloped, either due to a disease or lack of enough resources. Generally, CO2 supplementation increases yield and speeds up plants’ growth.
2. Timing
Timing is necessary when it comes to adding CO2 to grow tent. Most plants are active in the afternoon between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. This is the perfect time to add CO2 and boost photosynthesis because they will absorb it easily. Vegetables and other greens growing in a hydroponic system are not affected by time changes and can always be supplemented.
3. Lighting
Growing factors like lighting are also vital in CO2 supplementation. Using CO2 with led lights that have a higher intensity is fundamental to increasing the rate of photosynthesis. In a natural environment, the plant goes through photosynthesis using natural light that dictates the amount of carbon dioxide a plant can take.
If you want to realize the maximal benefits of CO2 supplementation, you must do it right. Observing the above factors will go a long way in ensuring you get things correct from the onset.
It would be better to involve an expert if you doubt your capacity to meet the required needs. I recommend you pay a little amount and learn than do things wrongly and expect great results.
The Cheapest Way to Make a CO2 Generator – Step by Step
When making cheap homemade CO2 for grow tent, I would advise you to use materials available at your disposal. The CO2 generator will work by adding the fermentation mixture to a bottle.
The bottle is then attached to airline tubes such that CO2 gas flows through the next bottle. This second bottle contains water that will purify the CO2 gas before passing it to the diffuser.
For this CO2 generator, you will require:
- 2 bottles
- Sugar
- Yeast
- Airline tubes
- Silicone glue
- Gelatin
- Water
Step 1 – Prepare the bottles
One of the bottles will be used for fermentation, and the other will be for purification. Make one hole on the bottle cap of one bottle and two holes in the other. Use the airline tubes to connect these two bottle caps and make them airtight using silicone glue. Any air holes in the system could delay or fail the process.
Step 2 – Create the sugar solution
Warm a mixture of water and sugar, the quantity of both should be the same. Soak gelatin sheets in cold water to hydrate them. From my experience over the years, I recommend using less than three sheets for best results.
Gelatin’s purpose in the CO2 generator is to slow fermentation and allow more carbon dioxide production. After soaking the gelatin, add them to the hot sugar syrup and set the mixture aside to cool. Put this mixture in one of the bottles and place it in the fridge to set the gelatin.
Step 3 – Add yeast
Add two grams of dried yeast and a teaspoon of sugar to a liter of warm water and then mix. Add this yeast mixture to the gelatin mixture, after which the CO2 generator is ready for use. It can take up to 24 hours before enough pressure from fermentation is created.
Step 4 – the final product
This mixture can provide a steady supply of CO2 for the next four to five weeks. You can control the levels of CO2 produced by adding or reducing the yeast in the mixture next time you prepare the solution.
Also, shaking the bottle that contains the solution will help speed up the formation of CO2. This solution is easy to create, which makes it the best DIY CO2 generator for grow room.
FAQs
Adding CO2 to a grow tent is an exercise that very few growers have gone through. This means there are a lot of questions on how to increase CO2 in a greenhouse that is yet to be answered. Below are some of these questions and their answers. These are issues I have encountered at a personal level.
Does Co2 Increase The Yield?
The carbon dioxide available in nature is way below the amount that plants require for a high yield. Adding CO2 to plants during their vegetation stage increases yield by up to 30%. The growth speed increases significantly, and so does the flower size for flowering plants.
Do Co2 Exhale Bags Work?
When it comes to natural CO2 for grow tent, CO2 exhale bags are an option I would use. These bags produce a plentiful supply of CO2 to your plants after activation in your grow tent. This steady supply of CO2 can go for up to six months till the time when mycelium will finish eating the substrate in the bag.
Is It Worth Adding Co2 To A Grow Tent?
Plants in the natural environment do their best to use the available resources to produce as much yield as possible. It is up to the grower to decide whether to go for more produce by boosting the CO2 levels in the grow tent.
Adding CO2 to grow tents has proved to be worthwhile because plants with this boost grow much faster and produce higher yields.
Where Should I Place My Carbon Dioxide Bag In The Grow Tent?
Carbon dioxide is by far heavier than oxygen. You should hang your carbon dioxide bottles or bag at the top of your grow tent. The gas diffuses over to your plants in the best way. You will be surprised how remarkable the performance is despite innovating the simple homemade CO2 for plants.
Conclusion
Adding CO2 to your plants has many advantages for you and the plants. A plant in the flowering stage, particularly in the first few weeks, can significantly increase in size and decrease the growing time.
There are various methods to consider for adding CO2 to your grow tents. This decision is often based on the amount you’re willing to spend to get the extra carbon dioxide.
The Cheapest way to add CO2 to grow a tent is by making a homemade carbon dioxide generator. Thankfully, this generator works by using resources readily available at home. Since many grow tents are small, this is the best solution to increase yields and give the plants this much-required gas.
