There are many ways to make CO2 for cannabis, from many different elements. Some people use charcoal burners to create CO2 and you can use ethyl or methyl alcohol in kerosene burners.
Then there are other natural and non-burning methods for generating CO2, some include decomposing organic materials like wood chips, hay, leaves, compost, and manure since these work best for outdoors and greenhouses, but are not practical for indoor use.
When a decomposing system is refined you can “plumb” this into your greenhouse for a source of CO2 or put these decomposing piles near and around your garden, but not too close to them. By placing them close enough to your outdoor garden they will generate heat and CO2 for your plants.
Fermentation Creates CO2
For people who are growing small amounts in their house in a small space then fermentation is an option that will produce enough CO2 for your garden. For people who don’t brew beer or wine, you can mix one (1) cup of sugar with a packet (typically 11.5 grams) of brewer’s yeast and three (3) quarts of warm water (not hot, as it can kill the yeast) in a plastic milk jug to make CO2.
Then place the jug in a warm place, preferably around 80 – 95° F (26 – 34° C) then puncture the jug to release the CO2 gradually in the room. Some growers will purchase a fermentation lock and place it in the jug to prevent contaminants from entering the jug.
These bubble CO2 through water so you will be able to tell if the jug runs out of CO2. Fermentation is an inexpensive alternative to produce CO2 and doesn’t release any heat, gases, or water. If you are brewing beer you can place your beer in the room to slowly release the CO2 into the air.
Dry Ice For CO2 Creation
Using dry ice is another way to generate CO2 for your garden though it is very expensive to use. Two (2) pounds of dry ice will raise the CO2 level in a 10 x 10-foot (3 x 3 m) room to 2,000 Parts-Per-Million (PPM).
Dry ice is carbon dioxide that has been super frozen and compressed so do not touch the ice as it can freeze your fingers as well as cause frostbite. A pound (1) of dry ice equals about a pound of liquid CO2 and dry ice is economical for smaller grows and risk-free since it releases no toxic gases, heat, or water.
CO2 From Baking Soda & Vinegar
Baking soda and vinegar have been used to create many volcanoes for science class, but it is great to create CO2 in a small indoor garden. You will want to create a system that drips vinegar into a bed of baking soda so that CO2 is constantly generated through with an erratic level of CO2 produced.
Some recipes replace vinegar with muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid), which is not recommended as it is a very dangerous acid to work with since it can burn flesh, eyes, and your respiratory system. It can even burn through concrete!
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