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Does Co2 hurt bud quality?

A bit of a debate going on over on another board,some growers are claiming buds grown with Co2 lack in taste, potency and trich production compared to their non Co2 grown counterparts. Obviously yields go up with the use of gas but these guys are saying that you sacrifice quality for that extra yield. I am about to add Co2 for the first time in a large sealed room setup,seeing this debate kind of got me a bit worried if I am making the right move. Got stellar results for years without the Co2 but had to switch to a sealed room so I am pretty sure I need it. Any input on the subject would be great,thanks in advance.
 

orpanic

Member
well,,if you add CO2 to a room NOT dialed in, then you will have more problems..a room dialed in then add CO2 that will boost you...as for potency I don't think those folks know what they are talking about, I think their shit is not dialed in, so they saw problems>less potent.
 
So you are saying if one has nice healthy plants and adds Co2 they should see nothing but increased yields? (meaning no loss in taste or potency)
 

darrmann

Member
In my opinion and many others you cannot do without co2 ,especially in a sealed rm. Co2 levels drop to around 300 in about 2 hours. plants will die if under this. they say that around 1500 is what you want to keep it for optimal use. I have 2 rms roughly 10x12 and use it and get great tasting buds. You can buy a regulator for $150 and a bottle for$75 with $15 refills. My small 20# bottle lasts about 2 mths.
 

max_well

Member
I've seen some strains that do not respond well to co2 in terms of the effect it has on trichome production / aroma; I don't know whether this is because the enhanced co2 changes the nutrient requirements or amplifies imbalances that might be present, but I've have definitely worked with strains that loose some shine running co2 (but show significant yield increase).
My advice is to introduce co2 in a graded way, stepping it up each week and peaking at 1500ppm in week 5-6 of flower for ~8-9 week strains.

In my opinion and many others you cannot do without co2 ,especially in a sealed rm. Co2 levels drop to around 300 in about 2 hours. plants will die if under this. they say that around 1500 is what you want to keep it for optimal use. I have 2 rms roughly 10x12 and use it and get great tasting buds. You can buy a regulator for $150 and a bottle for$75 with $15 refills. My small 20# bottle lasts about 2 mths.

Wow your 20# lasts 2 months? My room must not be truly sealed, because my tanks last only a week (10' X12' room also, aircooled).. I guess the aircooled ducts and lights are probably not truly sealed and drain tanks..
 
Yes Max Well,that is exactly what these guys on another board are saying. The exact strain grown under the same conditions lacked taste,potency and frost compared to the non CO2 grown plants. They claim to have everything in the room dialed in properly.
 

darrmann

Member
I've seen some strains that do not respond well to co2 in terms of the effect it has on trichome production / aroma; I don't know whether this is because the enhanced co2 changes the nutrient requirements or amplifies imbalances that might be present, but I've have definitely worked with strains that loose some shine running co2 (but show significant yield increase).
My advice is to introduce co2 in a graded way, stepping it up each week and peaking at 1500ppm in week 5-6 of flower for ~8-9 week strains.



Wow your 20# lasts 2 months? My room must not be truly sealed, because my tanks last only a week (10' X12' room also, aircooled).. I guess the aircooled ducts and lights are probably not truly sealed and drain tanks..

you must not have it on the right setting a rm that size only needs to be on the lowest setting. I think the calculations tell you to put it on .09 2x an hour.i only go .09 1x an hour
 

Row

Member
I have found that if the CO2 is left high to close to the end of flowering it can indeed reduce the quality slightly, but so long as you dial the co2 down towards the end it only has beneficial effects imo.

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MedResearcher

Member
Veteran
Imo the potency lost is complete BS.

Co2 itself has a slight smell, so if you run high ppms up until the end the smell will get a bit zapped. During flush I drop down to 900 or so ppms.


Depending on elevation the air has more Co2 in it naturally. Claming that Co2 lowers potency is like saying the higher in elevation it is grown the lower potency it is. Imo it is the exact opposite.


I would guess the people who have poor potency are dealing with grower error and blaming it on Co2. I watched my buddy add a Co2 burner to his vented room which already had environmental problems, and they just got worst from the added heat/humidity. He put the burner away after 1 cycle. Personally I have been spraying around 1500 ppm for the last 3+ years and never ever lack potency with any of the 20 or so different strains I have ran.

Just finished a full room of Kens GDP, day 56 and about 95% of every nug is completely black/purple^^

Mr^^
 

Row

Member
Co2 is an ethylene inhibitor, ethylene is an aging hormone that plants produce at different stages, ripening being one. So to much co2 at the end of the crop can inhibit ripening and impact the quality.

There is some better info about this out there but i cba to find it, this link kinda juts mentions it a llittle, just so you know im not talking crap

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC158301/
 

headiez247

shut the fuck up Donny
Veteran
I had never heard about this, and now I'm real curious because I just keep mine at 1500.
 

Lazyman

Overkill is under-rated.
Veteran
Yeah SecondTry mentioned ethylene production and that CO2 should never go past 1000ppm (it is pretty much wasted above 1000) and to drop it down or off in the last couple weeks. Do a search and you can find posts with ethylene + co2
 

Natagonnaworrie

If you love life, don't waste time. For time is wh
Veteran
come another vote for it helps veg, flower, riping and everything else...

(maybe not curing :comfort:)
 

pokergod

Member
Is that to say that those of us who run perpetual systems may want to avoid c02 altogether?

Nah, you can use it in a perpetual, it just won't be as effective on the one's that you are about to harvest as the younger plants.
 

!!!

Now in technicolor
Veteran
I don't use CO2 but have read that heat reduces potency, and to get benefits from CO2, you usually have to run the plants at a high temp (heat is a catalyst and CO2 helps the plants tolerate 90F+)
 
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