CO2 Boost- That little white CO2 bucket you see at the supply shop

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Bandit420

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Nug of the Month
August 2010
This one is easy!

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The CO2 Boost bucket is an air pump powered CO2 delivery system for small grow spaces of 4'x4' and less. It uses the air pump to move the CO2 gas from a mushroom compost in the bucket to the grow space via an aquarium air tube. The CO2 airline can be placed right on a single plant or it can be attached to the back of a fan to disperse the gas throughout the grow space.

Does it work? Yes. Infact it works excellent for what it is and if it's used in a small enough space.
Within a week I noticed more biomass on my plants than what was normal at the time and it shaved about a week off the total grow time.

The bucket does only have about a 90 day life so you basically buy one bucket per crop. The complete system retails at about $135 and a refill bucket is $110.

But lets get down to the hard numbers and facts.

Normal CO2 content outdoors is about 300ppm
Optimal grow room CO2 levels should be about 1200ppm

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Using my handy dandy Hydrofarm CO2 test kit I took an air sample at about the 55th day of use and the CO2 readings in my bloom hut were between 900 and 1000ppm. Not too shabby at all!

Will I continue to use this product? Yes but only if I have the extra cash to spend on it. It's not mandatory and it's not like it's doubling my yields. I'm seeing maybe only a 10-15% increase in yields.
I've used a tank set up in the past and hated it. The sugar/yeast concoctions look like a mess and a generator is probably too much for my small farm. The CO2 Boost seems to be a great fit for small time growers like me. Quiet, clean, and no heat. I give it an 8 out of 10. It would be a 10 for performance but the price knocks it back to an 8.
 
waste of time IMO. 10% isnt worth the agg. Im not knocking you at all, if you like it then cool. I run a NG generator in my room. Im growing in another room with a tent and no gas added. Could you do two grows...one with and one without? might give you a more tangible answer...mebe it is worth it. if its worth it I would put the bucket in in my own tent
 
PitViper said:
waste of time IMO. 10% isnt worth the agg. Im not knocking you at all, if you like it then cool. I run a NG generator in my room. Im growing in another room with a tent and no gas added. Could you do two grows...one with and one without? might give you a more tangible answer...mebe it is worth it. if its worth it I would put the bucket in in my own tent
Click to expand...

The bucket would infact be a waste or ineffective in any tent or closet larger than 4'x4'x7'. I should have also noted that one of the reasons I tried this deal was because I got it for only $23 after trading in some old light systems to my supply shop that deals in used gear. So my initial invest was not a bank breaker.

My previous grows in the same tent with the same strain are the only grows that I have to compare with. The increase was nothing significant that would make me think the co2 boost bucket was necessary. I really dont care if my plants finish a week early or not so that's why I would only continue to use it if I can afford it. I see the CO2 boost as more of a treat for my plants than anything.
I move a ton of fresh air thru my tent and I actually believe that is more beneficial to my garden than closing up the space and using the CO2 boost. I apply the boost thru a fan across the top 12" of the canopy as the fresh air moves thru. I dont make any efforts to contain it. Kind of a blow it across the plants and let it go where it may philosophy.

I would eventually like to use a MiniGen from Hydro Innovations since I already have the water and air cooling system established but right now it's out of the budget at $350 for the gen and $250 for the controller. (my garden is a totally nonprofit grow) If I can get the CO2 ppm in the bloom tent to 900ppm for about a 10% increase in yields then the increase from 1200ppm would have to nearly double my yields and I'm not convinced that would happen.
I should also note that the increase did not come from bigger buds but the plants had more bud covering their branches and stocks than previous grows. Basically I have plants being more efficient in their production for the space they take up if that makes any sense.

I think the key for me and using CO2 in my small farm is to focus on the mushroom compost being a viable source of CO2 for a small garden. I found a nursery nearby that sells pure mushroom compost for about $6 a bag. I'm thinking about replenishing the compost in the bucket with the bagged stuff and maybe adding some diluted hygrozyme or another enzyme/microbe product to get the compost activated and alive. Since I already have a test kit I can try out the homemade version to see if it produces a comparable amount of gas to the manufactured version. If it works then growers like me could make up their own batches and just have to invest in the modified air pump the co2 boost bucket uses.
I'm going to try the home made version before I buy a refill bucket.
I dont have any plans on expanding my operation any larger so I feel for me that this is the best and most budget friendly path to take right now.
 
orangeblood said:
The bucket would infact be a waste or ineffective in any tent or closet larger than 4'x4'x7'. I should have also noted that one of the reasons I tried this deal was because I got it for only $23 after trading in some old light systems to my supply shop that deals in used gear. So my initial invest was not a bank breaker.

My previous grows in the same tent with the same strain are the only grows that I have to compare with. The increase was nothing significant that would make me think the co2 boost bucket was necessary. I really dont care if my plants finish a week early or not so that's why I would only continue to use it if I can afford it. I see the CO2 boost as more of a treat for my plants than anything.
I move a ton of fresh air thru my tent and I actually believe that is more beneficial to my garden than closing up the space and using the CO2 boost. I apply the boost thru a fan across the top 12" of the canopy as the fresh air moves thru. I dont make any efforts to contain it. Kind of a blow it across the plants and let it go where it may philosophy.

I would eventually like to use a MiniGen from Hydro Innovations since I already have the water and air cooling system established but right now it's out of the budget at $350 for the gen and $250 for the controller. (my garden is a totally nonprofit grow) If I can get the CO2 ppm in the bloom tent to 900ppm for about a 10% increase in yields then the increase from 1200ppm would have to nearly double my yields and I'm not convinced that would happen.
I should also note that the increase did not come from bigger buds but the plants had more bud covering their branches and stocks than previous grows. Basically I have plants being more efficient in their production for the space they take up if that makes any sense.

I think the key for me and using CO2 in my small farm is to focus on the mushroom compost being a viable source of CO2 for a small garden. I found a nursery nearby that sells pure mushroom compost for about $6 a bag. I'm thinking about replenishing the compost in the bucket with the bagged stuff and maybe adding some diluted hygrozyme or another enzyme/microbe product to get the compost activated and alive. Since I already have a test kit I can try out the homemade version to see if it produces a comparable amount of gas to the manufactured version. If it works then growers like me could make up their own batches and just have to invest in the modified air pump the co2 boost bucket uses.
I'm going to try the home made version before I buy a refill bucket.
I dont have any plans on expanding my operation any larger so I feel for me that this is the best and most budget friendly path to take right now.
Click to expand...

have you tried the homemade refill compost? I recently purchased a bucket and feel the refills are waytoo expensive to continue.. I mainly wanted it for a sealed closet setup that is fully loaded. Now heres another question, my hood is a air cooled with an odor sok and an exhaust 40w fan af the top of the sealed closet do you think I would be sucking out the CO2 thru the odor sok ? i'n thinking the co2 maybe heavy enough not sure...
 
Why go out and waste a bunch of time trying to create the mushroom substrate when there is one that works if used correctly. That's just my opinion. I am a big fan of Co2 boost and have had great results with the product. I just run the hose directly over the plants and it works. Orangeblood uses a fan to distribute Co2 into his garden which works too, but not as efficiently as the direct way. Orangeblood, have you set up the bucket with a timer? If not then that reading sounds about right. The bucket lasts up to 60 days if not coordinated with a timer.
 
shaunyblaze said:
have you tried the homemade refill compost? I recently purchased a bucket and feel the refills are waytoo expensive to continue.. I mainly wanted it for a sealed closet setup that is fully loaded. Now heres another question, my hood is a air cooled with an odor sok and an exhaust 40w fan af the top of the sealed closet do you think I would be sucking out the CO2 thru the odor sok ? i'n thinking the co2 maybe heavy enough not sure...
Click to expand...

TheBeanDip said:
Why go out and waste a bunch of time trying to create the mushroom substrate when there is one that works if used correctly. That's just my opinion. I am a big fan of Co2 boost and have had great results with the product. I just run the hose directly over the plants and it works. Orangeblood uses a fan to distribute Co2 into his garden which works too, but not as efficiently as the direct way. Orangeblood, have you set up the bucket with a timer? If not then that reading sounds about right. The bucket lasts up to 60 days if not coordinated with a timer.
Click to expand...

I have indeed created my own mushroom compost co2.
By simply using a couple 5 lb sacks of mushroom compost along with Medina's compost activator I've made my own co2 boost bucket refill for less than $20.
$20 compared to $115 is well worth the time. Especially since I'm making 5 gallon buckets of the stuff for my larger bloom cab compared to the 1 gallon bucket from co2 boost which does not produce enough co2 for a larger area and a batch only takes about 5 minutes to make up.
My co2 pump runs on the same electrical circuit as my lights so yes it is timed. I'm also only using it for the first 5 weeks of bloom. After 5 weeks the co2 is not needed in great abundance. After 5 weeks fresh clean air is having a better effect in my garden than heavily laden co2 air.
I've also found the co2 to have a good effect on clones and vegging plants.
:morenutes:
 
Bandit420 said:
I have indeed created my own mushroom compost co2.
By simply using a couple 5 lb sacks of mushroom compost along with Medina's compost activator I've made my own co2 boost bucket refill for less than $20.
$20 compared to $115 is well worth the time. Especially since I'm making 5 gallon buckets of the stuff for my larger bloom cab compared to the 1 gallon bucket from co2 boost which does not produce enough co2 for a larger area and a batch only takes about 5 minutes to make up.
My co2 pump runs on the same electrical circuit as my lights so yes it is timed. I'm also only using it for the first 5 weeks of bloom. After 5 weeks the co2 is not needed in great abundance. After 5 weeks fresh clean air is having a better effect in my garden than heavily laden co2 air.
I've also found the co2 to have a good effect on clones and vegging plants.
:morenutes:
Click to expand...
Can you post some pics and a DIY guide to building your Mushroom Compost CO2 system?
 
Yo...newbie here. I've read this thread with interest while doing some research pre purchase of a CO2 Boost bucket. It seems you had decent luck(?) with the product. My inclination after reading through the few posts above is to buy the CO2 Boost bucket initially, then subsequently make my own mix of mushroom compost / compost activator and reuse the same bucket / pump to save a few $$. Based on your experience is this doable? My cabinet is relatively small: 42"h x 36"w X 24"d, so I believe the one lb bucket should supply acceptable levels of CO2 for that space.

Would you kindly advise what products and in what ratios you use to create your own mix?

Many thanks!!!
 
jokojay said:
Yo...newbie here. I've read this thread with interest while doing some research pre purchase of a CO2 Boost bucket. It seems you had decent luck(?) with the product. My inclination after reading through the few posts above is to buy the CO2 Boost bucket initially, then subsequently make my own mix of mushroom compost / compost activator and reuse the same bucket / pump to save a few $$. Based on your experience is this doable? My cabinet is relatively small: 42"h x 36"w X 24"d, so I believe the one lb bucket should supply acceptable levels of CO2 for that space.

Would you kindly advise what products and in what ratios you use to create your own mix?

Many thanks!!!
Click to expand...

When I tried to make my own batch I came up with a foul mess after a few days.
My next attempt was to buy the $30 co2 bags ExHale and use that in the boost bucket since what is in the ExHale is the same as what's in the boost bucket. Same amount too.
It works and it does produce co2. However i also ran a mold test to see if there were any mold spores being produced and sure enough there was. After the test I quit using mushroom compost co2 in favor of fresh air.

There's no question this is a viable method of getting co2. I would just like to see more users invest in the $10 mold test kit at Home Depot and test their buckets to see what they get.

:peacetwo:
 
Spore Syringes and pre-sterilized bags of substrate with filter and self sealing injection point can be found at many online microscopy shops.

Does anyone know what strain of mushroom this is, and what substrate is ideal?
 
ForestKlown said:
Spore Syringes and pre-sterilized bags of substrate with filter and self sealing injection point can be found at many online microscopy shops.

Does anyone know what strain of mushroom this is, and what substrate is ideal?
Click to expand...

It's called a mycellial mass. Sorry if my spelling is off.:hookah:
I think that's just a fancy name for fungus or mushroom.
Trying to find info on how it produces co2 is one of the hardest searches of info I have ever tried and I've since given up on it.
From what i understand the mass is basically a big white clump of fungus like what you might find under a rotting log in a forest. That mass is in there with a little bit of manure and sawdust.
What has alway bewildered me is...is the mass alive or dead? If it's alive does it eat? What function of it's existence produces co2? Is it dead and the co2 comes from it's decomposing biomass? How is the mass made?
:tokin:
 
Mycelium is the underground structure of fungus. It is alive and actively decomposing the substrate. If conditions are right, mushrooms will grow. As oxygen and substrate are consumed co2 is released. Substrate depends on the strain of fungus your trying to cultivate. Some strains like dung, some like brown rice flower, some saw dust, some rye grain...ect.

Check out "everythingmushrooms.com". They sell pre-sterilized spawn bags with different substrates and injection ports. They also sell spore syringes ....so all you have to do is sterilize the needle, and inject the bag through the injection port and let it grow.

The question is, Which strain produces the most co2 per hour?
 
Definitely! Everything has to be sterilized. You only want 1 type of fungus growing. If there are contaminants, its all ruined. Look out for green, black, and red spots. That's why it's easier to buy the pre-sterilized substrate bags. These bags have a special filter to keep mold spores out while letting the "cake" get the oxygen it needs and expelling co2.

It's also possible to open these pre-sterilized bags in an air tight sterilized glove box and place some of the spent cake from the co2 boost bucket into the fresh uncultivated substrate instead of using a new spore syringe. This is very tricky!

Checkout "Shroomery.org" for mushroom cultivation information. That site is to mushrooms as this site is to Marijuana.
 
ForestKlown said:
Definitely! Everything has to be sterilized. You only want 1 type of fungus growing. If there are contaminants, its all ruined. Look out for green, black, and red spots. That's why it's easier to buy the pre-sterilized substrate bags. These bags have a special filter to keep mold spores out while letting the "cake" get the oxygen it needs and expelling co2.

It's also possible to open these pre-sterilized bags in an air tight sterilized glove box and place some of the spent cake from the co2 boost bucket into the fresh uncultivated substrate instead of using a new spore syringe. This is very tricky!

Checkout "Shroomery.org" for mushroom cultivation information. That site is to mushrooms as this site is to Marijuana.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Buddy!
I realize now it was totally amateur hour when I tried to come up with my own batch.
My trials and tribulations with diy mycellial co2 are over but I would love to see somebody else knock it out of the park. The info you provided just might spark somebody into doing it one of these days!
:peacetwo:
 
I wouldn't grow without a boost bucket going behind one of my fan's in the far corner blowing over the tops, so it can rain down before the exhaust catches it at the opposite corner. Other than converting over to a Co2 tank this is the best I've found.
 
Flipping Great Idea!!! ForestKlown, I owe u won on this idea cause I have four pumps and numerous used buckets collecting dust. I never have been sold on the bags after trying because of their dispursment but this is the ticket. It makes perfect common sense. I really appreciate it, you've just saved me some big bucks cause I know they'll work. Wow, this is cool, can't wait to get them put in each corner. Thanks so much for paying forward, happy gardening
 
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