emmersed set up n co2

[baruch mor]

what is the best way to add extra co2 to emmersed growing plants?
its a 2m*2m*2m greenhouse with hydrophonic set up. the plants are growing in a rock-wool substrate full of water and 2cm above the rockwool line. should i dose co2 to the water or from above?
how much should i dose?

 

[Ian H]

Re: emmersed set up n co2

Now that's an interesting question.

I think the answer would be based on how your plants are set up. If they are in containers with sides higher than the tallest growth then just squirt some CO2 in there until you 'fill' to the brim. Try the lighted match test to check. Bare in mind that CO2 is heavier than air.

It's not really feasible to fill the 2m cubed area as you would need an aqualung to survive in it. Plus the volume needed of course.

Good luck.

Ian

 

[andrewmcleod]

Re: emmersed set up n co2

I know that some large commercial greenhouses burn butane to produce an elevated level of CO2 (there is only ~0.03% in the atmosphere naturally, so you don't need to add that much). But I thought the reason that we added CO2 to aquariums was because submersed plants had much greater difficulty in obtaining the dissolved CO2 than terrestrial plants; I also thought this meant that plants which reached the surface in an aquarium got access to atmospheric CO2 which helps their growth rate.
In other words, it may not be needed to add CO2 to emersed plants.
This could also explain why most aquatic plants are grown emersed - simply because CO2 is easier to get to when the plant is emersed.