How Can You Use CO2 for Hydroponics?

Hydroponics is the process of growing plants in water, without soil. The benefits of using this method with carbon dioxide are plenty, including a faster growth and more productive crops, so a lot of farmers have opted for this instead of the more traditional method of planting seeds in the ground.

The trick to get the most out of this technique is to make sure the CO₂ is used correctly. First it is necessary you ensure that your space has the optimal conditions for the use of hydroponics, which means you need to pay attention to the light levels, the temperature and the carbon dioxide levels, for example. This is because if the space is overheated or infested with bugs, the plants will be more worried with surviving than growing strong!

After everything is set perfectly, it’s time to use the CO₂. You can apply it in different conditions or growth stages, like:

 

Weather Conditions

The addition of carbon dioxide is usually not necessary at night, since photosynthesis occurs in daylight. Still, if the day is cloudy, CO₂ can help boost the process, so add the gas before sunrise and shut it off before sunset. But the gas can also be useful at night if you’re using high-pressure sodium lighting, for example, so that the levels of carbon dioxide are optimal and it works well with the lights.

Seedling or Rootling Stages

Adding the gas when the crops are at the seedling or rootling stage can offer great benefits for many farmers: the crops grow faster and in larger quantity. If your crops have covers, you can release the gas under them and then remove them so that your plants or vegetables can receive fresh air during the night. This way, both the seeds and the roots receive a boost, since they’re still ‘impressionable’ enough that the gas will stimulate the crops in a way that wouldn’t happen without it.

‘Green’ Stages

A lot of farmers choose to apply the gas during this vegetative, or ‘green growth’ stage, because the plant is already established in terms of growth: the crops have roots that are now spreading, they’ve been receiving plenty of light, and they have lots of leaves that look vibrant. So that extra boost of gas can shorten the time that your plants are growing, meaning that they grow to the desired size more quickly!

Here at Adams Gas, we believe that hydroponics is a great method for people who want their produce to grow healthy faster, so we’re proud to offer the best CO₂ bottles for your crops. And did you know our bottles can also be used in the trade industry? We provide MIG welding gas bottles and gas for beer and cellars as well. Feel free to contact our team with any questions you might have, or call us on 0800 195 444. You can also follow us on Facebook.