How Many Hours Should You Run Co2 For Your Indoor Plants?

Is it safe to leave the CO2 system running overnight? It’s generally not a cause for concern if your pH controller is effectively maintaining a stable pH level in your aquarium. Typically, the pH controller doesn’t activate frequently during the night, and you can expect similar behavior with your setup. You can confidently leave the system running as it is, ensuring that the pH remains stable. If your fish aren’t showing signs of distress, such as gasping for air, or if you’ve never observed such behavior, it suggests that the CO2 levels are not posing any problems. This information was originally posted on April 20, 2015.

Running a CO2 system continuously, 24/7, may not be advisable. It’s important to consider that during the night, plants undergo respiration, a process in which they release carbon dioxide (CO2) and consume oxygen (O2). This natural cycle can lead to fluctuations in the CO2 and O2 levels within your growing environment. To maintain optimal conditions for plant growth, it is essential to incorporate periods of rest for the CO2 system, allowing plants to respire and balance the gas exchange more effectively. Monitoring and regulating the CO2 levels in your indoor growing space can help ensure a stable and productive environment for your plants.

One common practice among growers involves augmenting the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) to enhance the growth and yield of their plants. However, it’s important to note that during the nighttime hours, plants do not engage in the process of photosynthesis, which means they do not actively absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. Consequently, maintaining artificially elevated CO2 levels during the nighttime period might be deemed inefficient and wasteful. This practice was discussed in a study published on March 29, 2016, which sought to shed light on whether it’s advisable to turn off CO2 supplementation at night to optimize its usage.