[Wet Thumb Forum]-CO2 questions - Fertilizing

countrymouse · 07-12-2003, 11:14 AM

Unfortunately I didn't take chemistry, so what I understand about using CO2 is very simplistic. I have read that CO2 dissolved in water is carbonic acid, and that plants take up carbon from that. I've also read several comments (all over the www) about CO2 "off-gassing" with too much surface turbulence. Does the carbonic acid return to a gaseous state? Or is the offgassed CO2 that which didn't get a chance to dissolve?

countrymouse · 07-12-2003, 11:14 AM

Unfortunately I didn't take chemistry, so what I understand about using CO2 is very simplistic. I have read that CO2 dissolved in water is carbonic acid, and that plants take up carbon from that. I've also read several comments (all over the www) about CO2 "off-gassing" with too much surface turbulence. Does the carbonic acid return to a gaseous state? Or is the offgassed CO2 that which didn't get a chance to dissolve?

Roger Miller · 07-12-2003, 06:02 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by countrymouse:
I have read that CO2 dissolved in water is carbonic acid, and that plants take up carbon from that. I've also read several comments (all over the www) about CO2 "off-gassing" with too much surface turbulence. Does the carbonic acid return to a gaseous state? Or is the offgassed CO2 that which didn't get a chance to dissolve?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

"Carbonic acid" doesn't actually exist as a real compound. It is shorthand for "carbon dioxide dissolved in water." The pure gas dissolves easily in water and just as easily the dissolved gas escapes into the air.

Roger Miller