# co2 questions



## SevenNoOni (Oct 11, 2011)

So.. ive been doing the Diy co2 for a while now.. im sick of mixing bottles LOL. So with that being said... I dont know jack about regulators.. is there a special one i need or just any old regulator will work? I found one for 35 bucks but... In my mind all i can think of is cheap is not good with pressurized bottles ... maybe im wrong.. I just keep thinking im going to have a large scale bottle rocket in my house LOL. let me know maybe im just being worried for no reason. thanks for any and all advice! btw for those of you who know my planted tank.. im planning on dumping a ton more plants in my tank... i WANT a carpet or plants and a roof of plants lol... i just love the wild jungle look so thanks again!


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Pressurized CO2 is not as scary or overly-technical as you would think.

You'll want a dual-gauge high pressure regulator (HPR) like the Milwaukee HPR or similar. I found my HPR at a home brewing store for $60. You could do the $35 route, but my only worry is that if it's not from a reputable brand, integrity of things like the o-rings and diaphragm inside that help regulate the pressure might be compromised during accidents like tank dump.

You'll also want a good one-way brass check valve and a needle valve. The idea is to use the HPR to supply about 10 PSI from the cylinder to the needle valve, and use the needle valve to bleed out into your tank slowly. You can find good needle valves, check valves, and CO2 tubing at your local Home Depot or Lowes. You might need to get an adapter if you buy an HPR that isn't designed for aquarium use as well.

You'll want three other things to ensure your CO2 is doing what it's supposed to. First thing is a bubble counter. This, in conjunction with your needle valve, will show you exactly how much CO2 is going into your tank, usually measured in bubbles per second (BPS). Here's a list of some bubble counters: co2 bubble counter | eBay

The second thing is a good diffuser. Ceramic plate diffusers work great, as do reactors. If you're running a canister filter or sump, you can rig an in-line reactor that is great fun to do. The third thing is a CO2 drop checker. This is THE definitive way to indicate what CO2 concentrations are in your tank.

Last thing is the scary thing: Because of a pressurized CO2 system's effectiveness, you can accidentally overdose and cause anoxia (fish suffocation). To avoid this, invest in a solenoid and program it to turn off when the lights go off. Also, keep an eye on your drop checker. Yellow is bad. There's also tank dump. A pressurized CO2 cylinder has a little bit of liquefied CO2 in the bottom of the cylinder. As the cylinder discharges, the liquefied CO2 vaporizes. The presence of the liquid CO2 keeps the pressure and discharge rate of the cylinder fairly constant. When all that liquefied CO2 vaporizes towards the end of the cylinder life, the pressure inside the cylinder drops much faster and not at a regular rate. This can cause some cheaper HPR's to fail and "dump" the remaining pressure into the tank. It can either cause anoxia or in extreme cases blow the lid off the tank. I've accidentally emptied two cylinders though, and I've never experienced tank dump.

Ok, lecture done. Hope it helps!


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## SevenNoOni (Oct 11, 2011)

wow.. thank you very much.. i had no idea about tank dump scary stuff..thank you thank you ! im planning on going this road within the month. ive put everything else on my aquarium to buy list on hold.. again thank you!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

All of the CO2 in a tank is liquid, this is why it is sold by weight when you get it refilled.

If you want a decent CO2 regulator that will get you going without breaking the bank, I'd recommend a Milwaulkee MA-957 that has many of the things mentioned as an all in one piece deal (bubble counter, needle valve). They will usually run about $75-85 and are very common. I am using them on 2 out of 4 pressurized setups and have not had any issue with them yet.

Since you didn't say what size tank, I would recommend a 5lb tank for an aqaurium from 40g up to 75g and 10+ for anything bigger. If you have smaller than a 40g, you can go with a paintball setup with a standard regulato like the one I mentioned, but you'll need a PB tank adapter. I would not recommend any regulator specifically made for a paintball tank. 

Just me, but I would want a brand new tank and regulator. A new 5lb will got for about $50 and you can get a 24oz PB tank for about $25. The adaptor will cost you about $15.Good thing about PB tanks is that Dick's Sporting Goods can re-fill them for you and sell them also. I think the biggest they offer is a 20oz. The rate at which you use these tanks up will depend upon how big the tank is, how long your lighting period is, and your bubble rate.

There are numerous diffusers or reactors out there to choose from. I use the atomic diffusers offered by Green Leaf Aquariums and have had no issue with them. These will require a slightly higher operating pressure and a special rated tubing that they also sell.

I wouldn't worry about tank dump. It can happen, but I have read very little about anyone who has had a complete disaster from it. Keeping a good eye on your equipment will ensure it doesn't happen. I eyeball my gauges everyday nearly and know when it is time to get them filled.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Tank dump is the worst thing that can happen and is pretty common place with the cheaper bottom line regs. It's the single most important piece of equipment to invest in when going pressurized. That's why I got a Victor. ;o)


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Thanks for the correction on the liquid CO2. See? You learn something new every day.

Yeah, tank dump is rare and with good regulators there's virtually no worry, but it is fairly easy to overdose your tank if you have a smaller tank like I do (29 gallons).

Also, keep in mind things that agitate the surface of the water like an HOB filter's waterfall outlet, a bubbler, or even a powerhead can "gas out" the CO2 from the water, reducing the effectiveness of the pressurized system. I run a canister filter on my 29 which has submerged inlet and outlet ports. Only other pieces of hardware in my tank are my CO2 reactor and the heater.


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## SevenNoOni (Oct 11, 2011)

well i got my Co2 Diffuser today in the mail. wow it looks like a crack pipe... LOL its glass made by a company called Boyu website address is www.boyuaquariums.com pretty neat.. i got it off of Amazon for 3 bucks n some change shipped. its actually glass.. (was surprised) and the top is about the width of a 50 cent piece. thanks to everyone above for the great advice. Where my father works they use Co2 for something or other.. so he is looking to see if he can order one from there.. we shall see. and i was thinking about the PB tanks but i have a 65 Gallon i thought they would be to small. anyway thanks a bunch everyone!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

A good thing about PB tanks is they are very inexpensive, so it doesn't hurt to have one around full standing by for when that tank gives out over the weekend and the place that fills them isn't open. It has happened to me. So I have a 24oz PB tank and a PB adapter now at the ready. I have also had that occasional issue with the place that fills them is too busy and can't take the time to fill and ask you to leave and pick up the next day.

If you wanted to get into higher end pieces above the Milwalkee brand, I would go here CarbonDoser Electronic Co2 Regulator or here Supreme CO2 Regulator | Green Leaf Aquariums. They are some of the better out there. I have one of each of these. The ap.com regulator with the carbon doser doesn't use a bubble counter and is guaranteed against a tank dump scenario.


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Be careful with the glass diffusers and CO2 tubing - the tubing is very rigid and it'd be easy to break the neck of the diffuser. I would use a check valve or plastic joiner piece and hook up some airline tubing towards the end near the diffuser. Yes it's not designed for use with CO2 and will corrode over time, but it is much more stretchy and will fit over the glass neck more easily.


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