Co2 Technical problem..AGAIN. This is torture...Need some help

[The Zigman]

either the checkvalves are stuck, or installed backwards as stated, or the bubble counters arent sealing tight...

there is more than enough co2 pressure to push the water out of your checkvalves if properly functioning.

The low pressure on your regulator should be around 15-20 PSI if the gauge is broken, replace it, because you are just guessing... dont guess, know what you are doing. That gauge could say 20 PSI and only be 5 PSI in reality.

You could try to slowly adjust the pressure up and see what happens, but I think YOU need to replace that gauge.

What size is the co2 tank you are using, and what is the tank pressure?

 

[Nolapete]

There's no reason to have the low pressure reading over 11 psi. 11 psi is plenty enough pressure to clear any CO2 tubing of water.

Just remove the check valve from the line and see if there's flow through the line before it. If there is, reverse the check valve.

 

[yourchoice]

Forget hardware stores or even places that refill tanks.Aquariun co2 is not common except for with aquarium hobbyist.Just dealing with Rex is your best bet.

 

[NeonFlux]

I answered your other post, so I don't know why you've started another post, but I'll try again to help you.

I have Rex's best regulator with Ideal valve and a manifold with several Falco valves and Rex's bubble counters connected to them, so I'm familiar with the regulator.

Couple of obvious questions, but necessary to eliminate oopses that I've done.

Is your CO2 tank valve open all the way?

Is your solenoid plugged in to electricity?

What does the high pressure valve read?

You said the low pressure can go up to 20, but for this set it back to 11 as shown on Rex's site http://www.rexgrigg.com/regset.html

How many hose connections do you have to the manifold?

Describe each connection:

In example, hose is connected to needle valve then to check valve then to bubble counter then to check valve then to diffuser.

Dumb question, but did you check to make sure your check valves are going the right direction? Can you blow air through them the way they are pointing? I think that might be your problem on the two not working.

CO2 valve is opened all the way.

Solenoid is plugged.

High pressure is about 500 PSI.

Oh, about the hose connections? four. 4 Fabco NV's.

Looks like this.

I have a 20 pound cylinder.
Mhm. Thanks Pete for your advice, I will take it, and you too 1ooop, jmhart, Zigman, thanks you guys for helping out, I'm gonna double check the check valves tonight and I'll see what's up.

 

[NeonFlux]

I just fixed my co2 problem, very delighting, however there is still one more problem. Looks I have a air leakage problem. I reckon the co2 pressure in my manifold is not all that great, only when I crank one NV up super high, it does it's job and push the water that is in the check valve and the co2 tubing into the diffusers, co2 reactor...and out goes co2 bubbles into the ceramic disc. I turned on one of my 10 gallon's NV's all the way open, and there's a bubbly sound around my manifold and only that does the co2 diffuser gets enough pressure. There is no pressure in the co2 tubing so that means I have a leakage, right?

What should I do? take apart the manifold, apply more pipe dope to the folds? or apply it like your sealing a crack with silicone? So one problem solved, now four ports are working properly, thanks for the advice from you guys and people from PlantedTank!.. should I use windex just to check if I really do have a air leak anyway??

 

[NeonFlux]

Well what da ya know, have a look.

Believe it or not, I applied pipe dope already on all of the bubbles I seen and this proves it's still not air tight... maybe pipe dope isn't dried yet? Or I applied too much?? This is the only two areas that was bubbling, applied dope, still like this?!. Perhaps I need a stronger glue?

 

[The Zigman]

Glue?
What are you gluing?
Use pipe dope (thread compound)
the yellow is better than the white. the white stays soft, the yellow will set up with time.
if it is leaking take it apart, and reseal it, Make sure it is as tight as you can get it without stripping the threads...

be careful NOT to get the compound inside the pipes as it will plug everything up, which may have already happened..

I cant believe how complicated this has become...

 

[NeonFlux]

Glue?
What are you gluing?
Use pipe dope (thread compound)
the yellow is better than the white. the white stays soft, the yellow will set up with time.
if it is leaking take it apart, and reseal it, Make sure it is as tight as you can get it without stripping the threads...

be careful NOT to get the compound inside the pipes as it will plug everything up, which may have already happened..

I cant believe how complicated this has become...

Yeah, I am using pipe dope... btw what do you mean by plugged like stuck together hard? It's not too complicated now since I know I got the co2 running...but it looks like things are not air tight

 

[The Zigman]

no, I am saying, if you arent careful and get the pipe dope inside the pipe, it will stop the flow of co2.. it will plug up the pipe.

 

[NeonFlux]

no, I am saying, if you arent careful and get the pipe dope inside the pipe, it will stop the flow of co2.. it will plug up the pipe.

Oh god. That sounds awful. Such consenquencesss...!! X_X I hope I didn't over do it. I know I didn't....hopefully..well, gee, thanks zigman for letting me know, now I know I should be a little more on the cautious side..Maybe I always should with all this co2 stuff..exaggerating...How long does it take for the yellow pipe dope to set? It doesn't harden, right? Or it actually does after a long period of time?