well since i am new to aquatic plants and am going to use co2 lets here about some horror stories and safety tips for both diy and pressurized.
CO2, horror stories and tips
- Thread starter wannabefishguru
- Start date
i like the reactor chamber on a pressurized CO2 system. Much better utilization of CO2.
Timers--get your system on timers.
Fertilize, Fertilize, Fertilize.
Too much CO2 kills fish--make certain you have some way to regulate and monitor the amount of CO2 going into tank.
Timers--get your system on timers.
Fertilize, Fertilize, Fertilize.
Too much CO2 kills fish--make certain you have some way to regulate and monitor the amount of CO2 going into tank.
Well, let's see. My CO2 experimentation on one tank was an instant success. The other tank, the diy bottle was too close to a heating duct, so the temp fluctuated and the yeast went crazy, overflowed the bottle into the tank. Then, I unplugged the tube from the stop valve and left the one end of the tubing hanging out of the tank. Water slowly siphoned out through the airstone, up the tube and onto the floor. Yeah, stupid, I know. As for the bottle, the other end of the line clogged up in the stop valve and pressure built up in the bottle. By the time I got around to taking care of the bottle, it was pressurized beyond capacity, and when my stepdaughter picked up the bottle, the stop valve came loose and hit the wall rather forcefully... only inches from my head. Yeah... very stupid, I know.
If you do diy, make sure there is a stop valve (to keep water from backing up into the bottle) on the line. A lot of people also have a second bottle on the line so that any liquid that gets into the line doesn't go into the tank. Make sure the diy bottle is in a secure place where it won't get knocked over.
Get KH and pH test kits to make sure that you don't have too much co2 going into the tank.
If you do diy, make sure there is a stop valve (to keep water from backing up into the bottle) on the line. A lot of people also have a second bottle on the line so that any liquid that gets into the line doesn't go into the tank. Make sure the diy bottle is in a secure place where it won't get knocked over.
Get KH and pH test kits to make sure that you don't have too much co2 going into the tank.
so as long as my co2 tank doesnt tip over i should have a torpedo right, and what about the pressure inside the co2 tank and temperature of the house. like getting it filled in the winter then securing it in the back of the truck and bringing it inside. does that pose a risk? or vice versa as in a hot day then brought into a cool house?
tank safety
Cold is not the problem, heating a pressurized tank may be. As the tank heats from the outside temp, like the warehouse where it was stored, to your home temp, it sees a higher pressure. The tank is built for this, that is why it is tested, so don't worry about a 100 psi rise or so. But, if you were to leave this tank in the car, on a summer day, with the windows up, and the temp got to 180 in there .... it might blow the pressure valve out and the whole thing will vent.
Cold is not the problem, heating a pressurized tank may be. As the tank heats from the outside temp, like the warehouse where it was stored, to your home temp, it sees a higher pressure. The tank is built for this, that is why it is tested, so don't worry about a 100 psi rise or so. But, if you were to leave this tank in the car, on a summer day, with the windows up, and the temp got to 180 in there .... it might blow the pressure valve out and the whole thing will vent.
Well there are actually plenty of horror stories that can easily be found with a google search. While reading into pressurized CO2 i came across several bottles "exploding" - a few in hot cars - and some in tank stands or blowing off their content into tanks and killing everything.
I am still a bit worried about that but i also found things that can prevent these things from happening.
I am still a bit worried about that but i also found things that can prevent these things from happening.
