CO2 Regulators HELP!

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moore1

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Jan 5, 2003
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I am looking at purchasing a CO2 regulator. I am down to the M3, JBJ or the Milwalkee Instruments. Any insight on the one to go with? I want a silinoid which all these have. Also what other components are recommended with this (reactor, diffuser, ph monitor, etc).

thanks in advance!
 
You may want to take this to the Equipment & DIY forum.

I have heard from other people that the Mulwaukee is a good one. I have one coming in the mail. I think any of the 3 would work ok. JBJ has great lights, can't speak to the quality of their regulators though.

And yes a solenoid is nice to have. It took me forever to figure out how to spell & pronounce that one :)
 
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besides the regulator that comes with a solinoid, needle valve and bubble counter, whatelse did you get for your setup? Did you get a diffuser to disperse the CO2 gas in the tank? I am trying to figure out whatelse to get. I might get a ph monitor to make things simple too.
 
I'm going to try feeding the CO2 into my canister filter. If it doesn't cause an air-lock it should diffuse well enough. If that doesn't work I will get (or more likely make) a diffuser that works inline with my canister. I didn't think there would be enough need for a ph monitor so I opted against it. I'd rather spend the $100 on another filter or more light or something.

Not to be mean or anything but it's spelled solenoid. To remember I think of it as sole (as in the sole of your shoe) and noid. Just FYI, not trying to offend :)
 
My first regulator was "M-3" and it failed. Of course that was part my fault (I think), since the CO2 tank ran out of gas. Running out completely could damage the regulator -- so I have heard...

I now have a 'fixed working pressure' AquaMedic regulator that seems fine. The first week was frustrating getting it to stabilize, or get a steady bubble flow from it. The "drift" seems to have stopped.
 
My first regulator was "M-3" and it failed. Of course that was part my fault (I think), since the CO2 tank ran out of gas. Running out completely could damage the regulator -- so I have heard...
Click to expand...

Smells like Urban legend to me, running out of gas should never damage anything, including your fish if you do things right.

As long as there is liquid in a CO2 tank it will have the same pressure. After you are just working on gas, no liquid left, the pressure begins to drop, at which point some regulators fail to regulate and let out all the remaining gas at once (they should _not_ break). This is the so-called end of tank dump that has killed a lot of fish... the very very simple solution to this problem is to keep most of the pressure drop in the system over a needle valve. Folks were using these sintered CO2 diffusors without a needle value, relying on the diffusor to reg. pressure - very bad idea. use a needle valve, no problem with dumping...

at any rate, I use a cheap homebrewing regulator and needle valve from clippard, total cost of system was something like 150 US with a full tank, could not be happier, 2 years on one system, 3 on the other, absolutely no problems.
 
Originally posted by JLudwig
Smells like Urban legend to me, running .......regulators fail to regulate and let out all the remaining gas at once (they should _not_ break). This is the so-called end of tank dump that has killed a lot of fish.........
Click to expand...
Urban Legend to some -- not to me.
The 'regulated' side of my old M-3 is stuck at 30psi...
The diaphram inside the regulator can be damaged by "end-of-tank" dumps. Unless the 3 or 4 articles on this subject are actually CO2 Urban Legends..!

Either way, my M-3 'bit the dust' on a 'end of tank dump'. I prefer never to buy another M-3 CO2 regulator and risk wasting (more) money... :rolleyes:
 
Originally posted by JLudwig


Smells like..........
..........
Folks were using these sintered CO2 diffusors without a needle value, relying on the diffusor to reg. pressure - very bad idea. use a needle valve, no problem with dumping........
Click to expand...

You 'can' still have a "dump" of CO2 with a needle valve. The main pressure gage should be checked regularily. Look for any sudden drops in psi -- and don't wait to re-fill the tank when you notice a change.

It's never a good idea to use pressurized CO2 without a needle valve.... ...can't imagine that! :(
 
It's never a good idea to use pressurized CO2 without a needle valve.... ...can't imagine that! :(
Click to expand...

Well, one older internet vendor sold these "high pressure" CO2 systems almost exclusively for a few years... infact you can prolly still find a lot of details about these setups on the Krib.

M-3 doesn't actually make the regulators, do you know brand/model it was? You _were_ using a needle valve... NuPro/Clippard? If so, could you please post all of the details of this setup to the aquatic plants digestm (fins.actwin.com)?? I have never heard of anything like this, and the running conventional wisdom on the list is that with a needle value you're okay, it would be really helpful to get this story out methinks....

The idea is that the needle valve should be operating in a choked flow regime during a dump and therefore regulate the max flow to something safe.... but this is theory and you actually lost equipment....
 
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