The info on different pressurized CO2 systems seems to be widely dispersed throughout this forum. Could you all please list the many different types that you use and briefly give a review of its quality and effectiveness. Thanks
list of pressurized CO2 systems please
- Thread starter Alaric
- Start date
They're mostly all the same. Or at least as mostly the same as DIY gets. Everyone's is slightly different. If you see references to this or that system they're generally references to suppliers or to DIY pages that describe setups. The setups are generally very similar.
You'll need a tank and a place that can fill it (they ship empty, have to be filled somewhere).
A regulator, generally the dual guage type: how much is in the tank and pressure on the line.
A needle valve. You can go cheap (regular Home Depot type) here or get one with finer control. A lot of folks like the Clippards for a good quality needle valve although better (and more expensive) one's exist. I got an AquaMedic regulator that came with a decent needle valve attached.
A check valve.
A bubble-counter. You can buy them or make them.
Airline hose. It needs to be impervious to CO2. The green stuff at the FishStore is good and most folks seem to use that.
Some sort of reactor/diffuser. There is a powerhead type and a tube-with-stuff-in-it type that's normally hooked up to a canister filter (still collecting parts). Airstones aren't particularly efficient, feeding it into an HOB (my current setup) isn't particularly efficient. There are reactors you can buy. One's with membranes, ones that look like slightly more polished versions of the DIY models. This is probably the area with the most variation.
And that's the basic setup.
If you want to get fancier some folks attach solenoids to turn the gas off on a timer or with a pH sensor. Other folks put airstones on timers against the lights to drive off CO2 at night. Other folks (like me) let it run 24/7.
With the right lights and ferts it'll make a tremendous difference in growth. I wish I'd taken before an after shots and mine is only two weeks old -- I'm still watching after happen.
You'll need a tank and a place that can fill it (they ship empty, have to be filled somewhere).
A regulator, generally the dual guage type: how much is in the tank and pressure on the line.
A needle valve. You can go cheap (regular Home Depot type) here or get one with finer control. A lot of folks like the Clippards for a good quality needle valve although better (and more expensive) one's exist. I got an AquaMedic regulator that came with a decent needle valve attached.
A check valve.
A bubble-counter. You can buy them or make them.
Airline hose. It needs to be impervious to CO2. The green stuff at the FishStore is good and most folks seem to use that.
Some sort of reactor/diffuser. There is a powerhead type and a tube-with-stuff-in-it type that's normally hooked up to a canister filter (still collecting parts). Airstones aren't particularly efficient, feeding it into an HOB (my current setup) isn't particularly efficient. There are reactors you can buy. One's with membranes, ones that look like slightly more polished versions of the DIY models. This is probably the area with the most variation.
And that's the basic setup.
If you want to get fancier some folks attach solenoids to turn the gas off on a timer or with a pH sensor. Other folks put airstones on timers against the lights to drive off CO2 at night. Other folks (like me) let it run 24/7.
With the right lights and ferts it'll make a tremendous difference in growth. I wish I'd taken before an after shots and mine is only two weeks old -- I'm still watching after happen.
Here's a good quality system that is relatively inexpensive and works well. The only changes I made were a Clippard needle valve and a 402 power head for a diffuser inside the tank.
http://www.dlink.org/aqua/CO2.html
Len
http://www.dlink.org/aqua/CO2.html
Len
EDIT: i made a mistake in what I posted, thus I deleted the text.
I plan on ordering from Clippard for the needle valve, but where can one get a bubble counter?
are there regulators with them built in?
I've seen this one for $80
http://www.ereeftank.com/mkregulator.html
CO2 Regulator with needle valve, solenoid valve, and bubble counter. Dual gage regulator displays output pressure and bottle pressure. Standard American CO2 bottle connection.
but that is almost as much as the kit Len mentioned...$80 for just a regulator/solenoid/bubble counter...is there any way to find a CO2 tank cheaply? someone mentioned hitting up welding shops and trying to score a free tank...
about diffusers: are the kind that spit out tons of tiny bubbles better or worse than other types? Would you folks recommended any diffusers - eg the Eheim? (and where to find them?)
anyway, thanks for starting this thread Alaric. I hope we can get some good info all in one place
I plan on ordering from Clippard for the needle valve, but where can one get a bubble counter?
are there regulators with them built in?
I've seen this one for $80
http://www.ereeftank.com/mkregulator.html
CO2 Regulator with needle valve, solenoid valve, and bubble counter. Dual gage regulator displays output pressure and bottle pressure. Standard American CO2 bottle connection.
but that is almost as much as the kit Len mentioned...$80 for just a regulator/solenoid/bubble counter...is there any way to find a CO2 tank cheaply? someone mentioned hitting up welding shops and trying to score a free tank...
about diffusers: are the kind that spit out tons of tiny bubbles better or worse than other types? Would you folks recommended any diffusers - eg the Eheim? (and where to find them?)
anyway, thanks for starting this thread Alaric. I hope we can get some good info all in one place
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I use a fountain pump (110 GPH) and a home-built external reactor with my pressure tank.
My reactor is a 2" diameter PVC pipe with Bio-Media balls (plastic ones), two glue on end caps with pipe taps screwed in at each end, one end the water and CO2 enter, the other end is the return to the tank.
I spent $3 on a pipe that gave me 10 pieces, $.30 each on endcaps, $2 on the brass fittings and hose barbs, but I did spend $30 to buy a good needle valve and flow meter. I bought my CO2 tanks froma home brewer out of the newspaper for $25.
Now I have three reactors in my 125 gallon tank, and my plants are loving it.
My reactor is a 2" diameter PVC pipe with Bio-Media balls (plastic ones), two glue on end caps with pipe taps screwed in at each end, one end the water and CO2 enter, the other end is the return to the tank.
I spent $3 on a pipe that gave me 10 pieces, $.30 each on endcaps, $2 on the brass fittings and hose barbs, but I did spend $30 to buy a good needle valve and flow meter. I bought my CO2 tanks froma home brewer out of the newspaper for $25.
Now I have three reactors in my 125 gallon tank, and my plants are loving it.
Florida Driftwood CO2 Devices is where I bought mine. It's high quality and very efffective. You will see a big differece with CO2...
I pieces mine together from different sources- I have no solenoid and I pipe my co2 into the intake of the Eheim. I spent the most for my new aluminum 5lb bottle. Bubble counter has check valve built in and was from Big Als. Marine monster for bottle, co2 tubing and needlevalve. Regulator came from www.kegworks.com.
Just had bottle filled today- last fill lasted almost a year to the day.
Just had bottle filled today- last fill lasted almost a year to the day.
nanahachie, that's a decent regulator you showed on your post.
Wish I knew of someone using one to get some feedback from. But I don't use solenoids anyway.
In reference to your question about tanks. I just hit up a bunch of people I know from some of the clubs and/or bars I work in and asked them for any old bottles they had laying around. Scored two of them that way. If they are out of date they are especially easy to pick up. Then you just pay an extra $20 for testing plus the fill and you're in business. Most of the places around here swap bottles anyway so it makes no sense to me to buy a new one.
Len
Wish I knew of someone using one to get some feedback from. But I don't use solenoids anyway.
In reference to your question about tanks. I just hit up a bunch of people I know from some of the clubs and/or bars I work in and asked them for any old bottles they had laying around. Scored two of them that way. If they are out of date they are especially easy to pick up. Then you just pay an extra $20 for testing plus the fill and you're in business. Most of the places around here swap bottles anyway so it makes no sense to me to buy a new one.
Len
Along with that Regulator I posted (See my post above), does anyone know anything about this diffuser:
http://www.floridadriftwood.com/product.asp?3=43
Is the Eheim diffuser recommended?
I know nothing about them, but are glass diffusers/reactors more efficient?
I *may* have a workable powerhead at home, I need to take a look at it, but if that is workable, can I just use that and can it be plugged into a timer to only go on during the day? or must a solenoid be used?
...i'm totally confused...
well, somewhat at least
http://www.floridadriftwood.com/product.asp?3=43
Is the Eheim diffuser recommended?
I know nothing about them, but are glass diffusers/reactors more efficient?
I *may* have a workable powerhead at home, I need to take a look at it, but if that is workable, can I just use that and can it be plugged into a timer to only go on during the day? or must a solenoid be used?
...i'm totally confused...
well, somewhat at least
unless you have low KH or little buffering capacity, you can probably leave the CO2 reactor on all the time.
The key is to measure the KH and pH just before the lights come on and calculate the CO2 of the water
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm
as long as you are around 25ppm or below you can leave the CO2 reactor on all the time. As a reference point, I have a 29 gallon and a DIY powerhead/gravel vacuum type reactor that I leave on with 1 bubble per second. My CO2 levels are fine for plants and the fish are doing fine as well.
The key is to measure the KH and pH just before the lights come on and calculate the CO2 of the water
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm
as long as you are around 25ppm or below you can leave the CO2 reactor on all the time. As a reference point, I have a 29 gallon and a DIY powerhead/gravel vacuum type reactor that I leave on with 1 bubble per second. My CO2 levels are fine for plants and the fish are doing fine as well.