pressurized co2

cradlefan

cradlefan

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Jul 24, 2008
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Kris
Getting ready to hook up the tank in a couple weeks and the thing I am most nervous about is the pressurized co2. I have a 5 lb tank, and a nice regulator, but do I turn the valve on full blast after everything is hooked up, I have never done this before and I am afraid of blowing something up, or breaking something......Thanks in advance for the help.
 
First, make sure everything is plumbed properly.

Make sure your regulator assembly fittings are tight.
Make sure the valve on top of the CO2 bottle is fully closed.
If your set-up comes with a solenoid valve it must be energized for it to open.
Close your needle valve.
Make sure the regulator assembly is tightly attached to the CO2 bottle.
Put the end of the tubing that runs from the needle valve to aquarium in the water so you can see the bubbles when the CO2 is flowing.
S-l-o-w-l-y open the valve on top of the CO2 bottle. Turn it fully open then back a quarter turn to prevent the valve from sticking.
If you have one, plug in your solenoid. Your should hear an audible click when its valve opens.
Watch the end of the tubing that's under water and open your needle valve slightly until you see a couple bubbles per second coming out.
The low pressure gauge should read around 25 psi and the high pressure gauge should read 1,900 to 2,000 psi.
You can adjust the low-pressure-side output pressure by turning the knob in the center of the regulator. If the low pressure gauge reads too high or too low, adjust with the knob in the middle of the regulator.
Once you have your low-pressure side adjusted properly to 25 psi, then you can adjust the needle valve for the bubbles per second you want.

Mark
 
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Hey Cradle, what is the diffuser you will be using? I got my large order of plants in, except the dwarf hairgrass and ferts from bobstropical, which arrives tomorrow. And I'm thinking I have got too much equipment bulk. Going to probably get a canister filter with built in UV filter next month to replace these 2 really large hang on backs and green killing machine- and looking for a replacement to the powerhead and downwards tube DIY diffuser.

Edit- Forgot the reply to your topic, lol! The solenoid will keep any flow of Co2 from coming out when unplugged/off. So you can open the main large valve from the tank into the regulator. The small valve on the solenoid turned loose will control the flow when the solenoid is plugged in.
 
Unseenone00, I bought an inline type of diffuser. I know it will be slightly visible (in bubble form) in the tank upon outflow, but I am hoping the Poppy glass will keep the bubbles in the outlet a little longer so they won't be so bad.......like shooting across the tank and always in view. I just wanted the most from a diffuser, and decided on the inline type. I bought it from GreanLeafAquariums.
 
Here is some other VERY important stuff even before starting your system or connecting the regulator to the tank.
BEFORE attaching a regulator to a filled CO2 tank, open the tank valve and let some CO2 shoot out. This will clear out any debris that may have lodged and is waiting to clog your regulator.
BEFORE attaching or detaching your regulator from your CO2 tank always adjust your working pressure down to zero. Putting on a filled CO2 tank with your working pressure more than zero could blow out your regulator dial. The only exception to this are the preset regulators. NEVER run your CO2 tanks empty. Running them empty can cause any settled debris to be blown into your regulator, clogging it. ALWAYS use a new washer between your regulator and the CO2 tank unless you have a perma washer.



And here is a great guide you should use to do a leak check on your regulator.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/e...check-co2-pressurized-system.html#post1390286

I also highly recommend doing a leak check at every hose connection. Also GO SLOW with adjustments. Be sure to use a good bubble counter. I also recommend a good drop checker in the tank. Make your adjustments easy and one bubble at a time. be sure when you set this up and get it running you have a WHOLE day you can spend with it and not give anything else your attention. Make your adjustment with 1 bps. let it set make sure your BPS doesnt change and is stable. Watch for a while. If your drop checker is still blue to dark green and the fish act fine then go up to 2bps and repeat. A drop checker can take up to 2 hours to change color. WATCH THE FISH FIRST as they will show you issues alot quicker then that. If you see your fish in the corner all huddled together and panting OR at the top of the tank gasping for air at the surface. Turn your needle valve down a little. Make sure you have a little agitation on the surface of the water. You should be able to have a lime green to yellow drop checker Fish acting normal. And if your light is high enough at the end of the day your plants should pearl.




What are you using to introduce the Co2 to the water? ie: Reactor, Ceramic diffuser, Atomic diffuser, needle wheel, other? This can make alot of difference on what your BPS is at. So will your plant load and how big the tank is. Gas exchange can make a little difference. Hows your circulation in the tank? It to is important for even distribution of Co2 in the water. Feel free to ask any questions.

BTW what regulator are you using?
 
constevens said:
Here is some other VERY important stuff even before starting your system or connecting the regulator to the tank.
BEFORE attaching a regulator to a filled CO2 tank, open the tank valve and let some CO2 shoot out. This will clear out any debris that may have lodged and is waiting to clog your regulator.
BEFORE attaching or detaching your regulator from your CO2 tank always adjust your working pressure down to zero. Putting on a filled CO2 tank with your working pressure more than zero could blow out your regulator dial. The only exception to this are the preset regulators. NEVER run your CO2 tanks empty. Running them empty can cause any settled debris to be blown into your regulator, clogging it. ALWAYS use a new washer between your regulator and the CO2 tank unless you have a perma washer.



And here is a great guide you should use to do a leak check on your regulator.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/e...check-co2-pressurized-system.html#post1390286

I also highly recommend doing a leak check at every hose connection. Also GO SLOW with adjustments. Be sure to use a good bubble counter. I also recommend a good drop checker in the tank. Make your adjustments easy and one bubble at a time. be sure when you set this up and get it running you have a WHOLE day you can spend with it and not give anything else your attention. Make your adjustment with 1 bps. let it set make sure your BPS doesnt change and is stable. Watch for a while. If your drop checker is still blue to dark green and the fish act fine then go up to 2bps and repeat. A drop checker can take up to 2 hours to change color. WATCH THE FISH FIRST as they will show you issues alot quicker then that. If you see your fish in the corner all huddled together and panting OR at the top of the tank gasping for air at the surface. Turn your needle valve down a little. Make sure you have a little agitation on the surface of the water. You should be able to have a lime green to yellow drop checker Fish acting normal. And if your light is high enough at the end of the day your plants should pearl.




What are you using to introduce the Co2 to the water? ie: Reactor, Ceramic diffuser, Atomic diffuser, needle wheel, other? This can make alot of difference on what your BPS is at. So will your plant load and how big the tank is. Gas exchange can make a little difference. Hows your circulation in the tank? It to is important for even distribution of Co2 in the water. Feel free to ask any questions.

BTW what regulator are you using?
Click to expand...

I disagree with this. So each time you have the tank filled you have to start all over with resetting pressures and co2 outputs? No. I've never heard of a regulator dial blowing out from leaving the regulator at its previous setting when hooking up the refilled bottle. I ran pressurized co2 for years and never once had to zero the regulator.

Mark
 
I listed my regulator I have in one of the previous posts, I believe it's a "forever" washer....or it should be for the price I paid for the regulator. I will spend lots of time fine tining it for sure. My diffuser is also above, it's an inline type(from GLA) and my bubble counter is also from GLA. I will definitely make sure I am very careful
 
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