Purchasing a CO2 system - please help.

[iresq]

Are there city/state laws/ordinances governing the use of cylinders?

Probably not for personal use. OSHA regulates compressed gas cylinders (12 CFR 1910.101 to be exact) for businesses.

Assuming you installed a cylinder in your home, does your insurance policy cover 'accidents' ? However remote, an accident could kill a child eh? Not withstanding the loss of life as the most important aspect, would you be thrown in Jail if that happened?

Insurance policies cover accidents. These tanks are not dangerous if treated with respect. I guess if you purposefully knocked off the regulator with the intent of causing harm, you could face criminal charges.

How many of you take the time to install the cylinder in the garage (assuming you have one) within a securily mounted armored cage and then run a co2 line to your tank? That does seem like doing it right!

Not required. Gas cylinders should be properly secured at all times to prevent tipping, falling or rolling. They can be secured with straps or chains connected to a wall bracket or other fixed surface, or by use of a cylinder stand. Most businesses that used compress gas, simply secure the tanks with a loose piece of small chain. The restraint is to prevent the bottle from falling over, so it does not need to be that strong.

If you're in an apartment, can you even have a cylinder?

That would be up to the landlord. I have read many leases and I have never seen language even closely addressing this issue.

 

[John N.]

It would be interesting to see your analysis comparing the differences to pressurized CO2 later as you get a system of your own. Robert Hudson, of aquabotanic.com, has used the Carbo Unit and pressurized. From what I gather, the unit does work, but again comparatively pressurized there's are pros and cons of each.

I have 4 pressurized systems, and fortunately for me I was able to purchase everything in the stated price range $150-160 for each system. You're correct, it is on the lighter side, but it's doable if you know where to look and wait for sales.

To answer your questions:
CO2 cylinders are like fire extinquishers with different valves attached. They are very safe and do not necessarly require it to be in the garage or cage. Safely secure it where it won't get bumped or tipped over by pets and children then you'll be okay. Under an aquarium stand is typical storage location.

Even if it does explode from a faulty valve, someone would be exposed to cold gas and a light frost. It would not create a fire, but could make the cylinder a projectile.

As to homeowner isssurance, I'm not sure, but again CO2 cylinders are very safe. Since a CO2 cylinder is comparable to a fire extinquisher, then I think an apartment probably could have one without issue. There are no laws prevent one from having one.

You probably could get accused of child negligence if sometimes does happen to happen, if the CO2 cylinder isn't properly secured and childproof, that it causes injury. But in today's era, one could get accused of all sorts of child negligence. Common sense is key with dealing anything that is potentially interesting to children or pets.

People purchase CO2 cylinders for paintball, brewing, aquariums, and other sorts of things I'm not aware of. The point is, with common sense a CO2 cylinder will be safe in your home and apartment, and it's not against the law to own one. You just can't ship one filled without a proper hazardous material certificate.

-John N.

 

[shoe]

What did you get for the price?

 

[fresh_newby]

Hold on there... Your links are generic in nature and maybe I missed something but I didn't find any comparitive UNBAISED information on the sites with respect to pros or cons between systems.

Now if you expected me to dig around, no prob but what was implied was 'go here for the research'.

If you asked me about cars, I wouldn't send you to FORD.COM or TOYOTA.COM, I'd send you to consumerreports.org where you'd get the read scoop and although I don't expect such a site to exist explcitly for co2 in the aquaria realm (where subscribers pay the site to test the systems), but was at least hoping you're research would be reflected in the sites you sited

They weren't generic when I first put them out, but you said you had a firewall or something, so I have you the generic ones to get to the ones I sent originally, which are more specialized. I also gave you some insight as to what is best from what I used...and what my friends have used, but you are fixated on the other stuff. I can only tell you what works for me from experience. I listed the items. Nothing more I can do.

As for rex's site. If you build a rapport with him and know him he can do a lot better for you price-wise and amking the items. My reg is all brass and well made.

 

[shoe]

...but you are fixated on the other stuff...

Fixated on arriving at the unbiaed truth, thank you very much

 

[fresh_newby]

ummmmm my experience isn't biased. I have nothing to gain...lol
seriously lol

 

[shoe]

ummmmm my experience isn't biased.

Who said anything about your experience being biased?

 

[gagaliya]

 

[epicfish]

lol

 

[Mysteria]

hehehe!

Thanks for your help! :dive2: