matthewY Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 I have been reading quite some bit on co2 dump and apart from finding information (usually quite old info too) around the fact that it does happen and is to do with tank getting empty, Theres not too much solid information on how to minimise it without keeping a good eye on it (or spending on ph controller) so though i'll bring the topic here and see jif anyone has thoughts on teh following.... Co2 dump is worst with large or small tanks?. If you do small tanks, is the amount of co2 that gets dumped smaller but occur more oftern as you have to replace co2 tank more? Does a needle valve actually help? dont regulators for fish tanks come with needle valves built in? i thought thats the bit you turn to increase or decrease flow.... are we talking about a 2nd needle valve or is the regulator using something different? Do regulators come with presure releif aspects built in these days? the one I have has about 5 or so small holes that look like it could be used for venting.... not sure if this is the case. Fianlly, if a regulator is single gauge, is this the low presure side of the regulator, if so, if you are trying to detect the point of changing thak (before the dump), would you still monitor this or do you need the gauge on thd high presure side (dual gauge).... in which case the only way to determine a low tank is to weigh it? The regulator i use is the A-152 (http://www.up-aqua.com/00-dm-page/00up_ ... 04-big.jpg). Comments welcomed.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 I have used CO2 in both fresh water and salt water, and I have never heard of a CO2 dump? Sure your not talking about a tank crash caused by CO2? You can't really get beyond a curtain point for CO2 in your water, it will reach saturation point then just bubble off, and saturation point is what you would be aiming for anyway. You talk about "tank getting empy" is this just a back syphon when using a yeast reactor? A good quality one way valve would fix this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthewY Posted May 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 The posts I have read are 8 years old, however... http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/dumping.html (google has more links but this one is pretty heavy) I dont understand it except the fact that the presure of the tank drops and the regulator "fails" at low presure and allowing the full low presure through... low presure still being heaps greater then what the regulator output would normally be...., so if normal regulator output is 20psi and the tanks normal presure is 800psi, the tanks low presure might be 200psi and the whole 200psi goes right through the regulator as it fails to regulator at this "low 200psi" level..... so yeah anyway, abit concerned wehn i read it but then i wonder if new regulators cope with it or if it still exists as a problem.... I dont know internals of regulators and how they work so hoping they have improved over the years. i think the actual issue may not be the co2 going into the fish tank (maybe ph drops and kills teh fish, not sure how much co2 needs to achieve thsi and how efficient the defuser needs to be) but assuming its too much to be absorbed by the water then the other issue is that it fulls that gap between the water level and the glass lid and removes o2 so fish cant breath and die.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 I wouldn't worry about it. I have used CO2 for years, and 3 different regulators and never had this happen. If you consider where regulators are used commercially, like hospitals for air supplies, welders, etc if these commonly got a sudden dump of gas or even significant change in pressure, there would be trouble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navarre Posted May 11, 2009 Report Share Posted May 11, 2009 Hospital supplies dont work lke that I have had what you describe happen once but was of little effect and was easily picked up cause my bubble stream changed. Only an issue if you have low saturated O2 to start with I woudl think...? Navarre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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