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CO2


Adrienne

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I am going to use DIY CO2 - you know how to make that, and then buy one of these - http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =261585308

It looks really really good. Just hope it works with DIY CO2 mix and does not need a bottle.

I dont know if diy co2 will have enough pressure that is the one I use on my system ill put up a video. I should really make a co2 sticky people keep asking me questions lol

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The tank I want to use it on is my 450 litre planted discus tank. For this reason and the fact that I am technologically challenged I need one that will work and is easy to put together hence my question. I gather that to buy a pressurised system is expensive but could a DIY system provide what is needed in a tank this size?

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I am going to use DIY CO2 - you know how to make that, and then buy one of these - http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing ... =261585308

It looks really really good. Just hope it works with DIY CO2 mix and does not need a bottle.

Cool!! 8) Let me know how it turns out!

i would recommend you get a pressurised system. Don't think the diy can force the co2 through the ceremic disc.

Good point. It does depend on the size of the pores on the ceramic frit. I have one that works fine on a 40 micron frit but any smaller than that may require more pressure.

450L?

probably best off getting a pressurised system. It's a pity they are so expensive.

Yeah, you would need buckets of yeast to get enough pressure and it would be difficult to get enough diffusion of gas into the water without a good set up. Would probably be worth it to invest in a pressurised system.

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Diffusion isn't really a big problem. When I ran CO2 (pressure system) I feed the bubble into the uptake hose of a canister filter, it was well and truly diffused by the time it came out the other end. I have also made a few DIY diffusers they work well to but most diffusers are an ugly thing to have in your tank, so the canister filter system worked well.

adodge, I see from your other post you are still sorting out your lighting. Can I suggest you get this done first then wait a few months before investing big $$ in CO2 you will be surprised at the difference some good lights will make.

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I ran CO2, ferts, and a lot of light on a tank. One day, I had a realisation that I was spending half my weekend pulling out the plants I was spending so much time and money on growing.

Ahhh but isn't the joy in getting something to be the best it can be. Strong, healthy, fast growing and pest and disease free? Not to mention sharing the cuttings with friends and fellow forum members?

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When I looked at co2 systems, afew options:

Paying for the hire of a bottle

owning a normal canister... the price of a xkg bottle (roughly 300 or so for a basic system) and the testing / LAB requirements....

paintball systems... means I had to worry about where in town I could easily get it fulled + still may require LAB testing / certs, from memory anything over ~300Grams requires LAB to refull it right.

sodastream.....

Ended up using sodastream bottle, can get attachments for regulators off ebay. One guy sells them for about $25AUS + postage.

Sodastream bottles are dirt cheap from trademe and cost about $10 for a refull from many supermarkets where they just swap out bottle, Found it worth paying afew $$$ extra then having to go to a painball place for refulls. Sodastream bottles are roughly 250 - 300 gramms of co2.

Setup would still require regulator and ideally a solenoid switch system. I picked up my "up aqua" one from Hong Kong when I was over, approx $100NZD which included regulator for mini disposiable bottles, adaptor to be used on normal bottles and 110 - 240V solenoid. Guys from the HK fish markets have online stores on ebay and sell them for not too much more then u would pay if you went to the physical store urself.

for injecting the co2, i hacked a Venturi injrctor into end of my filter output spraybar and have a clear undergravel uplift pipe connented upside down so the co2 mixes and leaves the bottom of the tube. heaps of options but i figure this one works aswell as most reactors....

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I've seen this online store on ebay which is based in Hong Kong. It sells CO2 regulator dual gauged + solenoid magnetic valve for normal CO2 cylinders (not disposable). The CO2 equipment is very affordable and it is made in Taiwan by UP.

Has anybody used this and what is your experience with it.

I am looking at getting one at some point. I also want to know if it will fit NZ cylinders. The specs is 22mm in diameter and thread is UK, Europe, Japan, Taiwan standard (JIS m22-14).

I'm getting tired of DIY CO2 which slows down during winter.

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  • 3 weeks later...
When I looked at co2 systems, afew options:

Paying for the hire of a bottle

owning a normal canister... the price of a xkg bottle (roughly 300 or so for a basic system) and the testing / LAB requirements....

paintball systems... means I had to worry about where in town I could easily get it fulled + still may require LAB testing / certs, from memory anything over ~300Grams requires LAB to refull it right.

sodastream.....

Ended up using sodastream bottle, can get attachments for regulators off ebay. One guy sells them for about $25AUS + postage.

Sodastream bottles are dirt cheap from trademe and cost about $10 for a refull from many supermarkets where they just swap out bottle, Found it worth paying afew $$$ extra then having to go to a painball place for refulls. Sodastream bottles are roughly 250 - 300 gramms of co2.

Setup would still require regulator and ideally a solenoid switch system. I picked up my "up aqua" one from Hong Kong when I was over, approx $100NZD which included regulator for mini disposiable bottles, adaptor to be used on normal bottles and 110 - 240V solenoid. Guys from the HK fish markets have online stores on ebay and sell them for not too much more then u would pay if you went to the physical store urself.

for injecting the co2, i hacked a Venturi injrctor into end of my filter output spraybar and have a clear undergravel uplift pipe connented upside down so the co2 mixes and leaves the bottom of the tube. heaps of options but i figure this one works aswell as most reactors....

How long do the soda stream bottles last? Are you able to post an eact parts list of what you have? Very interested in setting up one myself.

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I've seen this online store on ebay which is based in Hong Kong. It sells CO2 regulator dual gauged + solenoid magnetic valve for normal CO2 cylinders (not disposable). The CO2 equipment is very affordable and it is made in Taiwan by UP.

Has anybody used this and what is your experience with it.

I am looking at getting one at some point. I also want to know if it will fit NZ cylinders. The specs is 22mm in diameter and thread is UK, Europe, Japan, Taiwan standard (JIS m22-14).

I'm getting tired of DIY CO2 which slows down during winter.

Have you tried looking locally for a homebrew store? you will also need to find someone to fill up your bottle of pressurised CO2 when it runs out...

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Will try and upload pictures of my setup tonight.

so all parts required:

Sodastream bottle (trademe, ~$10)

Adaptor (ebay, approx ~$25, goto ebay.com.au and search sodastream adaptor or The Ultimate Home Brew in AUS sells them )

Regulator + solinoid setup (ebay.com: "UP Pierce Co2 Regulator Charming Aquarium A147") approx $100 ($50us + p&p : http://stores.ebay.com/Aquarium-HK sells them). if u want to use codastream bottle / adaptor, get a "upright" adaptor, not one that hangs off from the side as it will unbalance the bottle and make it hard to keep the bottle from falling over....

Also, my a147 regulator is suitable for both disposiable (unable to locate any approperate disposiable co2 bottles in nz, maybe airsource ones???) and normal size containers (need to confirm threading between US / UK but fits the sodastream adaptor from ebay so whatever thread that adaptor is) via its own removable adaptor. Ebay also has some A152, not sure of differance but looks like it would do the job too...

Co2 tube (~$2/m)

Bubble counter ~$12

needle valve - cant remmeber cost but was cheap

Filter attachment/diy reactor for getting co2 desolved... free if you have parts around

Amount of co2 in a bottle:270 gramms. Unsure how long this lasts but I drip about 1 bubble every 5 seconds (approx, hard to tell as it seems top change abit and dependent on heat and i've been tweeking it abit too) and lasts over a month when on a timer from 7am to 7pm. Someone else should be able to tell based on how big their co2 bottle is and how many bubbles they feed in....

The inverted filter tube to me seesm to be really good, no bubbles are visable comming out which means pretty much completely desolved. I found when using a propper disc defuser, I could see bubbles get to the surface (bad)

Photos will come as soon as i find a host....

co2A.jpg

co2C.jpg

co2B.jpg

co2D.jpg

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  • 1 month later...

I have been looking for a pro style setup for a while. I have no worries about hiring a bottle, and getting it filled, the company i work for has accounts with BOC so that makes life easier, has anyone used this system from HFF http://www.hollywoodfishfarm.co.nz/prod ... hp?id=1049 . I keep forgetting to ring them and ask how much it is, I figure a sodastream setup is going to cost approx $200 all up if this is around $200-300 I figure it is worth while, as the co2 bottle from boc will last longer, giving less maintenance, and has timers and decent diffusers, and it would all fit in my (not built yet) sump so its all out of sight. Only if the reg set is the right price of course. Time to email HFF methinks

Thoughts?

PS I don't have a credit card, and ebay seems like soooooo much hassle, hence i am looking for something local.

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