CO2 instructions please

[Adrienne]

After going on for months about getting CO2 for my 450 litre tank I took my husband along to HFF today to find out about it. After looking at the setup they have running on the tanks he announced 'I have a CO2 bottle you can use'.

I've posted a pic of what he has - it is 6.8kg bottle - a BOC hire setup so is current. I think I need a new attachment for the top - one that has a needle valve on it plus a solenoid and drop counter and diffuser.

Is this all? Thanks

[douwe]

I got it like this

solenoid inside the cupboard together with a PH controller

diffuser (from TM) sorry no pic, can make a few if you want to see it

[kiwiplymouth]

Instead of buying a whole new regulator which is expencive why not just buy a needle valve and plumb it into your existing regulator.

One like this should do the trick. http://cgi.ebay.com/Needle-Valve-CO2-Re ... 2a03e7244d

Of course you will need a new regulator if you want one with a magnetic solenoid valve that turns the co2 off when your lights turn off but you can always turn yours off manualy each night or even just leave it on.

I have recently set up my own co2 system, I purchased a 3 way splitter so I could run co2 to 3 tanks from the same bottle.

[Adrienne]

I will have to go and have a look but there doesn't appear to be anyway to plumb the needle valve into the regulator. Do you both have drop checkers? What happens if the CO2 if left running at night? Thanks

[douwe]

I don't have a bubble check, I regulate my PH with the CO2 and got everything going 24/7

[SamH]

If you leave the CO2 running at night it will not be used until the lights are back on. Plants actually give out CO2 without light, so I'd suggest turning it on for the fishes safety.

Good score by the way.

[phoenix44]

*drops jaw

sooo jealous right now . you might need to increase the lights on the tank now.

[kiwiplymouth]

I don't have a drop checker either.

But I do use a bubble counter.

You are aiming for 30ppm co2 in your tank.

Coincidentally 30ppm co2 will lower your PH by 1 point.

I take a cup of water from the tank after the co2 has been running all day. I test some of it and leave the rest sitting over night to lose its co2 and then test that. There should be approx 1 point difference between the 2 tests. I.E if the 1st test was 6.5 then the second test should be about 7.5.

To achieve this in my 3 footer I am using about 35 bubbles per minute of co2.

[Adrienne]

*drops jaw

sooo jealous right now . you might need to increase the lights on the tank now.

yep was looking at lighting as well today

[Adrienne]

Instead of buying a whole new regulator which is expencive why not just buy a needle valve and plumb it into your existing regulator.

One like this should do the trick. http://cgi.ebay.com/Needle-Valve-CO2-Re ... 2a03e7244d

Of course you will need a new regulator if you want one with a magnetic solenoid valve that turns the co2 off when your lights turn off but you can always turn yours off manualy each night or even just leave it on.

I have recently set up my own co2 system, I purchased a 3 way splitter so I could run co2 to 3 tanks from the same bottle.

where did you get your regulator from and does it have a needle valve?

[kiwiplymouth]

I got mine from Ebay. It's identical to, and from the same seller as the attached link, Yes it comes with a needle valve. N.B. Prices are in $USD. http://cgi.ebay.com/CO2-regulator-solen ... 3a5b4f4c9a

[breakaway]

My setup is identical to kiwiplymouths' one, but without the 3 way regulator as I only have 1 tank that needs CO². Two/Three way regulators can be purchased as in-line addons for later if I need though.

You can read my thread for more info:

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=45446

Just an update - I ordered one of these http://cgi.ebay.com/CO2-regulator-solen ... 3a57dc6a05

And it cost about $112 landed, and the guy even threw in a free glass bubble counter as I offered to deal with him outside of eBay. I've also ordered a Rhinox 5000 CO² diffuser, and am waiting on that to arrive. Since I don't yet have my diffuser or CO² bottle yet, I am unable to test it how well it works.

I just went down to Hollywood Fish Farm and fit the regulator to one of the bottles they had lying around, and on opening the valve, both the gauges register pressure, and the needle valve works well too (I can hear it hissing). I can hear the solenoid clicking when I plug/unplug it too. Keep in mind - it needs a US - NZ adapter. It works with 110 / 220V so there's no problems there.

So there you have it - an imported reg for $112. So far, the complete setup has cost $147, minus the bottle and piping (tubing?).

I've had everything up and running now for about a week, and my plants pearl all day every day like there's no tomorrow.

[Adrienne]

Right - well I have a cylinder sorted. Its 6.8kg and I'm getting my regulator tomorrow. It will have the needle valve. At this stage I am not getting a solenoid (well I don't think I am unless it comes with the regulator) but understand that I won't need one if I turn off the CO2 when I turn out the lights. Is this correct? So I gather that I need to get a bubble counter and a diffuser.

I have an fx5 filter on the tank so there is no spray bar. It is set up so that the water returning from the filter back into the tank comes back in about 3/5ths of the way up the height of the tank. Therefore for maximum effect the best place to put the diffuser would be below this? I also run an airline into the tank and this agitates the surface of the water considerably. It is sited near the other end of the tank but moves the water over 1/2 the tank surface with its bubbling. I gather that I will need to turn this down.

Please let me know if I am wrong with the above and any suggestions will be welcomed.

[John Rimbauer]

I know a few people who run the CO2 into the canister filter uptake hose from the tank, and I've done it myself on two tanks. The filter disperses it perfectly in my experience, no need for a diffuser. It's done no apparent harm to the filter either - for the first year or so I examined the ceramic shaft minutely for erosion, but never had any issues.

Theoretically, a large enough bubble could cause the pump to airlock, but I've never heard of it or seen it. Pure CO2 seems pretty soluble in water, but if you get a supply that has a lot on nitrogen in it, it could happen.

[kiwiplymouth]

The less surface agitation the better when you are injecting CO2.

Surface agitation helps vent CO2 into the atmosphere.

My air stones are on timers and only turn on when the lights and CO2 are off.

This is all subject to stocking rates of course, If you need an air stone on during the day that's fine but try to make as little surface movement as possible.

A bubble counter is a necessity IMO, it allows you to accurately measure the amount of CO2 that you are injecting into your tank but if you don't want a diffuser you can always release your CO2 into the intake of your FX5 and let that diffuse the CO2 for you.

[Adrienne]

The less surface agitation the better when you are injecting CO2.

Surface agitation helps vent CO2 into the atmosphere.

My air stones are on timers and only turn on when the lights and CO2 are off.

This is all subject to stocking rates of course, If you need an air stone on during the day that's fine but try to make as little surface movement as possible.

A bubble counter is a necessity IMO, it allows you to accurately measure the amount of CO2 that you are injecting into your tank but if you don't want a diffuser you can always release your CO2 into the intake of your FX5 and let that diffuse the CO2 for you.

Do you mean release the CO2 so it travels into and through the filter and back into the tank?

I had been running the air stone because its a planted discus tank and the temps get pretty high in the summer - up to 32 degrees some days. I also have fancy plecs etc in there and I hate to see them coming up for air.

[kiwiplymouth]

Do you mean release the CO2 so it travels into and through the filter and back into the tank?

Yep that's exactly what I mean.

I do it that way on one of my tanks and the CO2 is completely diffused during its travels through the filter. I.E. No gas bubbles coming out of the spray bar.

With your high tank temps and sensitive fish you probably need to run an air stone 24/7, I suppose the best way to minimise your surface agitation would be to make your air bubbles as small as possible.