mcrudd Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 We went walking about today and I saw a fluval co2 kitset there, its for a tank up to to 157 litres. There was also a smaller one as well. I have a blueplanet vista 160 litres and is considering to get it, but I need you guys to tell me whether or not its a good set for a beginner, I don't wanna kill my fish with over oxygen and stuff :facepalm: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 We went walking about today and I saw a fluval co2 kitset there, its for a tank up to to 157 litres. There was also a smaller one as well. I have a blueplanet vista 160 litres and is considering to get it, but I need you guys to tell me whether or not its a good set for a beginner, I don't wanna kill my fish with over oxygen and stuff :facepalm: You can't hurt your fish with too much oxygen. So I wouldn't worry about that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcrudd Posted June 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 Thanks Ira, I was seriously worried about that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 I think Ira is pointing out in his usual polite and subtle way that CO2 kits give off carbon dioxide, not oxygen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supaclear Posted June 28, 2011 Report Share Posted June 28, 2011 i have my doubts about ongoing cost with those smaller sets, maybe some one could comment. My pressurised 4.5 kg fire extinguisher, solenoid, bubble counter, diffuser etc cost $350.00. refills are around !5 dollars from memory. would last for ages on your tank, just a matter of finding space? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshlikesfish Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Get a real co2 kit. The fluval ones are too costly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-obstacle Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 For the price you're better to invest a little bit more for something that will suit for when you upgrade to a bigger tank. Note I didn't say 'if' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 i have my doubts about ongoing cost with those smaller sets, maybe some one could comment. My pressurised 4.5 kg fire extinguisher, solenoid, bubble counter, diffuser etc cost $350.00. refills are around !5 dollars from memory. would last for ages on your tank, just a matter of finding space? Can you just buy and fit a valve for the regulator that just screws into the extinguisher or do you have to fluff around with it, also could you use a used 5kg LPG bottle? Possible poisoning the water with LPG? can you flush them out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichthus Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 I helped a friend set one of those CO2 sets up - it was IMPOSSIBLE to set a correct pressure (toom many bubbles per second - or not enough)...the valve just wouldn't work for us. He went back to DIY in the end...maybe everyone else is cleverer than me, but it put me off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 It is no problem to get a pressurised CO2 system running at the right rate if you have a normal regulator, needle valve and bubble counter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ichthus Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 It is no problem to get a pressurised CO2 system running at the right rate if you have a normal regulator, needle valve and bubble counter. So...turns out it was just us then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Or you did not have all of the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Can you just buy and fit a valve for the regulator that just screws into the extinguisher or do you have to fluff around with it, also could you use a used 5kg LPG bottle? Possible poisoning the water with LPG? can you flush them out? I'd imagine it's possible to swap the regulators, but that wouldn't be the issue. LPG cannisters are intended to handle pressures in the region of 150 PSI to liquify the LPG. CO2 the pressure needed to liquify it is up around 800-1000PSI. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supaclear Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Can you just buy and fit a valve for the regulator that just screws into the extinguisher or do you have to fluff around with it, also could you use a used 5kg LPG bottle? Possible poisoning the water with LPG? can you flush them out? my extinguiser was already converted so dont really know mate but checkout fitting for regulator, i got a tunze and work back from there. get it professionally sorted if changing valves rather than diy. i think HFF sell coverted cylinders for around $200 as do other places. its not that hard to sort. cng or lpg dont think so, we'd all be doing it..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 You cannot use lpg cylinders for CO2, they are not designed to take the pressure. A fire extinguisher is designed for CO2. Different gas cylinders have different threads to stop people mixing and matching and killing themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted June 29, 2011 Report Share Posted June 29, 2011 Sounds like intelligent advice Alan, thanks. My guess would be you need to take the fire extinguisher in to be converted professionally?, where exactly would you go?, who does that type of thing? And can you buy a simple manifold so you can inject several tanks at once off the same regulator? or do you need to purchase a double reg system? Or at the end of the day is it better to just purchase a proper complete system from the LFS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 i have two setups for CO2 (no longer in use because of shaky shaky. One is a converted extinguisher that was converted and tested by a company dealing with extinguishers, the other equipment came from Ebay and has been very reliable while in use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 After a quick telephone call to BOC, they tell us that you can hire a 6.8KG CO2 cylinder for $14 per month + GST, and $40 + GST to fill it....have yet to decide if that's worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oO SKIPPY Oo Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 After a quick telephone call to BOC, they tell us that you can hire a 6.8KG CO2 cylinder for $14 per month + GST, and $40 + GST to fill it....have yet to decide if that's worth it. I've called BOC and Air Liquide here in Wellington and its blimmin costly to rent. If you check with a company closest to you that does the cylinder testing they should be able to provide you with a tank and new valve that may cost more than a years rental but at least you own the cylinder etc. Since calling BOC etc I've found a place in WLG that will provide a 2nd hand 3.5kg tank, tested, with a new valve for about $250. I've had no luck finding anywhere else in Wellington that will / can provide anything similar. I read on here somewhere about a place in AKL that provides tanks and valves for about $200 but I don't know the sizes etc yet. And can you buy a simple manifold so you can inject several tanks at once off the same regulator? On Trademe I have seen a regulator with 6 outlets on it but cant find it now for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos & Siran Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Thanks Skip, Yeah I know the one, It was there yesterday but is gone now, I think it was quite costly. *I need to accept the fact that this is not going to be a cheep exercise!!* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-obstacle Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 You cannot use lpg cylinders for CO2, they are not designed to take the pressure. A fire extinguisher is designed for CO2. Different gas cylinders have different threads to stop people mixing and matching and killing themselves. Alan is right -the co2 tanks have a much higher pressure rating and are generally a lot thicker walled than an lpg tank. CO2 extinguishers either have the perfect thread for a standard aquarium regulator or one that is too small for the regulator, in which case an adaptor is about $5 or less. It's possible that the newer ones have the right size for regulators and the older standard needs the adaptor but I'm not certain of that. There are definitely 2 types of fitting for CO2 extinguishers though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Alan is right -the co2 tanks have a much higher pressure rating and are generally a lot thicker walled than an lpg tank. Hey! I said it first! I even gave the approximate pressures! Why's he get credit for it?!? :an!gry :slfg: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the-obstacle Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Hey! I said it first! I even gave the approximate pressures! Why's he get credit for it?!? :an!gry :slfg: Ira is right - co2 tanks have a much higher pressure rating than LPG tanks. :slfg: Dive tanks have an even higher rating (3000psi) and in theory can be converted to co2 with the appropriate valve but it is at the discretion of your local gas fitter whether they will do the conversion and guarantee to fill them later on down the track. On my tank it'd take about 3 years to empty a dive tank worth of co2 and I'm not sure I'd trust that the same guy at the shop will be there to let me refill it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supaclear Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 his is identical to mine: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Pets-animals/Fish/Aquatic-plants/auction-378817189.htm Auction finished but keep an eye out....I think HFF sell these as well for around 180.00. Bottles 200 bucks... http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=52452&start=15 This s where i get CO2 refill. they may also be able to assist. sure had heaps of bottles lying around.... http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/place?hl=en&pq=pressure+testing+services+grey+lynn&xhr=t&cp=8&rlz=1T4ACEW_enNZ406NZ406&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1024&bih=404&wrapid=tljp1309463922296021&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=cylinder+testing+services+grey+lynn&fb=1&gl=uk&hq=cylinder+testing+services&hnear=0x6d0d47bcddc143a1:0x500ef6143a2c890,Grey+Lynn,+New+Zealand&cid=22154454784147783 HTH andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted June 30, 2011 Report Share Posted June 30, 2011 Air liqiude down here sell C02 tanks now and again, as well as welding supply people. Converted fire extinguihers seem to be cheapest. Most try to avoid the ongoing expense of hiring. Air liquide down here are the cheapest to fill and do it while you wait. There is a problem with filling the small bottles for making the fiz drinks and that is that the filling setups are designed for weighing bigger bottles so when filling they can only guess if it is full and many times it is not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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