cookie extreme Posted August 18, 2005 Report Share Posted August 18, 2005 Just to me, my reefkeeping is primarily limited by money. So I'm always looking for a cheaper way. most of us are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie extreme Posted August 18, 2005 Report Share Posted August 18, 2005 Just to me, my reefkeeping is primarily limited by money. So I'm always looking for a cheaper way. most of us are thats one reason i run a berlin classic. no smart comments please it does work.!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZEOvitANZ Posted August 18, 2005 Report Share Posted August 18, 2005 Suphew, were did you get the CO2 bottle valve from ? Regards Brendan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveA Posted August 18, 2005 Report Share Posted August 18, 2005 DONT oyster shells contain way to much crap, i found this in more then one publication and will be more then happy the dig it out for you, lots of phospates and more. also (i think its in eric bourneman)it seems the calcium is not as user friendly to corals. That stuff is often full of metal bits as well. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted August 18, 2005 Report Share Posted August 18, 2005 Porirua Cylinder testing lab, Elsdon, its in the Yellow pages (would post the number and address but theres been a bit of fuss with people doing this lately). I started off going to BOC and a testing lab in the hutt, they both told me that it wasn't possible to do the conversions any more because they couldn't get the valves, this is complete crap, they were just trying either get me renting or sell me a new bottle for $300+. The guy in Porirua had plenty of them and was ordering more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted August 18, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2005 Go BOC!!! Another happy customer :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted August 22, 2005 Report Share Posted August 22, 2005 http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farming-industry/Building-trade/Metalwork-welding/auction-33693625.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madcookie Posted August 31, 2005 Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Hiya Wasp, thats Nova Fire systems....howd ya hear about them doing co2 bottles...? Awesome,thanks for spreading the good word! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasp Posted August 31, 2005 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2005 Thanks MadCookie, another guy in the same industry told me about them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishboi Posted February 28, 2007 Report Share Posted February 28, 2007 just found this very old post and thought i'll bring it back up as its such a good deal. i'll be giving them a call early next week to see if they still do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Yep thanks to wasp I have purchased a CO2 tank months ago and refill is $10...... got to be good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Rimbauer Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 The company in Westmoreland Street Grey Lynn have changed their name to Pressure Check Cylinder Testing. They are still a great bunch to deal with, I got a 7kg cylinder in January for $200 from them. Refills still $10 as well! I had a couple of hassles getting the cylinder as they were flat out busy, but I have to say that they were a pleasure to deal with. I handed over the coin and they were happy to courier it out of Auckland for me. How cool is that? The owner told me that they are selling 3-5 cylinders a week to aquarium owners. I suggested to the owner that if he did a courier back and refill service, he could be on to a winner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juscrooky Posted December 5, 2008 Report Share Posted December 5, 2008 This one's for calcium reactor users who, like I used to, have to "rent" a Co2 bottle from BOC gases. Now I found these guys - Gas Cylinder Testing, 17 Westmoreland Street Grey Lynn, phone 378 9243, who will sell you a 2nd hand cylinder. The cylinder holds 5 - 7kg of gas, comes with a brand new pressure test, is fully loaded with gas, and costs 200 bucks. When it runs out they will refill it for 10 bucks. Compares very favourably with BOC who continue to extort 12 bucks a month rental you never own the bottle, plus 30 odd bucks to refill. When I set up with BOC I paid 150 odd bucks for a 1 year rental, plus 30 odd for the gas. Total around 180 bucks and I don't even own the bottle I have to keep paying rent. I hate telecom style market stranglehold extortion rackets - go Gas Cylinder Testing! Greetings from the UK Stumbled accross this post by accident I do not think that BOC cylinder rental is not an extortion racket, the rental charge covers the testing and upkeep of the gas cylinder after some research I have found out the foillowing info which may be useful to you You may (or may not ) appreciate that a CO2 cylinder is is 50 bar (725PSI) bearing in mind that the average car tyre is 30PSI and wagons up to 100psi and you have seen the damage they can do when they go bang. there was an incident with a bank of argon cylinders recently in the uk, one had a valve rupture which set the cylinder off like a missile and killed one person, maimed several and destroyed three storeys of a building. (do a google search for cylinder incident welwyn garden city uk) a guy in a breakers yard in the uk was removing a valve from a stolen BOC cylinder to weigh it in for scrap, the valve ejected itself with such force it went clean through his body killing him instantly this company selling you the cylinders may be breaking the law, or putting you in a position where you may be breaking the law and safety laws, In UK The cylinders HAVE to be tested Min every 5 years by law, which involves a strip down of the cylinder , new valve, internal camera inspection, Xrays and hydraulic pressure testing of min 3 times their rated pressure. BOC in the uk scraps over 4000 cylinders per year which are deemed not safe for use. by you yourself purchasing the cylinder - you are now responsible for this testing, you may be prosecuted for an untested cylinder, or worse still be using an unsafe cylinder if it is not A1 condition. if you own the cylinder YOU will have to PAY to have it retested and replace if it fails the test, HOW MUCH WILL THAT COST YOU!!!! - probably more than you pay for in rental to BOC BOC fits a additional pressure relief valve to the cylinder as standard (at extra cost) and has a one way valve installed (at extra cost) why a one way valve ??, well this is particularly relevant to you guys. A backflow of water into the cylinder, which is quite common when the cylinder is near empty, where it can and will cause a chemical reaction, the result of which created carbonic acid, though a mild acid, if left unchecked will adhere itself the the steel inside of the cylinder and eat it away until it causes the wall of the cylinder to weaken to a point where it can rupture, you will NEVER know this is happening till it goes bang. does your purchased cylinder have these additional safety devices ???? fancy taking your chances on your safety to "save a few bucks" or do you want to leave it up to the experts ? HOW much is a "a few bucks" worth to you compared to the lives of you, your family, your colleagues or employees around you?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 5, 2008 Report Share Posted December 5, 2008 In NZ the law is the same and any person filling the cylinder is required to make sure that the cylinder has passed a current pressure test before filling. The charge of $30 to fill as against $10 to fill is a good indication of the difference between these outfits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted December 5, 2008 Report Share Posted December 5, 2008 Sounds to me like someone in the UK has a stake in BOC. A CO2 cylinder is no more unsafe than the LPG cylinders we all leave rusting away under the BBQ on the porch except that the gas doesn't explode and burn. All cylinders are stamped with the expiry/test date, so this whole "responsible for testing" thing is rubbish, just like an LPG one, when you go to get it filled the filler checks it hasn't expired, if it has you pay $30 to have it tested. My bottle cost me $120 to be tested and have fancy valve put on. plus $25 every 6 months for a refill. So over 5 year life it's going to cost me $370. BOC (prices in fist post) $12 month and $30 refill every 6 months, works out to $1020 or 3 time's as much. How many time's more expensive does something have to before it counts as extortion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juscrooky Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 A CO2 cylinder is no more unsafe than the LPG cylinders we all leave rusting away under the BBQ on the porch except that the gas doesn't explode and burn. It would help if you knew what you where talking about !! Firstly, an LPG cylinder is only designed to take a max of 20Bar, hence why the cylinders are manufactured from thin guage mild steel. and not thick wall strong cylinders like CO2 that have to stand in excess of 60 bar you dont have the problem of carbonic acid build up and erosion in an LPG cylinder, a CO2 cylinder can look perfect from the outside, but be destroyed from the inside by acid ersion. LPG is tainted with a strong man made aroma so you know if it is leaking, however CO2 ISNT, it is odourless colourless and tasteless. CO2, though non flammable, in a leaking cylinder is just as deadly if more so than LPG - the proerties of CO2 are not dissimilar to CO (carbon Monoxide AKA - THE SILENT KILLER) CO2 is an ASPHYIXIANT - High concentrations can cause paralysis of the breathing control centers of the nervous system: 2% by volume in the atmosphere will cause a 50% increase in the breathing rate; 3%, a 100% rate increase; >4% produces labored breathing and is dangerous for even a few minutes of exposure, with dizzyness, nausea and headaches; >12% causes rapid unconsciousness; and if this concentration level continues will result in death within a few breaths. can your cheaper supplier advise and assist you on all aspects of use of co2 in confined spaces and the regulations and laws surrounding it ?? as for price, what quality do you get for your money, I have learnt that price isnt everything, after several online purchases for "cheap" goods from china, only to find they arent worth the materials they are made out of. and had to buy genuine quality goods, then costing me extra money. two words - FALSE ECONOMY did you know there are several grades of purity of CO2, from the lower end, usually used in fire extinguishers to pure foodgrade, what grade are you getting?? is it right for purpose?? could you get contamination in your Co2 supply?? how accurate and up to date is the fillers equipment?, ARE you getting a full cylinder at refill ? how do YOU know?? is the refiller accreditted for quality ? what backup service, would you get if you had a problem what of refunds or guarantees do you have if you recieved a faulty product? could you get help and advice 24hrs a day if you had an "incident" ? these may seem like silly questions, but you are not only paying for the product itself, but a full service, would you buy a new car, with no guarantees , warranty or quality assurance and no safety/crash testing from the manufacturer if it was a bit cheaper ?? probably not, I know I wouldnt it is surprising that even here in the UK, I still hear of people filling, for example beverage gas cylinder (for beer) with fire extinguisher grade CO2 !!! not food grade cos it saves a few bucks you need to compare the wider picture, not just the price of the gas itself. if your supplier can compare in ALL ASPECTS, and at a cheaper rate, fair enough go for it, what I have found is that cheaper companies are cheaper for a reason, to make it cheaper you have to loose something, in the case of packaged gases, in most cases they cant cheapen the actual product, so they tend to leave out on quality and service aspects instead to save money. I AM only trying to help you all make an informed choice, with all the facts. people assume co2 is the same from anywhere - it isnt ther is a reason why, some cars are a damn sight more expensive than others - why is a BMW more expensive than a cheaper korean import? its all down to quality, the BMW is more expensive, but will serve you better in the long run as it will last a lot longer, with fewer repairs needed, is better build quality and safer for you and your family should the worst happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 Many people are not happy about BOC changing from an exchange system to a rental system with their cylinders and their refusal to fill privately owned cylinders. They have a pretty good monopoly and they make good use of it. CO2 is way less toxic than CO. CO links with the haemoglobin and depletes the bloods ability to carry oxygen. Carbonic acid will only form with water and the gas fillers should be excluding water from the CO2. As with most things it is the users responsibility to used the gas safely, not the fillers. Their job is to correctly fill the right cylinder with the right amount of the right gas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 8, 2008 Report Share Posted December 8, 2008 When working as a Dangerous goods Inspector I have attended a number of "Class 2 incidents" and have never seen a representative from BOC at any of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fmxmatt Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 its all down to quality, the BMW is more expensive, but will serve you better in the long run as it will last a lot longer, with fewer repairs needed, is better build quality and safer for you and your family should the worst happen. BAHAHAHAH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reef Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 At the end of the day they charge what they have to to stay in business. Filling a few co2 for aquarium use is hardly going to be a priority .If it was then they would close down like most aquarium shops who try to big under cutters of pricing. Try dealing with councils who are the biggest biggest rip off merchants. no wonder house prices are so expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie extreme Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Quote: its all down to quality, the BMW is more expensive, but will serve you better in the long run as it will last a lot longer, with fewer repairs needed, is better build quality and safer for you and your family should the worst happen. BAHAHAHAH YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME? i hope you replied from your own experience? if not your just making a silly comment! i drive one and was involved in a 13 car pile-up! i was first of all the only car that stopped in time (i was number 12) and also the only car that drove away from the accident, all other cars were either scrap metal or had to be towed because they turned into squashed tin cans! the car that hit me was a total write-off and the poor guy had his engine between his legs. mine was hardly dented (ok still cost $3361 to fix being bmw) and the bastard had no third party so i had to pay 361 dollars by myself. but it does show quality steel. BTW i have no air bags but most of the other cars did but not a single one opened and there were quite a few people with whiplash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juscrooky Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 i hope you replied from your own experience? if not your just making a silly comment! i drive one and was involved in a 13 car pile-up! i was first of all the only car that stopped in time (i was number 12) and also the only car that drove away from the accident, all other cars were either scrap metal or had to be towed because they turned into squashed tin cans! the car that hit me was a total write-off and the poor guy had his engine between his legs. mine was hardly dented (ok still cost $3361 to fix being bmw) and the bastard had no third party so i had to pay 361 dollars by myself. but it does show quality steel. BTW i have no air bags but most of the other cars did but not a single one opened and there were quite a few people with whiplash. yep sure am, I have had 3 now, I have had BMW's for the past 8 years now, I had a 1988 318i , a 730I, and now another 1987 730sei running on LPG absolutely brilliant motor, 21 years old, pristine condition, rust free, purrs like a kitten , dont think I will ever have anything else, will never have a new one, only the older ones, built like brick shithouses, tough and reliable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Fascinating, but has about as much to do with the cost of CO2 as the cost of housing has to do with Local Authorities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 It would help if you knew what you where talking about !! Would be interested to know why you are such an expert? Are you on BOC's payroll? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted December 9, 2008 Report Share Posted December 9, 2008 Why don't you guys look in the phone book - you'll find another supplier not already mentioned here that fills privately owned bottles very cheaply - on some occassions they fill my 500gram one for free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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