DubbieBoy Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Spotted this on trademe... http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farmi ... 000071.htm Nothing to do with me but may be of interest to somebody thinking about trying to assemble low-cost pressurised CO2 system; coupled with a good needle valve, this arrangement might have some promise. Don't see regulators suitable for SodaStream bottles very often... -DB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljtan55 Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Hmm.. what else would you need for a CO2 setup if you get one of these? A diffuser, bubble counter? Sorry people have tried to explain this to me before and I still can't get my head around it.... :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Yep thats all you need. I used to diffuse mine by injecting the CO2 into the start of the output pipe of my cannister filter after the pump. CO2 was well diffused by the time it got to the tank. The price is pretty good for bottle and reg, but because of the small bottle it would only last a month or so. Still far easier and better than mucking round with yeast etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljtan55 Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 I have a diffuser, that goes into the external canister, so does that mean all I need is that setup and a bubble counter? Is the bubble counter a must have for the setup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 If you have a diffuser you dont need to muck round with the extrnal filter, I just did this to save getting a difffuser. The diffuser you have goes into your tank. You dont HAVE to a bubble counter but unless you can see the bubbles going into the diffuser you will have no way of controlling (seeing) the amount of CO2 going in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ljtan55 Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 Ahhh good point. Just realised I have a reactor not a diffuser :oops: which goes into the external canister, so I definitely need a bubble counter. Thanks suphew, I think I finally get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishboi Posted August 9, 2006 Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 i've got a brand new soda stream bottle if anyone is interested for $20 bought it for this purpose but never got around to it. its the large bottle type 885g so just over 3.5 times the size of the one on TM but same size head. Edit : SOLD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubbieBoy Posted August 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2006 You would also need some sort of needle valve for fine adjustment of the flow, it would exit the regulator alone at far too great a flow. Bottle would be small but can usually just be exchanged for a full one, several places do this; would last quite a while on a small tank. I see the regulator has now been listed separately... http://www.trademe.co.nz/Business-farmi ... 244134.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jammos Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 sorry to burst everyones bubble but I have gone down this path and the c02 in soda stream is too pressurised. You need the refiller to attach the bottle to the regulator and you normally loose 1/4 the bottle apon putting the requaltor on and it freezes the hole thing. I even freeze burnt my hands (through gloves) trying to connect it. so if anyone has any handy hints if they have sucessfully done it please tell me. And the other prob is that the join between the bottle and reg has to be tighter that what can be applied by hand tightening For me it has come to renting a co2 bottle with a reg already ontop so i can put my regulator on it (while closed) then releasing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted August 10, 2006 Report Share Posted August 10, 2006 When I used a sodastream bottle it had a push valve thing on it, most regulators come with the pin thing that pushes this in when they are new but because most CO2 bottles have taps the little pin thing is normally removed. When I got my full sized bottle (with tap) the guy removed it for me but gave it to me incase I needed it. The joint should only be hand tight, if you are having to do it tighter it will be because your washer needs replacing, there are two types, one that must be replaced evey refill and one that costs a little more but will last a few refills if your carefull with it. BTW I'm no expert on this just relating what I was told by the guy that set up my system and does the refills testing etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 I have just bought one of these regulators. It went on top of the soda stream bottle without too much trouble. The only difficulty was that I did not read the label, and had it the valve fully open when I connected things (open is fully screwed down, normally this would be closed). I managed to turn the output down quite low, and with the addition of a cheap plastic clamp from the LFS on the tubing I have managed to decrease the flow rate to around one bubble every three seconds. Not only that, but from when I purchased the regulator to when I received it was under three days. I am reasonably confident that this will do the trick for my three foot tank, and is definitely more reliable than my yeast concoctions I was making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicB Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Yes I am on day 9 of my first bottle, all going well Monitoring it and will report after first fill learnt a couple of things already. Easy to mount on soda stream bottle also Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 sorry to burst everyones bubble but I have gone down this path and the c02 in soda stream is too pressurised. You need the refiller to attach the bottle to the regulator and you normally loose 1/4 the bottle apon putting the requaltor on and it freezes the hole thing. Just wondering if this has happened to you two guys?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicB Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Like any high pressure Hand tight is not good enough. I use a 250mm cresent. I put the bottle in a wood vice screw the reg on by hand to when co2 just releases, back of a shade, put the cresent on and give it a quick turn. Only about a quarter turn or less I think from memory. There is a couple of flat edges on the top of the cylinder that may take a ring spanner but I put in the vice. Would not try to hold the bottle and do it. Use safety glasses also as I read one incident of a user who put a reg on and the diaphram bust and dumped all the gas very quick so may be a slightly open reg is best and then turn off Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 So You didnt lose any co2 like jammos wrote?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicB Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Only about 1 sec reduced flow. Weighing bottle each day and I know The weight when I started so will see if I get 300grams of Co2 or less will indicate the amount lost. I didn't weigh the reg on it own before assembly unfortunitly Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Sweet Make sure you tell us how long a bottle lasts ast what rate (ie. bubbles per second you were running on it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 My 9kg calc reactor CO2 bottle lasts around 3-4 months at a bubble rate of about 1 per second. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicB Posted August 23, 2006 Report Share Posted August 23, 2006 Not enough to create any ice. So I thought minimal Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 Just found out that it is more difficult to set this up with a new bottle, my previous attempt was with a half filled bottle, and I am now considering returning it. I will try the crescent trick as micb does and let all know how it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Posted August 25, 2006 Report Share Posted August 25, 2006 Yep, all goes well now, a slight loss of CO2 but only minimal. Looks like I will still keep the regulator. MicB do you use a needle valve or is your flow rate controlled from the regulator? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicB Posted August 26, 2006 Report Share Posted August 26, 2006 Heres my experiences http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/aqua-o ... 15217.html Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dasher Posted October 5, 2006 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 I have the Regulator frame mounted to the Powdercoat steel stand for the tank. On the Gas bottle I fit a modified Oil Filter Wrench (Shortened the Strap so it would fit the slightly smaller gas bottle). Then using the oil filter Wrench to unscrew the bottletill it is free, then finish by hand. To install the new one is the reverse. Fit the Filter wrench to the bottle first, then spin the bottle till it nips and give it a quick crank with the oil filter wrench. I have been into Engineering Plastics an picked up a set of deeper seals for the reg too. I havent noticed any freezing and only a momentary hiss as the gas fills the reg void and lines. I have a support frame that then clips to the bottle and camlocks onto the powder coated stand for protection. Still ironing out wrinkles with lines - just changed to Silicon and polished seats in the cheapo brass needle valve so I have smoother control. But definately please with improved growth rates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 my 10 cents: i went to BOC and got a regulator as used on a mig welder. $150ish i then went back to BOC and hired (and continue to do so) a 6.5kg co2 bottle for about $8 a month. a few parts from the gas supplier across the road that the BOC people recommended (about $100 for solenoid and all other connecting parts, and some thread tape) done. no more messing around. attatched solenoid to a spare light timer and set up a mess of piping and gang-valves, and inject co2 into about 16 separate tanks. i have plans to put a co2 line down the side of the house when i put a tank in the living room. there is enough pressure to do this with no worries, and if you do something like; run larger tubing (8-10mm) as the main supply with smaller with small/normal tubing (5-6mm) branching off into tanks; then you will not get as many problems with pressure drops when adjusting the flow-rate of individual injectors. similar to the 'token ring' method of running a high-volume air-pump. for tubing you can use air-line, but co2 can leak through the walls of the tubing. there are co2 resistant tubes available (see a tubing/hose supplier). comes in many colours, sizes, lengths, and toxicities. you can also get normal non-toxic air-line tubing for about 35 cents a metre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Posted October 12, 2006 Report Share Posted October 12, 2006 and about those soda stream bottles: the thread is the same as a normal co2 bottle. attach a normal regulator. heres the fun bit: instead of a big tap on the side of the bottle, there is a small screw. it is the tap, it bypasses the pin-valve in the neck of the bottle. using a screwdriver is beyond the scope of this post. caveat: it has been a long time since i did this, i can't remember the exactness of my claims, and i don't seem to own a soda-stream any more (???) so i couldn't verify. i would also expect that a soda-stream bottle would last about a month or so, on my system i guess a couple of days, and they cost about $15 (again, from memory) to 'refill' works out cheaper to hire a bigger bottle. and for those of you that didn't pick this up already; pressurised gas likes to absorb energy when it is released from captivity. this means everything around it gets VERY cold. be slow and methodical when playing with compressed stuff, unless of course you are running away from it. thread tape and spanners are your friends and 'hand tight' is a term to be applied only when using a long-handled spanner. if you are not using a spanner the term 'hand can't undo' works as a starting point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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