CO2 System

[punkrockfish]

Any recommendations on a CO2 system to use for a larger tank? The DIY stuff seems great, but impractical when you get up to 100g.

 

[Orlando]

Do you have plans for a diffusion method? Reactor, diffuser, Mazzei?
I think distribution is most important with large tanks.

 

[ishar]

Go to Orlando's site there @ greenleafaquariums.com and check out the Milwaukee regulator. I bought one for myself and my plants are thriving like you wouldn't believe . It is a good regulator IMO for a great price. And Orlando is a great guy to deal with.

And may I suggest, if you haven't already found a plan for diffusion, the Elite Mini method? I am using one and I love it- it is a little more noisy that people make if seem on other forums but it does the job quite well. I put it underneath a Koralia powerhead so it circulates the bubbles even better than the mini itself

Here are the links:
Regulator
Elite Mini setup

 

[punkrockfish]

ok, bear with me here, because i have no idea where to start. my original plan was to make the whole DIY CO2 thing, and for distribution, run the tube into a powerhead i have, or through my canister filter and out the spray bar. that is my basic understanding. with what you have suggested, what exactly am I getting? does that include CO2/how long would that last me if it did? is that a system that does everything but distribute it into my tank? sorry to ask so much, but i know so little.

 

[ishar]

hey no worries . When I read your first post it sounded like you wanted to go with a pressurized system- which is by far the most practical solution for a 100g tank. In my own personal experience, I tend to recommend to everyone I can to stay away from DIY CO2 no matter what size your tank. Many people have had great success with it, but it is costly in the long run and can lead your tank straight to disaster.

Now the links I handed you provide you with a regulator to control the amount of CO2 being released into your tank from a CO2 cylinder that comes separately. When I set my CO2 system up I used a paintball cylinder and adapted it to my regulator, only because I could not find a full size tank or where to fill it. But anyways, the first like is the regulator.

Then you need to buy the CO2 tank. Again, I cannot answer your questions about this as I have no experience with larger tanks.

Then you need to make a choice on how to spread the CO2 through your tank. You could either feed it into the intake of your canister filter so the impeller chops the bubbles up- this can damage your filter over time. You can buy a diffuser like what GLA sells, a glass container with a ceramic plate- I didn't find this method to be overly successful, but if placed under a powerhead could work well. Or you could use a reactor, which I have no experience with, but they dissolve the CO2 into the water rather than remain as a gas as a tiny bubble like the other methods- these tend to be large in size but cheap and, from what I hear, effective.

The other link I sent you shows the method I fully recommend for diffusing your CO2 into your tank, and that is using a cheap little $10 filter and doing a quick 1 minute modification and then you have a wonderful CO2 diffuser that sends a nice mist around your tank- especially when placed under a powerhead to keep the bubbles in the water column for longer.

So to recap, you need three things to set up pressurized CO2 for a tank: a CO2 tank, a regulator (as I linked to you), and a method of diffusion (As I listed and linked to you). You also need hosing... obviously .

Now on a side note, the regulator I linked to you has what is called a solenoid. This is something that allows you to plug your regulator in, and when it is plugged in the CO2 will flow, and when it is unplugged the CO2 will be dammed. This means if you hook your regulator to a timer you can have your CO2 automatically come on and off with your lights.

It also has a bubble counter. This is a minor attachment but useful none the less. It allows you to get a count of how many bubbles you have flowing into your tank every second for a quick measurement of the CO2 level in your tank. Using this to judge your CO2 level takes time and experience, and it shouldn't really be used as a definitive measurement.

Now that I have confused the crap out of you, any questions?

 

[punkrockfish]

so, if i get the regulator, and do the diffusion method you suggested, then all i need on my own is a CO2 source, like a paintball canister. however i would need to fit the canister to the regulator? correct?

 

[ishar]

yeppers. Your best bet, if you were committed to pressurized CO2, would be to find yourself a real CO2 canister. Than you don't have to worry about modding it, the cost in the long run will be much lower, and you will have to refill your CO2 WAY less often. My 16oz paintball tanks last me a month or two. 5lbs, if I remember correctly, can last like 6 months or more, and cost less to fill.

 

[punkrockfish]

where do you refill at, or even purchase one?

 

[Chris_A]

So I'm not really sure about in the states but you could try a welding gas distributer. The one we deal with at work sells several different grades of CO2 (and other gasses) including Beverage Gas. Could try doing a search in your area?

I don't know if they are down there but the one I was refering to is called BOC.

Chris

 

[Kalavek]

Here in Vancouver I buy welding gases at work from Air Liquide - they even call weekly to see if I'll be needing anything when their truck passes through. As far as I know they carry just about everything compressed - oxygen, nitrogen, argon, co2, etc.

If your yellow pages doesn't list something for compressed gas, any local shop with a welder should be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[punkrockfish]

thanks for all the input guys, extremely helpful