co2 tank

cremesindraco

Junior Poster
Oct 6, 2008
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hey guys, i have a 75g tank and have been using yeast method as a means of adding co2 to the tank, mainly due to financial constraints. however i have recently purchased a regulator for a co2 tank, but am not sure where to get one. i live in buffalo, ny.

i found a 20oz bottle at lowes which is similar to a paintball gun tank, but it doesnt look like the threads will fit. i have also found 5lb tanks at various websites (all at least $60-70), but i would like to try and find one locally in hopes it would be a little cheaper, and id be able to set it up right away lol.


thanks for any help,
crazybob
 

Panda

Guru Class Expert
Jun 14, 2008
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rich815;29644 said:
Other than a good local fish store, maybe welding supply stores, beer-making supply stores, etc.

the painball style bottle won't fit a normal regulator. Following Rich, maybe you can find a person that serves CO2 to fast foods and restaurants for soda machines.
 

abcemorse

Prolific Poster
Sep 8, 2008
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Also try local fire extinguisher shops, I got my 10 lb tank for $85 filled, as long as you're not looking for a real pretty one....
 

rich815

Guru Class Expert
Jun 26, 2008
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60
Albany, California
cremesindraco;29643 said:
hey guys, i have a 75g tank and have been using yeast method as a means of adding co2 to the tank, mainly due to financial constraints. however i have recently purchased a regulator for a co2 tank, but am not sure where to get one. i live in buffalo, ny.

i found a 20oz bottle at lowes which is similar to a paintball gun tank, but it doesnt look like the threads will fit. i have also found 5lb tanks at various websites (all at least $60-70), but i would like to try and find one locally in hopes it would be a little cheaper, and id be able to set it up right away lol.


thanks for any help,
crazybob


I forgot to mention Fire Extinguisher supply stores too.

By the way, my LFS has 5lb tanks full and tested for $89, 10lb ones for $119. I called around the other types of local places I mentioned and most were about the same or higher priced. I did find one place about 30 minutes north of me that was $55 for a 10lb'er all tested and filled but they are only open 9-5 M-F and they need 3-5 days advance notice to do the testing and filled and that's IF they have one in stock. So while it was cheaper it's a real pain to make the logistics happen as I cannot normally get there during the week and the one or two times when I happen to be heading that direction during the week I never knew such with enough advance notice. You might call around near you and if you have more flexibilty than I can probably find a good deal.
 

cremesindraco

Junior Poster
Oct 6, 2008
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hey guys thanks for the help. i called some welder supply companys in my area. i found someone who can give me a full 5lb tank for about 90 bucks after taxes, and 13 to refill thereafter. ill prob stop by today or thurs and pick it up.

about how long can i expect it to last? like i said i have a 75g and ill probably do 1-2 b/s

thanks again for the help :)
 

rich815

Guru Class Expert
Jun 26, 2008
112
1
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60
Albany, California
cremesindraco;29668 said:
hey guys thanks for the help. i called some welder supply companys in my area. i found someone who can give me a full 5lb tank for about 90 bucks after taxes, and 13 to refill thereafter. ill prob stop by today or thurs and pick it up.

about how long can i expect it to last? like i said i have a 75g and ill probably do 1-2 b/s

thanks again for the help :)

For my 72 gal I'm at 5 bps. How heavily planted are you and why do you think you'll be at 1-2 bps?

At my bps my 5 lb'er lasts about 3 months.

Got a good drop checker? (do not use tank water in it....)
 

cremesindraco

Junior Poster
Oct 6, 2008
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at the moment im not too heavily planted (20-30% covered0, but i do plan on getting more (50-80%). i thought 1-2 bbs only because of what i read most ppl seem to be around there, altho i do know it varies. i have a bubble counter, it came with my regulator, along with a diffuser. i purchased it from drsfoster and smith. itll probably only be runnning for about 12 hours a day because the regulator came with a time, so ill only be adding co2 when the lights are on.

also im running low light system (about .5wpg) until my replacement ts's come in. when they are all on i think i have about 2-5 wpg. altho i have been told t5's offer more "actual wattage" than what theyre listed as.
 

cremesindraco

Junior Poster
Oct 6, 2008
6
0
1
hey guys, so i picked up a co2 tank. for right now im doing 2-3 b/s and im planning on checking the levels in a little while. i also picked up 2 t5's so im all up and running, except for my dry ferts which should be in the mail.

i have a stupid question tho, i dont know exactly how to read my regulator gauge. i have an azoo (link to pic at end), and i dont know what each pressure represents. ive read that if you let it get too low itll release everything at once into the tank. and also, when the lights and the gauge turns off, it wont cause enough pressure to blow off will it?

sorry for all the questions, and thanks for all the help


CO2 Pressure Regulator w/Solenoid
 

VaughnH

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The right gage shows if there is still liquid CO2 in the tank. It will read about 700 psi, on the red scale if there is still some liquid CO2 in the tank. When the liquid is used up, what is left is CO2 gas, and that lets the pressure drop as the gas is used up. Once you see that gage drop to about 400-500 psi, you need to get the tank refilled.

The left gage indicates the pressure the regulator is set for, and that one is preset at the factory to, probably, 20 psi. You can't do anything to change that unless you figure out how to do it, if it is even possible.

"End of tank dump", for a Milwaukee regulator, occurs because the regulated pressure, that which the regulator is adjusted to hold on the output side, goes up as the inlet pressure goes down. So, if you run out of liquid CO2, and the inlet pressure drops, which it does in just a few hours, the outlet pressure goes up to 40-50psi, and the bubble rate is caused to go up proportionally. That is what gases the fish. I don't know if this regulator has this same "problem" or not, but it very likely does, since both are very cheap regulators. You just have to check the regulator gages every day, to be sure you haven't run out of liquid CO2, and refill it promptly if you have.
 

cremesindraco

Junior Poster
Oct 6, 2008
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cool, thanks for the info. so i shouldnt be worried about pressure building up over night? am i just a paranoid person new to this whole co2 tank thing? lol
 

VaughnH

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Jan 24, 2005
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cremesindraco;29705 said:
cool, thanks for the info. so i shouldnt be worried about pressure building up over night? am i just a paranoid person new to this whole co2 tank thing? lol

A regulator works by holding the downstream pressure almost constant, so having the solenoid off at night, giving zero bubble rate, doesn't do anything to the outlet pressure. Remember, for all practical purposes our CO2 is always shut off. Even with the solenoid open, the flow is so low, the regulator sees it as zero flow.