EDIT: I couldn't figure out how to delete this thread. It turns out, the little black ball in the built-in backflow preventer in the bubble counter was the culprit. It wouldn't stay in its housing and was randomly affecting the flow. Once removed, all is good again.
I have the Clscea G211 citric acid/baking soda DIY CO2 kit on a nano tank. It's been perfect for almost a year. But, something has gone very wrong with the needle valve. It will no longer hold a setting. I do run a very slow bubble rate of 1 bubble per 5-10 seconds (Read that again, it's not a typo!) because I run it 24/7 into a plants-only tank. The system itself holds a very stable output pressure of 35psi, so it's not the output pressure that is causing the variation. I opened the needle valve and did not see any obvious damage. I've checked for system leaks.
Can someone recommend a replacement that can work at that low bubble rate? I see a lot of $10 ones on Amazon that all look like the one I have, but I suspect they are low precision, low quality, and not what I want.
Here's a picture of it, and it appears to have two different types of compression fittings. I don't mind if the replacement comes with the same fittings on both sides, or even if it's inline, it just has to work with standard CO2 tubing (1/4" OD - 1/8" ID) without any more parts to add. The entire kit was only $25, so I know this is a cheap valve. I don't mind spending more for more precision and stability.
Thanks!
I have the Clscea G211 citric acid/baking soda DIY CO2 kit on a nano tank. It's been perfect for almost a year. But, something has gone very wrong with the needle valve. It will no longer hold a setting. I do run a very slow bubble rate of 1 bubble per 5-10 seconds (Read that again, it's not a typo!) because I run it 24/7 into a plants-only tank. The system itself holds a very stable output pressure of 35psi, so it's not the output pressure that is causing the variation. I opened the needle valve and did not see any obvious damage. I've checked for system leaks.
Can someone recommend a replacement that can work at that low bubble rate? I see a lot of $10 ones on Amazon that all look like the one I have, but I suspect they are low precision, low quality, and not what I want.
Here's a picture of it, and it appears to have two different types of compression fittings. I don't mind if the replacement comes with the same fittings on both sides, or even if it's inline, it just has to work with standard CO2 tubing (1/4" OD - 1/8" ID) without any more parts to add. The entire kit was only $25, so I know this is a cheap valve. I don't mind spending more for more precision and stability.
Thanks!
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