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Re: Quality Products



Bob wrote (to Bruno):

">From Dave's description, he is probably using a single stage regulator,
but it is hard to tell.  But your contrast between "any quality
regulator from a quality manufacturer" vs. "real dual-stage regulator"
is a cheap shot.  Most regulators from most manufacturers are single
stage.  It is not a quality issue, it is a specification and
requirements issue.  And I thought we established a long time ago that
all of these end-of-tank problems disappear if you don't try to run your
CO2 tank dry."

First of all, I don't think that anyone wants to take any more "cheap
shots", as you put it. A claim was made that someone was using a two stage
regulator, when in fact it is only a single stage regulator. Nobody is
disputing the fact that, for our purposes and given a reasonable amount of
user "awareness", a good single stage regulator is more than good enough to
do what we want done. But it helps if we call things by their proper name,
that way there can be no confusion.

Most regulators sold into our hobby are single stage models, but in this
hobby, as in life, you can't assume too much. Two stage regulators _are_
easily available to those who look for them, and _are_ suitable for use in
an aquarium setting.

Again, it is beginning to resemble the old "Fluval vs Eheim" argument. Both
are good, both do the job. One might be engineered and/or constructed a
little better, but it also usually costs more as well. With the two types of
regulators, they are both designed to do exactly the same thing, and the
level of quality in both the design or construction can be an exact match -
the difference is in the tolerance needed or wanted in the output pressure.
We might not _need_ the higher tolerance, but there is absolutely nothing
wrong with someone wanting (and using) it. It's your tank, any your money -
you decide which you want. Variety is the spice of life.

"BTW, if anyone is interested, there is a Victor regulator on eBay that
is very definitely a two-stage unit, and no one is bidding on it. It is
a configuration I have never seen before, with the two stages in
separate housings; the first stage has a tank pressure guage, and the
second stage has am output pressure guage.  I can't tell what gas it is
set-up for, but your could change the fitting to CGA-320 cheaply enough."

HERE is where the beauty of knowing what the various "specs" can really be
helpful. This _might_ be a great buy for someone, or it might be _totally_
inappropriate. As we have seen from the long and torturous threads on CO2
equipment a lot of people either don't know nor care to know arcane details.
If this piece of equipment is by chance NOT suitable for our type of use, an
unsuspecting buyer might either just waste his money or potentially do
himself, his home or his aquarium some damage.

As my little series of e-mails with Champion showed, even reputable sellers
can give you the wrong information, if you ask the incorrect questions or
there is misunderstanding over the terminology you are both using.

I do a lot of things on faith....... buying stuff like this is not one of
'em. But then again, to each his/her own....

James Purchase
Toronto