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Re: [APD] CO2 systems
I with Bob on this but would qualify a bit further. Get the biggest tank you can fit *and* handle easily. If you think you might send your spouse to the welding shop for a refill, a 40 pound tank might be tax your relationship more than your wallet.
Cheap regulators generally work as well as expensive ones once they're set -- they're just a little more trouble to get set but you don't have to set them often. The exception would be if you're buying very high quality 2-stage regulators, which will let you run your CO2 tank down much lower and save oh maybe a dollar every year or two on the cost of CO2. But such regulators cost ridiculous amounts of money and can only be justified on an if-I-don't-get-one-I'll-never-know-how-they-work basis. Consider getting a use CGA320 regulator on ebay.
A bubble counter is about a necessary as a shoe horn. If you find that you really need one, you're probably wearing the wrong size shoes.
Carbon Dioxide Water-Input-Absorption-Benefaction Devices: Devices and techniques to mix CO2 into water usually have trumped up pretentious names like "mister," "injector," and the ever so atomic and technical sounding "reactor" and some cost a pretty penny. They all do the same basic thing, bubble CO2 into water in hope that somehow the CO2 reaches the plants. They do and it does. Some designs are more efficient than others but CO2 mixers are like substrates in aquatic plant aquaria, it doesn't much matter which you use, the results are mainly a function of how much and everything else you do.
pH controllers are less useful than shoe horns on a sunny beach. You *can* use one but don't go tellin' folks it does anything you couldn't do simpler, cheaper, safer and more effectively without the controller.
Don't drastically readjust your CO2 regulator as the tank runs out, trying to get every last drop of CO2, and then expect the refilled tank to work at the same setting.
The pressure in a freshly refilled CO2 tank might increase by as much as 20% within the first few hours after refilling. Filling chills the tank and,as the tank warms, the pressure increases. So, don't expect the regulator to function exactly the same with a cold tank as a warm one. CO2 tanks are like stethoscopes; best to let them warm to touch before using them.
And don't put compressed inert gas tanks into a shark's mouth and then fire a rifle at it; apparently that is the one and only situation where they will explode as opposed to merely rocketing around like a project from NASA on a very very bad day -- which, come to think of it, would have been a nice ending to Jaws, having the beast scoot and bounce around on the water like Daffy Duck -- woo hoo woo hoo. ;-)
Have plants, have gas, have fun,
sh
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----- Original Message ----
From: bob alston <bobalston9 at yahoo_com>
To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
Sent: Monday, July 3, 2006 12:23:03 PM
Subject: [APD] CO2 systems
What I wish I knew about co2?
I guess the big one was told to me but I didn't
understand: Get the
largest co2 tank you can fit!!!
A co2 fill of a 10# tank is often almost the same if
not actually the
same cost as for a 5 pound tank. So measure carefully
if you are going
to place it under your tank and get at least a 10#
tank if you can.
I just setup another 55 gallon and after looking at
the various
all-in-one regulators, I went with the same setup I
used on my initial
co2 setup:
Tap-Rite 742 regulator - from Rapids Wholesale
Clippard MNV-4k2 needle valve - from Rex Gregg
Adapter - from Rex Grigg - to connect the clippard
valve directly to
the regulator
Plant Guild co2 reactor (the tall one) from Plant
Guild
Silicon tubing which came with the Plant guild
reactor
A 10# co2 cylinder bought locally with a recent
inspection date
(inspection lasts 5 years)
After my first co2 setup I made it my mission to
provide co2 information
to help out others. YOu can see my web site on co2
here:
http://webpages.charter.net/bobalston/AquaticPlants.htm#High%20Pressure%20CO2
Bob
--
Bob Alston
bobalston9 at YAHOO_com
Cell phone: 214.770.1140
http://webpages.charter.net/bobalston
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