Re: [APD] Aquatic-Plants Digest, Vol 35, Issue 4

["Lawrence Hugh Forbes" <lhforbes at comcast_net>]

>  What is the one or two (or more) things you wish you had known about
pressurized CO2 systems before you committed to purchasing one?  What do you
wish you knew then that you know now, either through research or finding out
"the hard way?"

1. Find a CO2 supplier BEFORE you make a purchase of equipment. I live in
Chicagoland and one would think I would have a plethora of places to
purchase CO2, in fact there is only one near me and it's a half hour drive
away, and their business hours happen to be exactly the same as mine. As you
can imagine this make for a difficult situation for me.
2. Piecing the system together yourself can oftentimes be more costly than
just purchasing a ready built system. As an example Robert Hudson (
http://www.aquabotanic.com ) sells a Milwaukee combo set consisting of; 2
stage regulator, check valve, bubble counter, needle valve, and solenoid for
around $73. I have never been able to find prices for all of these items
cheaper than this, especially if shipping is added to the cost (Be aware
though that the new needle valve on the Milwaukee is a piece of crap IMO).
Another thing, that Rex has already stated, is to use polyethylene tubing
and NOT silicone. I have a 10 pound tank with a 25' run of silicone tubing
that would empty after 6 weeks, after changing to polyethylene the same tank
has been running for 3 months now and the BAR side of the regulator has not
moved yet. CO2 is cheap but there is also a major PITA factor in getting a
tank refilled/exchanged, something to also keep in mind.


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