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[APD] Re: Pressurized CO2 Equipment
At 12:02 PM 9/11/2004 -0400, Mike Smith wrote:
Hello everyone,
Looking for a bit of advice here. I have decided
that in order to reach new heights ( no pun intended ) of plant growth, I
must install a pressurized Co2 system. My plan is to go with a 20lb tank
to avoid frequent fill ups and because I have the room. From the list, I
am hoping to get some input on the types of valves and regulators etc.
that have been used successfully. I am not made out of money but I want
to buy quality equipment that I can rely on to function properly.
My advice would be:
* Be sure you are able to transport a 20lb cylinder-
they are big & heavy. 10 lb is a good compromise.
Also, the cylinder must be kept vertical when in
use-no compromise is possible here.
* A two gauge regulator with a needle valve and
bubble counter is what you want. A needle valve
can be added if you get it from beer brewing
channels instead of aquarium sources. Some
way to count bubbles is virtually mandatory.
* To diffuse the CO2 into the water, most of us
either inject the CO2 into a canister filter intake,
or use a homemade or commercial CO2 reactor.
Search Google on"CO2 reactor", or look
here for a good commercial reactor:
http://www.plantguild.com/html/co2.html
* A regulator is probably unnecessary. It is a
fairly simple matter to adjust your bubble rate
to ensure a stable pH, which means stable
CO2 level. Some people really dig knowing
that their pH never varies by more than a
tenth point up or down. The cost is about
$100-150 extra for this knowledge, plus
occasional calibrations and probe replacement.
* Some folks turn the CO2 off at night, which
means you need a solenoid. CO2 is so cheap
that I have opted to eliminate that one bit
of complexity.
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