Re: [APD] CO2 System

[Vaughn Hopkins <hoppycalif at yahoo_com>]

Hi Joshua,
I have posted this story before, but to repeat:  I tried last summer to  
save a lot of money by buying bits and pieces and making some parts for  
a pressurized CO2 system.  I bought a used regulator on ebay, picking a  
seller who lived near me to save on shipping.  I bought a needle valve,  
a good one, on ebay, again from a seller only a hundred miles away to  
save on shipping.  Then I realized I needed a check valve, and bought  
it from McMaster & Carr online, and even though the distributer was  
only a hundred miles away, the shipping doubled the price.  Then I  
started looking for hose barbs so I could connect it all together with  
air tubing.  The valve was a special one, with very small barbs and an  
odd size machined port on both ends, so it took two orders to finally  
get the right size.  The tubing I got from a model airplane store -  
fuel line.  Then I made a bubble counter from a small glass bottle.   
So, I then totaled up my costs and found I was above $100 already, and  
still no solenoid valve, which I decided I definitely want.  I gave up,  
gave away most of the parts, and bought a Milwaukee  
regulator/valve/bubble counter/solenoid valve, on special from  
aquabotanic for just $79.  The moral of the story is that most likely,  
the cheapest way to go is the combination regulator units of Milwaukee  
and JBL.  I still have to find a tank and CO2 supplier.  Of all of the  
stuff I will use, the only parts I would agree are not  necessary are  
the solenoid valve and the bubble counter.  I hope that helps.

Vaughn H.

On Friday, November 18, 2005, at 12:37 PM, Joshua L. Wiegert wrote:

> I have a spare 55-gallon, and am considering "taking the plunge" and  
> going
> with a pressurised CO2 system.  The trouble is, I don't know what to  
> buy.
> : )  I've seen, for about 80-bucks a "complete system," just add tank.  
>  I've
> also seen ones for 400$.  I don't know what components are neccessary,  
> what
> ones are pretty much neccessary, and what ones are just bells and  
> whistles.
> I've also heard that one can purchase CO2 components on Ebay for other  
> uses,
> put them together, and go .. but, again, I don't know what I need.
>
> And I'm having a heck of a time finding a resource on the net..  
> everything I
> look up seems to just say, "This is why you want to buy OUR  
> system...".  Can
> anyone point me towards a websource on DIY CO2 (other than a yeast  
> setup! :)
>
>
> --
> end
>   ____^___
>> <,DARWIN,>
> Joshua L. Wiegert
> Native Fish Conservancy Lists Administrator                     
> JLW at dune_net
> AIM UID: JoshuaWiegert                                                 
> Yahoo:
> JLW_DUNE_NET
>                               
> HTTP://WWW.NATIVEFISH.ORG/JWiegert/index.html
> Feel free to contact me by any of the above means for any reason.
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