Re: [APD] CO2 systems

[Rex Grigg <rex at rexgrigg_com>]

Personal experience.  I have a CO2 system feeding a 55 gallon and a 29 
gallon tank.  Used to have silicone tubing.  The 20 lb cylinder would 
last about 9-10 months.  Switched out all the tubing and the cylinder 
now lasts 17-18 months.

Here is a link to the math 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/213172-post11.html

If losing 12% in a couple of feet of tubing is trivial that's good.  To 
me a 12% loss of CO2 in a two foot run of tubing is quite high.

Steve B wrote:
> Good Morning, Rex!
>    
>   I have done some reading on silicone vs CO2 resistant tubing and I thought the general hobbyist consensus (if there is such a thing) was that  the whole co2-loss-in-silicone-tubing was overhyped.  I recognize your name from your website (very helpful and I had a few chuckles while reading over it!) and from APC forum...  care to elaborate on why silicone tubing is bad, or refer me to a good discussion/post/article about it?  Thanks for the advice, I'll try to find some good CO2 resistant tubing, what material should I look to buy?
>    
>   Cheers & Gig'Em,
>   Steve
>
> Rex Grigg <rex at rexgrigg_com> wrote:
>   Only a couple of things I will add to what Bob said.
>
> Silicone tubing is actually a very poor choice for a CO2 system as it 
> can lose up to 6% of the CO2 per foot.
>
> Also get a good check valve. The cheap plastic ones just don't cut it 
> with CO2 systems.
>
> bob alston wrote:
>   
>> 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
>>
>>
>>     
>
>
>   


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