CO2 questions and help picking system

jmm197 said:

I have a 75 gallon tank that has right at 2WPG and I plan on adding more light soon. But I am all ready having a bad time with BBA. I don't mind it being on my rocks, wood, intakes, heater, etc. But it's growing on the plants leaves and making them curl up and die. I think it's really hampering there growth, Right?

Anyway, I'm going to try and go to pressurized co2 for Christmas, and would love to hear experienced opinions on it. I'll probably be going with a paintball type because there isn't anywhere else around here that has CO2. And I'll probably get the tank from them too. So mainly I need help picking the regulator etc.

I was looking at this from Red Sea. But I don't see a solenoid with it. The one with the solenoid is like $50 more. Can you get by without a solenoid? What exactly is it for?

Any other recommendations for cheaper systems/regulators are welcome!

Thanks!

Click to expand...

The solenoid is an on/off switch for the CO2.I have mine plugged in with the light timer,so when the lights are on,so is the CO2.When they are off the CO2 stops being pumped into the tank.The plants will only use the CO2 with the lights,so having it run without them is a waste,and can drop the PH to dangerously low levels.

I would not get a paintball regulator for a 75 gallon.The bottles are very expensive for the size you get,and you would be constantly re-filling them.I have one on a 20 gallon and it goes through 24oz in about 3 weeks.I have 3 bottles and they each cost about $20 each.You can buy larger bottles for paintball,but theyt get really expensive for the size.Isn't there a welding supply company near you?Even beverage companies sell CO2 and bottles.I would look in the yellow pages for welding stores.
This is the one I have for a 55 gallon,
http://www.aquacave.com/milwaukee-c...phragm-br-valve--bubble-counterbrma957-4.html
all you need is the tank.
http://www.aquacave.com/5-lb-aluminum-co2-cylinder-1151.html

It depends on how much room you have to store it/hide it. A 5lb tank would be fine,but you can get one up to 20lbs.
http://www.aquacave.com/5-lb-aluminum-co2-cylinder-1151.html
The bigger the tank,the cheaper they get for the volume they offer.
If you know you can hide it,and don't care how it looks,welding stores offer them even cheaper,but they are not aluminum,and are pretty rough looking.

I think the addition of the co2 will take care of the bba problem

I have a 5# tank on my 55 but I wish I would have went with a 10#, I'm refilling about 2-3 months. A 10# I could have went for a refill once a year.

I would go with at least a 10# but a 20# would be better!, make sure you can fit under the stand...

if you can aford it i would go with the 20# thay are about 27in from bottom to top (top being the valve). i got mine for $50 off of criegslist. it's an old steel one that was originally used for a kegators but it works and last more than a year i figure. on my 20 (i refilled a 5# 4 times a year when i had it on my 30 gallon)

the Milwaukee regulator arn't the best but thay do work you can usally find them a bit cheaper though on ebay (around 79ish last time i checked). with regulators you really want a good needle valve or metering valve, also a dual stage regulators can help with end of tank dumps (too much CO2 goes into you tank when the cylinder is almost empty). i feel it really isn't something to skimp money on because thay will last you a life time. these are the guys that probably have the best regulators not the cheapest but thay are other options.

Green Leaf aquariums

Sumo Regulators

Rex Grigg

Just a FYI...

I bought my whole C02 system for under $200 Shipped to my door. I had this on my 30 gallon and the 5lb tank lasted for 6 Months. I would recommend getting a 10 LB tank or you will be filling it more often.

The JBJ regulator setup worked flawlessy. I highly recommend it.

JBJ regulator with solenoid, needle valve and bubble counter. $81.99
C02 tubing. $7.50
Oracle drop checker with solution $36.99
C02 Diffuser 3000 $18.99
5LB C02 tank $49.99

I spent $149.96 without shipping

I got my stuff here.

Regulator with solenoid, needle valve,and bubble counter.
http://www.co2-canisters.com/index1.html?lang=en-us&lang=en-us&target=d664_aquarium-regulators.html

Diffuser,Drop Checker, C02 tubing.
http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/co2-diffusers.html

5LB C02 tank.
http://www.beveragefactory.com/draftbeer/tanks/co2.shtml Cheapest place for tanks.

well to be honest if you had enough surfic agitation that it would prevent real harm to the fish you probably arent' going to get any benefit from CO2. you also don't usually know when it's going to happen. you kan keep an eye on the low pressure valve to see when it's nearing the end though this isn't really a precise way of doing it. some people use PH monitors to help prevent this from happening but my opinion is thay are expensive and you that you could just get a better regulator. usually it quite a bit of CO2 that ends up in the tank. that being said you may not even have this problem.

al the regulators at greenleaf i believe are all dual stage regulators and thay all come with selinoids. "Dual / Two-Way Manifold" your talking about is just to allow you split the CO2 so you can add it to two different tanks and keep them at different flow rates. that being said the most important thing i find in a full set up that your looking at is the needle valve or metering and usually the most expensive part (mine metering valve usually costs about 80 by its self).

infact the main reason i find the Milwaukee regulator lacking is thay have a varry cheap needle valve's that often times movies over time (with a fish tank you don't want this). it can be replaced if you find that you don't like it or it's doesn't work for you if you go with this regulator. thay work though an quite a few people use them in this site.