Confused about CO2 Kit "Sizes"

[Iain Miller]

I want to put CO2 into my new 275 litre tank and am looking at the JBL
proflora 3 set which comes complete with a PH meter.

Only issue is it (and many of the other sets I've seen) says its for tanks
upto 200 litres. Why is it limited like that? Surely I can just inject gas
at a faster rate in a bigger tank - or is there some issue with the size of
the diffuser? If this is the case can I just put a T piece in the CO2 line &
run 2 diffusers to increase the output?

Lastly what is so special about "CO2 Hoses" - will ordinary airline not work
or will it rot or dissolve or something if used for CO2?

rgds

Iain

[Steve Galupe]

Hello... I have read somewhere (The Krib?) that silicone tubing can leak out
30% of the CO2 gas bec. of the permeability of the airline. CO2 tubing is
made from different materials that keep this from happening.

As for the parameters of the setup, maybe it's the diffuser.

"Iain Miller" > wrote in message
...
> I want to put CO2 into my new 275 litre tank and am looking at the JBL
> proflora 3 set which comes complete with a PH meter.
>
> Only issue is it (and many of the other sets I've seen) says its for tanks
> upto 200 litres. Why is it limited like that? Surely I can just inject
gas
> at a faster rate in a bigger tank - or is there some issue with the size
of
> the diffuser? If this is the case can I just put a T piece in the CO2 line
&
> run 2 diffusers to increase the output?
>
> Lastly what is so special about "CO2 Hoses" - will ordinary airline not
work
> or will it rot or dissolve or something if used for CO2?
>
> rgds
>
> Iain
>
>

[E. Mito]

In article >, "Steve Galupe"
> writes:

>
>Hello... I have read somewhere (The Krib?) that silicone tubing can leak out
>30% of the CO2 gas bec. of the permeability of the airline. CO2 tubing is
>made from different materials that keep this from happening.
>

I noticed CO2 tubing for sale at Drs. F&S and it was significantly more
expensive than regular airline tubing -- I'm using regular airline tubing and
get satisfactory CO2 levels in my water...does the CO2 actually damage the
tubing and degrade it? Anybody know?



Erica
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/mitoem/mitoem/index.htm

[Steve Galupe]

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/tubing.html

found the article!

"E. Mito" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, "Steve Galupe"
> > writes:
>
> >
> >Hello... I have read somewhere (The Krib?) that silicone tubing can leak
out
> >30% of the CO2 gas bec. of the permeability of the airline. CO2 tubing
is
> >made from different materials that keep this from happening.
> >
>
> I noticed CO2 tubing for sale at Drs. F&S and it was significantly more
> expensive than regular airline tubing -- I'm using regular airline tubing
and
> get satisfactory CO2 levels in my water...does the CO2 actually damage the
> tubing and degrade it? Anybody know?
>
>
>
> Erica
> http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/mitoem/mitoem/index.htm
>

[Iain Miller]

>
> As for the parameters of the setup, maybe it's the diffuser.

It is - got a response from JBL (who's kit I am looking at buying) and this
is the limiting factor. They sell extension pieces for their diffusers to
overcome this.

[Steve Galupe]

No more DIY CO2 for you!

Have you ever used these pressurized CO2 before?


"Iain Miller" > wrote in message
news:myMz9.639$MR1.59997@newsfep2-gui...
>
>
> >
> > As for the parameters of the setup, maybe it's the diffuser.
>
> It is - got a response from JBL (who's kit I am looking at buying) and
this
> is the limiting factor. They sell extension pieces for their diffusers to
> overcome this.
>
>

[Iain Miller]

"Steve Galupe" > wrote in message
...
> No more DIY CO2 for you!
>
> Have you ever used these pressurized CO2 before?
>

Nope ! Not even DIY - couldn't be bothered with it - I know CO2 will work
so I went for the easiest possible solution.

This kit comes with a PH meter & solenoid so should be fairly easy to
control (I hope!). I found a cheap source of either 3 or 6 kilo (food grade)
CO2 bottles so I have ordered the kit & looking forward to seeing what it
can do. My tank is about 275L (around 90 USG) & the kit is specified for
200l. I havn't bought the extension pieces yet - i'll see how it does with
the standard reactor. I have control over the Kh of my water (via a peat
filtering rig I built) & I now can remove all the Nitrates as well. My GH is
around 10 deg after peat filtering so thats within reasonable limits as
well. I can make the Kh whatever I like but am planning towards 4-5 degrees.

The tank has only been running for about 10 days (with 6 platties in it for
cycling). I already have Nitrates & good filters (2xEheim 2224). Its fairly
heavily planted with all kinds of stuff & I am afdding fertilizer (which
reminds me, I must put the root tabs in!).

I'm thinking about a second rig for my other (community) tank (about 200L).
The Nitrates have gone mad in there but I am getting that under control with
big water changes with Nitrate free water. (My tap is at 50ppm at least!). I
bought a Nitragon filter & it works a treat.

Discus in my new tank in about 2-3 months I hope.

I.

[Steve Galupe]

Sounds like a really nice setup.

I have a tip. Make sure it is hidden well. DON'T let the sun hit it or put
it near a heat source bec. the pressure in the tank will change (hot air
expands, cold air contracts).

Even with a needle valve, the pressure will change. It might cause the tank
to be overdosed with CO2. Have an air pump, in case it does happen, to help
aerate the tank.

But maybe the pH meter and solenoid will help stop it.
Keep an eye on the tank.

GOOD LUCK!

"Iain Miller" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Steve Galupe" > wrote in message
> ...
> > No more DIY CO2 for you!
> >
> > Have you ever used these pressurized CO2 before?
> >
>
> Nope ! Not even DIY - couldn't be bothered with it - I know CO2 will work
> so I went for the easiest possible solution.
>
> This kit comes with a PH meter & solenoid so should be fairly easy to
> control (I hope!). I found a cheap source of either 3 or 6 kilo (food
grade)
> CO2 bottles so I have ordered the kit & looking forward to seeing what it
> can do. My tank is about 275L (around 90 USG) & the kit is specified for
> 200l. I havn't bought the extension pieces yet - i'll see how it does with
> the standard reactor. I have control over the Kh of my water (via a peat
> filtering rig I built) & I now can remove all the Nitrates as well. My GH
is
> around 10 deg after peat filtering so thats within reasonable limits as
> well. I can make the Kh whatever I like but am planning towards 4-5
degrees.
>
> The tank has only been running for about 10 days (with 6 platties in it
for
> cycling). I already have Nitrates & good filters (2xEheim 2224). Its
fairly
> heavily planted with all kinds of stuff & I am afdding fertilizer (which
> reminds me, I must put the root tabs in!).
>
> I'm thinking about a second rig for my other (community) tank (about
200L).
> The Nitrates have gone mad in there but I am getting that under control
with
> big water changes with Nitrate free water. (My tap is at 50ppm at least!).
I
> bought a Nitragon filter & it works a treat.
>
> Discus in my new tank in about 2-3 months I hope.
>
> I.
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Chuck Gadd]

On Mon, 11 Nov 2002 22:24:33 -0800, "Steve Galupe" >
wrote:

>Even with a needle valve, the pressure will change. It might cause the tank
>to be overdosed with CO2.

Well, with a regulator, the output pressure shouldn't change even if
the tank pressure increases. My room temp (and therefore the temp
of the CO2 tank in the room) varies from about 55F up to 90F, and the
output pressure of the regulator never varies, by even 1 psi. That is
really the job of the regulator. Regulators often have a problem
when the tank pressure drops to a VERY low level, normally somewhere
under 400psi, which only happens when the tank is just about empty.
On my regulator, the output pressure is set at a rock-solid 7 psi, but
when I am just about out of CO2, the output pressure has risen to
around 12psi. With a needle valve in the system, the impact is still
zero.

But, it's still not a good idea to keep the CO2 tank in a place that
will cause it to heat up, because if it heats up enough, it can build
up to a dangerous pressure, which would cause a safety valve in the
regulator to blow, releasing CO2 into the room.


Chuck Gadd
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua

[Da' Fishboy]

The CO2 gas is under so little pressure I am expecting that the leakage is
rather small. Take for an example a garden hose that has had small pin
holes poked into it. If there is little to no back pressure on the system
the leakage will be either none or very small as the water wants to find the
easiest way to release. I would assume that CO2 gas functions in pretty
much the same manner. Since the back pressure on our CO2 systems is small
I would expect the same results.

Just my two cents...

Earl

"Steve Galupe" > wrote in message
...
> http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/tubing.html
>
> found the article!
>
> "E. Mito" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >, "Steve
Galupe"
> > > writes:
> >
> > >
> > >Hello... I have read somewhere (The Krib?) that silicone tubing can
leak
> out
> > >30% of the CO2 gas bec. of the permeability of the airline. CO2
tubing
> is
> > >made from different materials that keep this from happening.
> > >
> >
> > I noticed CO2 tubing for sale at Drs. F&S and it was significantly more
> > expensive than regular airline tubing -- I'm using regular airline
tubing
> and
> > get satisfactory CO2 levels in my water...does the CO2 actually damage
the
> > tubing and degrade it? Anybody know?
> >
> >
> >
> > Erica
> > http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/mitoem/mitoem/index.htm
> >
>
>