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co2 tank issues
I have a basic CO2 setup, 5 lb bottle with regulator. I filled it a 3-4
months ago and its almost empty? I'm checking for leaks around the seals but how many bubbles per minute is adaquate for plants. If I dont find any leaks then maybe I just had the flow too high? (65gal tank) thanks John |
John H. wrote:
I have a basic CO2 setup, 5 lb bottle with regulator. I filled it a 3-4 months ago and its almost empty? I'm checking for leaks around the seals but how many bubbles per minute is adaquate for plants. If I dont find any leaks then maybe I just had the flow too high? (65gal tank) I worked out that 2 bubbles per second will keep my tank at about 7.2 pH from a natural 8.1 in a 75 UK gallon tank. At night, that's a different rate, but my pH controller sorts that out by usually switching off the CO2. It sounds like you may have a leak. But what pH drop are you obtaining from your bubble rate. Nikki |
"Nikki Casali" wrote in message ... John H. wrote: I have a basic CO2 setup, 5 lb bottle with regulator. I filled it a 3-4 months ago and its almost empty? I'm checking for leaks around the seals but how many bubbles per minute is adaquate for plants. If I dont find any leaks then maybe I just had the flow too high? (65gal tank) I worked out that 2 bubbles per second will keep my tank at about 7.2 pH from a natural 8.1 in a 75 UK gallon tank. At night, that's a different rate, but my pH controller sorts that out by usually switching off the CO2. It sounds like you may have a leak. But what pH drop are you obtaining from your bubble rate. Nikki I'm not sure, this is my first planted tank and I'm still tackling the learning curve for it. Compared to my first tank (just your basic freshwater wth plastic plants), there are so many new things to learn, but so far my tank looks very nice. The plants are really taking off. So why is it important to know the pH drop? I guess you dont want it to drop too far? thanks |
John H. wrote:
"Nikki Casali" wrote in message ... John H. wrote: I have a basic CO2 setup, 5 lb bottle with regulator. I filled it a 3-4 months ago and its almost empty? I'm checking for leaks around the seals but how many bubbles per minute is adaquate for plants. If I dont find any leaks then maybe I just had the flow too high? (65gal tank) I worked out that 2 bubbles per second will keep my tank at about 7.2 pH from a natural 8.1 in a 75 UK gallon tank. At night, that's a different rate, but my pH controller sorts that out by usually switching off the CO2. It sounds like you may have a leak. But what pH drop are you obtaining from your bubble rate. Nikki I'm not sure, this is my first planted tank and I'm still tackling the learning curve for it. Compared to my first tank (just your basic freshwater wth plastic plants), there are so many new things to learn, but so far my tank looks very nice. The plants are really taking off. So why is it important to know the pH drop? I guess you dont want it to drop too far? The pH drop is directly proportional to the amount of CO2 being dissolved. If you know your KH then you can calculate the CO2 level. My tank has a KH of 230ppm and its pH right now is 7.17. That equates to a dissolved CO2 level of 26ppm. You don't want to go higher than 40ppm as the fish may start suffering. A level of between 20 and 30ppm is a good level to keep algae at bay with lush plant growth. If your fish are compatible with plants, I believe a planted tank is far healthier than a non-planted one. I hardly ever need to change the water as all fish waste is consumed by plant growth. It's a great natural filter system. It took me months to work out everything. I did all my research on the internet which is a fantastic resource. Check out this website for information on plants and CO2 related stuff: http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm Nikki |
"Nikki Casali" wrote in message ... John H. wrote: "Nikki Casali" wrote in message ... John H. wrote: I have a basic CO2 setup, 5 lb bottle with regulator. I filled it a 3-4 months ago and its almost empty? I'm checking for leaks around the seals but how many bubbles per minute is adaquate for plants. If I dont find any leaks then maybe I just had the flow too high? (65gal tank) I worked out that 2 bubbles per second will keep my tank at about 7.2 pH from a natural 8.1 in a 75 UK gallon tank. At night, that's a different rate, but my pH controller sorts that out by usually switching off the CO2. It sounds like you may have a leak. But what pH drop are you obtaining from your bubble rate. Nikki I'm not sure, this is my first planted tank and I'm still tackling the learning curve for it. Compared to my first tank (just your basic freshwater wth plastic plants), there are so many new things to learn, but so far my tank looks very nice. The plants are really taking off. So why is it important to know the pH drop? I guess you dont want it to drop too far? The pH drop is directly proportional to the amount of CO2 being dissolved. If you know your KH then you can calculate the CO2 level. My tank has a KH of 230ppm and its pH right now is 7.17. That equates to a dissolved CO2 level of 26ppm. You don't want to go higher than 40ppm as the fish may start suffering. A level of between 20 and 30ppm is a good level to keep algae at bay with lush plant growth. If your fish are compatible with plants, I believe a planted tank is far healthier than a non-planted one. I hardly ever need to change the water as all fish waste is consumed by plant growth. It's a great natural filter system. It took me months to work out everything. I did all my research on the internet which is a fantastic resource. Check out this website for information on plants and CO2 related stuff: http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm Nikki Thanks, this is a great group. I've gotten lots of good help here. One thing I just discovered is that when I connected my CO2 regulator to the CO2 tank, I didnt use these washers that were supplied. These 2 plastic washers are supposed to go inside the female nut on the regulator. I might have been losing gas that way. |
John H. wrote:
"Nikki Casali" wrote in message ... John H. wrote: "Nikki Casali" wrote in message .. . John H. wrote: I have a basic CO2 setup, 5 lb bottle with regulator. I filled it a 3-4 months ago and its almost empty? I'm checking for leaks around the seals but how many bubbles per minute is adaquate for plants. If I dont find any leaks then maybe I just had the flow too high? (65gal tank) I worked out that 2 bubbles per second will keep my tank at about 7.2 pH from a natural 8.1 in a 75 UK gallon tank. At night, that's a different rate, but my pH controller sorts that out by usually switching off the CO2. It sounds like you may have a leak. But what pH drop are you obtaining from your bubble rate. Nikki I'm not sure, this is my first planted tank and I'm still tackling the learning curve for it. Compared to my first tank (just your basic freshwater wth plastic plants), there are so many new things to learn, but so far my tank looks very nice. The plants are really taking off. So why is it important to know the pH drop? I guess you dont want it to drop too far? The pH drop is directly proportional to the amount of CO2 being dissolved. If you know your KH then you can calculate the CO2 level. My tank has a KH of 230ppm and its pH right now is 7.17. That equates to a dissolved CO2 level of 26ppm. You don't want to go higher than 40ppm as the fish may start suffering. A level of between 20 and 30ppm is a good level to keep algae at bay with lush plant growth. If your fish are compatible with plants, I believe a planted tank is far healthier than a non-planted one. I hardly ever need to change the water as all fish waste is consumed by plant growth. It's a great natural filter system. It took me months to work out everything. I did all my research on the internet which is a fantastic resource. Check out this website for information on plants and CO2 related stuff: http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm Nikki Thanks, this is a great group. I've gotten lots of good help here. One thing I just discovered is that when I connected my CO2 regulator to the CO2 tank, I didnt use these washers that were supplied. These 2 plastic washers are supposed to go inside the female nut on the regulator. I might have been losing gas that way. That'll probably be it! I checked for leaks by painstakingly spraying every joint or connection with diluted washing up liquid to check for escaping CO2. Also, I used Teflon tape on every thread except the one on the bottle. I'm 5 1/2 months in with my 5lb bottle and there's no empty signs yet. Nikki |
You should only use ONE of the washers, not both!
They will be either a felt or nylon. If you use both washers you will not have the correct seal. Djay "John H." wrote in message ... "Nikki Casali" wrote in message ... John H. wrote: "Nikki Casali" wrote in message ... John H. wrote: I have a basic CO2 setup, 5 lb bottle with regulator. I filled it a 3-4 months ago and its almost empty? I'm checking for leaks around the seals but how many bubbles per minute is adaquate for plants. If I dont find any leaks then maybe I just had the flow too high? (65gal tank) I worked out that 2 bubbles per second will keep my tank at about 7.2 pH from a natural 8.1 in a 75 UK gallon tank. At night, that's a different rate, but my pH controller sorts that out by usually switching off the CO2. It sounds like you may have a leak. But what pH drop are you obtaining from your bubble rate. Nikki I'm not sure, this is my first planted tank and I'm still tackling the learning curve for it. Compared to my first tank (just your basic freshwater wth plastic plants), there are so many new things to learn, but so far my tank looks very nice. The plants are really taking off. So why is it important to know the pH drop? I guess you dont want it to drop too far? The pH drop is directly proportional to the amount of CO2 being dissolved. If you know your KH then you can calculate the CO2 level. My tank has a KH of 230ppm and its pH right now is 7.17. That equates to a dissolved CO2 level of 26ppm. You don't want to go higher than 40ppm as the fish may start suffering. A level of between 20 and 30ppm is a good level to keep algae at bay with lush plant growth. If your fish are compatible with plants, I believe a planted tank is far healthier than a non-planted one. I hardly ever need to change the water as all fish waste is consumed by plant growth. It's a great natural filter system. It took me months to work out everything. I did all my research on the internet which is a fantastic resource. Check out this website for information on plants and CO2 related stuff: http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm Nikki Thanks, this is a great group. I've gotten lots of good help here. One thing I just discovered is that when I connected my CO2 regulator to the CO2 tank, I didnt use these washers that were supplied. These 2 plastic washers are supposed to go inside the female nut on the regulator. I might have been losing gas that way. |
"djay" wrote in message news:MsDFe.7064$vY2.2412@trnddc09... You should only use ONE of the washers, not both! They will be either a felt or nylon. If you use both washers you will not have the correct seal. Djay But according to the website, http://www.jbjlighting.com/pdfs/CO2_Manual.pdf it says to use both washers? |
"George Pontis" wrote in message t... In article , says... "djay" wrote in message news:MsDFe.7064$vY2.2412@trnddc09... You should only use ONE of the washers, not both! They will be either a felt or nylon. If you use both washers you will not have the correct seal. Djay But according to the website, http://www.jbjlighting.com/pdfs/CO2_Manual.pdf it says to use both washers? That is unfortunate. The manual is also advising one to use teflon tape on the threads, which play no role at all in providing a gas-tight seal. This shows a lack of understanding on the part of the author, and their suggestion to use two washers should be rejected. The fitting on CO2 cylinders is a standard design listed as CGA-320. (CGA=Compressed Gas Association) A single nylon washer and light to moderate torque on the nut will provide an excellent seal. Also, the cylinder valve should be opened all the way against the stop (compressing the internal seal) so one does not depend on the stem packing to provide a gas seal. If the components are undamaged and you use the single washer, the chances of having a leak on the high pressure side are nil. You can test with some children's bubble liquid, the commercial product, or your own mixture ( usually soap or detergent with glycerine, diluted in water ). George Thank you I trust the opinion of everyone here and appreciate everyones help. john |
"George Pontis" wrote in message t... In article , says... "djay" wrote in message news:MsDFe.7064$vY2.2412@trnddc09... You should only use ONE of the washers, not both! They will be either a felt or nylon. If you use both washers you will not have the correct seal. Djay But according to the website, http://www.jbjlighting.com/pdfs/CO2_Manual.pdf it says to use both washers? That is unfortunate. The manual is also advising one to use teflon tape on the threads, which play no role at all in providing a gas-tight seal. This shows a lack of understanding on the part of the author, and their suggestion to use two washers should be rejected. The fitting on CO2 cylinders is a standard design listed as CGA-320. (CGA=Compressed Gas Association) A single nylon washer and light to moderate torque on the nut will provide an excellent seal. Also, the cylinder valve should be opened all the way against the stop (compressing the internal seal) so one does not depend on the stem packing to provide a gas seal. If the components are undamaged and you use the single washer, the chances of having a leak on the high pressure side are nil. You can test with some children's bubble liquid, the commercial product, or your own mixture ( usually soap or detergent with glycerine, diluted in water ). George Yep, my 20# is dead empty after replacing the regulator and using the two washers. Damn! |
In article , says...
... Yep, my 20# is dead empty after replacing the regulator and using the two washers. Damn! Too bad. But once you get it right that #20 cylinder will last a long time. Regarding leaks at the high pressure side, I have a good experience for comparison. About a month ago I sold an aquarium that had CO2 injection setup. I kept the CO2 equipment, closed the needle valve and the cylinder valve. To this day, the pressure at the regulator inlet has not dropped at all. I found this article (with plenty of good pics) that discusses the hookup of tank and regulator. Perhaps someone will find it helpful. http://www.cloudytanks.com/reviews/aquariums/c02.htm George |
"George Pontis" wrote in message t... In article , says... ... Yep, my 20# is dead empty after replacing the regulator and using the two washers. Damn! Too bad. But once you get it right that #20 cylinder will last a long time. Regarding leaks at the high pressure side, I have a good experience for comparison. About a month ago I sold an aquarium that had CO2 injection setup. I kept the CO2 equipment, closed the needle valve and the cylinder valve. To this day, the pressure at the regulator inlet has not dropped at all. I found this article (with plenty of good pics) that discusses the hookup of tank and regulator. Perhaps someone will find it helpful. http://www.cloudytanks.com/reviews/aquariums/c02.htm George Thanks George, I suspect the replacement (warranty) regulator is a refurb. So I'll have to do a complete inspection to see if the problem is the 'new' regulator or my seal. I was thinking I could disconnect the solenoid and put a plastic bag around the valve to see if I had a leak on the high pressure side and follow up with the bubble soap method that Nikki mentioned. |
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