# co2 presurized



## colonel mustard (Apr 21, 2007)

I need some advice...

I have been looking around and deciding on a co2 system i have come down to 2 last choices. pressurised or diy. what puts me off diy is the ph swings, high work and amount of sugar needed to support this method. is a pressurised co2 system really worth the extra money? the main thing that is putting me off the pressurised option is the buying of cylinders. How long would a 500g bottle last in a 120litre (33g) tank if the water is a 30ppm of co2?

thanks in advance for any help you can give me


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

a 5lb sylinder in that sized tank should last 5 to 7 months, depends on how long you run your lights and co2 set up.

Yes it is worth the extra money for the pressurized as opposed to DIY

You can also run your co2 24 hours but at a much lower rate and this helps with the ph swings and is in fact the recommended way to do it is using the PPS dosing system.

If you do that you can save money by buying a regulator with out a solenoid on it.


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## colonel mustard (Apr 21, 2007)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

thanks, 
i didn't really look forward to making solutions every couple of weeks for an inconstant supply of co2.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

I need to clarify something.

You can buy the regulator without the solenoid if you plan to run 24/7 at lower rates like the PPS system recommends.

If you plan to have it come on and off with a timer when the light go on / off, then you need the solenoid, 0r you would have to turn it on and off manually every day.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

First off Mustard is that if you fill out the Location part of your Profile it really helps us help you.

Second off is forget about small cylinders. You want a 5 lb cylinder. I run a 5 lb on a 20 gallon tank and get around 18 months on it. That's running CO2 10 hours a day.


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

I think we have all had this talk some time before about how long a CO2 tank will last
Realy the length of time will depend on you injection rate and water perameters. Rex Grigg must have much better water perameters than I do. I average about 3-4 months on my 5# bottle on my tank that has AGA Aquasoil, but my larger tank gets about 2-3 months with sand based substrate.

What I am trying to get at is that nearly all of us have differant situations and will ahve differant results with the life of a CO2 bottle, but making the switch to pressurised was one of the best decisions I ever made for my tanks.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

My second CO2 system feeds a 55 gallon and a 29 gallon from a 20 lb cylinder. I get ~15 months from that setup.

Both tanks have external CO2 reactors. And no leaks in the system. If you only get 3-4 months from a 5 lb cylinder on a 20 gallon tank then you have a leak. And that leak could be your diffusion method not being efficient enough.


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

Rex
I tried look for this. I soap/bubble tested all my connections, I use CO2 tubing and have tried a number of diffusion methods (currently using a external reactor). No appearent leaks. My GH is high between 25-30, only after using methods of lowering my GH did I notice injection results.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

GH has no effect on CO2 levels. And what kind of "CO2 tubing" are you using?


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

Sorry I ment KH (what I get for juggling too much at once)
tubing is Tygon


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

With a KH that high you will run through a lot of CO2. My KH normally runs under 3°.


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

my point exactly


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## kwc1974 (Jan 4, 2006)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

Rex just read your page
good on you, very informative.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

*Re: co2 pressurised*

Thanks.


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