# Help with my CO2 system



## pugfat (Oct 4, 2008)

Lurking member - first post. I am having issues with my brand new CO2 system - at least I think I am. I have a 90 gal tank with an Aquariumplants.com electronic regulator with an in-line reactor on the 'in' line of my Marineland C360 canister filter. I have a Milwaukee pH probe, also in-line. The pH probe is working and reading 7.2. I have the set point at 6.4. The regulator is powered and the LED flashes according to where the "seconds per bubble" indicator is set. The reactor pump is working. I have a new 10lb tank with output pressure at ~900. The filter system is working properly with good water flow. Here is where the issue is. I can't seem to get CO2 to flow. The CO2 tank is open but the Low Pressure guage has an almost zero reading. I managed to get a small amount of presure to buld up and CO2 flowing, but this lasted only a couple of minutes and then it went back to reading almost zero. Based on this info, can anyone tell me anything that may help this situation? It is entirely possible that I am just a Dummy and have missed something, or have it set or set up wrong, so please don't be afraid to tell me that! I set it up yesterday and can't get a hold of Aquariumplants.com. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Bill


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## Veloth (Jun 25, 2008)

Welcome to APC. If you adjusted the low pressure knob all the way in and still have a low or no reading on the low pressure gauge then your regulator is probably bad.


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## theinjected1 (Sep 10, 2007)

Here is what I have done in the past with the same "situation". I was having a zero reading, but getting gas. The bubble counter (attached to the solenoid) showed gas coming through the line, and I had a mist coming out of the diffuser. I now ignore the bunk gauge and just count bubbles and keep an eye on the drop checker. All is well.


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

pugfat said:


> I can't seem to get CO2 to flow. The CO2 tank is open but the Low Pressure guage has an almost zero reading. I managed to get a small amount of presure to buld up and CO2 flowing, but this lasted only a couple of minutes and then it went back to reading almost zero. Based on this info, can anyone tell me anything that may help this situation?


I had a similar problem and here is how I solved it:

"I discovered that during the initial set-up of the regulator, I needed to keep adjusting the big knob until the low pressure gauge showed a reading of 20 psi - not 10 psi (even 15 psi was not good enough). At 20 psi, with the needle valve wide open, bubbles were flying out like water was boiling. Then I used the needle valve to reduce the bubble rate to three bubbles per second. Since then there was no lost of low pressure - the low pressure gauge stayed pointing at 20 psi. And the bubble rate stayed at three bubbles per second."

For detail, see:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...setting-up-milwaukee-co2-regulator-ma957.html


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## pugfat (Oct 4, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. I talked to Aquariumplants.com and it is a bad regulator. Another one is on its way. Bill


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

When I had a similar problem with a Milwaukee regulator and called Milwaukee technical support, they blamed me for using a CO2 tank containing dirty gas. Even though I got the regulator just the day before, Milwaukee refused to send me a replacement unit. They insisted that I should just drill into the needle valve. The customer support was terrible!

In contrast, AquariumPlants.com is sending out a replacement unit. That is very good customer support. Keep us posted on the development.


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## fiftyfiveg (May 11, 2009)

bartoli said:


> I had a similar problem and here is how I solved it:
> 
> "I discovered that during the initial set-up of the regulator, I needed to keep adjusting the big knob until the low pressure gauge showed a reading of 20 psi - not 10 psi (even 15 psi was not good enough). At 20 psi, with the needle valve wide open, bubbles were flying out like water was boiling. Then I used the needle valve to reduce the bubble rate to three bubbles per second. Since then there was no lost of low pressure - the low pressure gauge stayed pointing at 20 psi. And the bubble rate stayed at three bubbles per second."
> 
> ...


bartoli: He does not has a milwaukee CO2 regulator. His is an electronic Aquariumplants.com regulator.

pugfat: I have the same regulator for about a month now. I received this regulator after about 2 weeks of back order because of needed part not available. During that time, I read another post in the forum about the same problem that you experienced. I have try to cancel the order via online and I was unable to do so. I have problem with control the CO2 from the day I connected it to my 75 gallon tank. My brand new 5 lbs CO2 tank goes from 950 PSI to 600 PSI after 2 weeks of 8 hours/each day. It had drained the tank completely this morning. I have to adjust the low pressure side every day. My tank CO2 is out of wack that I have nighmare with green algae. I wish I did a better research before order this regulator. TBH I won't recommend it to anyone. I am looking for way to convert this regulator to use solenoid, needle valve, and bubble counter. If anyone know how please pm me. TIA.

I have spoke with Mark at Aquariumplants.com several times and everytime is a washy washy promise. Last week I spoke with Mark, he had informed me to call back at the end of this week because Aquariumplants.com is working on new part to correct the regulator unable to regulate steady CO2. This is the same thing he told me when I called to check on my order back in June 2009. I spoke with Mark again this morning and he had asked me to send back the regulator. My tank will be out of CO2 for a while. I rather spend the extra money to fix what I have from AquariumPlants.com's Electronic Co2 Regulator (the BEST in the World)...LOL... then wait for them to send me another "algae" feeder regulator.


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## bartoli (May 8, 2006)

fiftyfiveg said:


> bartoli: He does not has a milwaukee CO2 regulator. His is an electronic Aquariumplants.com regulator.


I was aware of that. Judging from my experience with the Milwaukee regulator, the amount of low pressure seems to affect the consistency of the bubble rate.

As to the aquariumplants.com electronic regulator, it still regulates the high pressure to low before setting the bubble rate - as in the case of the Milwaukee regulator. Thus, there is a good reason to suspect that setting the low pressure to a certain level may help to achieve a consistent bubble rate.



fiftyfiveg said:


> My brand new 5 lbs CO2 tank goes from 950 PSI to 600 PSI after 2 weeks of 8 hours/each day. It had drained the tank completely this morning.


Had you checked for leakage?



fiftyfiveg said:


> I have to adjust the low pressure side every day.


What was your low pressure reading?


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## pugfat (Oct 4, 2008)

I received my new electronic regulator yesterday and hooked it up. It seems to be working well. Hopefully I can now get a handle on the algae I gained while the regulator was "down". When I talked to Randy at Aquariumplants.com, he said that this most recent batch of regulators had a bad part. He has replaced several from what it sounds like. He sent mine right out and just asked me to send the old one back. 
Bill


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## fiftyfiveg (May 11, 2009)

bartoli: I did a check leakage test according to their instruction and no leak dectected. 

I set my low pressure reading around 8 and the low pressure needle flucuates with the light setting. This happened to any setting on the low side. 

pugfat: I guess depend on whom you talk to at Aquariumplants.com. I was unlucky to deal with idiot Mark. He told me to send it back and when Aquariumplants.com receive it then they will send a replacement. So Aquariumplants.com knew about that the defective regulator and still sell it and send it out. Time to call BBB?


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