# Questions about CO2 regulator, needle valve and solenoid valve equipment



## flashk1021 (Dec 21, 2006)

Hi, All

I am a beginner starting from 20 gal tank. (I don't have any plant right now). I want to make sure I have the proper equipment before I start to buy plant. -- to save $$ and lives  

I do see there are several product review on Milwaukee MA957 CO2 Regulator, Azoo CO2 Pressure Regulator AZ19002 (110V), and JBJ CO2 Solenoid Regulator here. It seems like there are always little problem here and there in these products. 

My questions are, 1) Are these CO2 regulator really reliable? 2) What are the common regulator including valves most people used here? 3) What are the other model could you recommend to me, I don't mind to add $20-30 more to get a trouble free regulator.

Thank you.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

If you really are willing to spend a little bit more for a lot better regulator setup, try CO2 Stuff For Sale. Rex builds the setups using top quality parts and can customize them to suit your purposes.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

*1) Are these CO2 regulator really reliable? Azoo, Milwaukee, and JBJ?*

Yes the regulators are just as reliable as any other regulator out there. 

*2) What are the common regulator including valves most people used here?*

Most people use one of the above type regulators, or also use the ones from aquariumplants.com. Here's a poll asking "which CO2 Regulator are you using?"

*3) What are the other model could you recommend to me, I don't mind to add $20-30 more to get a trouble free regulator.*

I would recommend the Azoo regulator. I have all three of the major brand regulators out there, and find the Azoo is easy to setup, and maintain. Other than that, all three (Azoo, milwaukee, and JBJ) work perfectly fine.

-John N.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

I would disagree with the answer to $1 above. If it were worded differently it might be true. 

Perhaps more like this "As reliable as any other mass produced Chinese regulator out there".

I sell a lot of needle valves, solenoids and check valves to owners of the Milwaukee and JBJ regulators. The Azoo is fairly new on the market to have much of a track record.

Even the poll you link to show that more people use "Other" than either the JBJ or the Milwaukee regulators. Even added together they only manage to snag 45% of the market. That's pretty shabby when you consider they are the most widely available (and have been around for a long time) of the three major brands.


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

How many people are in this poll? Don't forget, these regulators are also used by salt water people, and that is a huge market. There are more salt water hobbyists than there are freshwater plant keepers, so I don't think one poll on this forum is very representative.

Both Milwaukee and JBJ have been used by hundreds or thousands of people since about 2002. I don't know when the AZOO regulator hit the US market. Another new one is the Red Sea regulator, there is also German ones such as Aqua Medic and Dupla. If you really have money to spend there is the japanese ADA regulator. I think there is still one around from Ultralife as well.

There have been reported problems with JBJ and Milwaukee at various times over the last couple years. It seems to go in spurts. It usually involves a faulty needle valve, a leak or faulty gauge or a broken gauge. As a former dealer for both, I can tell you from my experience that Milwaukee is much easier to deal with when there is a problem. Like John said, the majority of the time they work without a hitch.

You can spend a huge amount of money for a so called industrial regulator. I have seen some go for over two hundred dollars.. a two stage, yada yada whatever... The truth is there is no good reason to spend over 100 dollars for a regulator.


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