# co2 is leaking



## cleek (Jan 24, 2008)

I dont get it , I refilled my co2 tank 2 weeks ago and had to refill it again and yesterday the PSI reading guage is going down again. I dont hear any hissing sounds so I know the nut is firmly tightened. Im so frustrated


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

cleek said:


> I dont get it , I refilled my co2 tank 2 weeks ago and had to refill it again and yesterday the PSI reading guage is going down again. I dont hear any hissing sounds so I know the nut is firmly tightened. Im so frustrated


Welcome to my world!  The only way is to get a wet soapy spray and spray all your connections. It will bubble where the leak is. Then you will be able to tighten it up there. About every 3rd change out I end up wizzing through my CO2. Just can't get this tightening thing down good. I should use my spray everytime but noooooo......


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## cleek (Jan 24, 2008)

thx will do it now hope i can find the leakage


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## cleek (Jan 24, 2008)

I see it now , its leaking from the attachment of the solenoid


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## cleek (Jan 24, 2008)

It would lose co2 during the night when the solenoid was shutoff


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## redstrat (Apr 3, 2006)

you can go without turning the solenoid off at night. People argue that it saves CO2 but really you have to over compensate for the dissapated CO2 in the morning so whats the point especially if its causing leaks, just one more part to malfunction. I removed mine all together and haven't looked back since, stability in my tank has never been easier to achieve either. if your set on keeping your solenoid add some teflon tape the the threads it should help. be carefull taking it apart though they aren't the toughest peices of equipment, use a vice it will help tremendously. good luck


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## cleek (Jan 24, 2008)

I tightened it up a bit and added soap and so far i dont see micro bubbles so lets see. Ya I tried to take it off and teflon it but it wouldnt budge. I think Ie pulled a mucle


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## redstrat (Apr 3, 2006)

cleek said:


> I tightened it up a bit and added soap and so far i dont see micro bubbles so lets see. Ya I tried to take it off and teflon it but it wouldnt budge. I think Ie pulled a mucle


just be carefull because I broke one a long time ago, they are alot more fragile than they seem, use a vice and decent wrench. nothing beats using the right tools for the job.

did you happen to check around the valve on your CO2 tank with the soapy water, mine just leaked there recently, the place I get the tank filled fixed it and gave me a free fill because they didn't catch it before.


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## cleek (Jan 24, 2008)

Ya I have done everthing . so far no leaks.


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## kayakbabe (Dec 29, 2005)

A related comment... not a big bubble causeing leak.. but I noticed it seems like my co2 wasn't lasting as long.. I have a 20 lb co2 tank on a 120 gal tank and I do put in a lot of carbon dioxide. In the beginning a new 20 lb would last about 8 months. then 6 months.. then 4 months. I hadn't changed the bubble rate or anything. I know the co2 was filled the same each time. As I weighed it. So... I saw a post on antoher forum about old air tubing and co2... the cheapo aquarium tubing you get in the stores when brand new loses about 3% co2 per foot. and as the the co2 breaks down the air tubing over time and the % loss of co2 gas through normal aquarim air tubing goes up. I do have a long line from the gas tank to the aquaria. I replaced the air line with some that is lab grade co2 tubing. And you know what? This co2 tank is now at 6 months and still going. I beleive the better quality (for co2 usage) tubing made a difference.

just thought I'd add that comment here as it seemed appropriate to a slow leak topic.


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## claws (Oct 14, 2007)

Rex Grigg sells co2 specific tubing.


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