# Electronic Regulator



## jeff5614 (Feb 15, 2006)

If someone has already posted about this I apologize but I found this regulator while looking at some plants on Aquariumplants.com. Looks interesting so I was curious as to everyone's thoughts about it.

http://www.aquariumplants.com/AquariumPlants_com_s_Electronic_Co2_Regulator_p/co2-2.htm


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

It isn't an electronic regulator, as far as I can see. It is a mechanical regulator, with an electronic flow control. It looks like an entertaining gadget for those who have everything.


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## jeff5614 (Feb 15, 2006)

That's kind of what I was thinking also, Hoppy. I wonder if it really is advantageous to have this vs. a regulator with a mechanical needle valve.


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## helgymatt (Sep 12, 2007)

I think the funniest think about that link is that after selling only 10,000 of them the price will go up...lol. Is there business really that large? Also it says the product has changed CO2 introduction forever...how so if they have not even shipped 1 yet?


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

jeff5614 said:


> That's kind of what I was thinking also, Hoppy. I wonder if it really is advantageous to have this vs. a regulator with a mechanical needle valve.


This is just my opinion, but I don't see a problem using mechanical needle valves and bubble counters. CO2 leakage can be a problem, but trying to leak check that electronic flow control would be a pain.

The real shame is that when I saw that this device had revolutionized CO2 systems forever, I immediately tore mine out and junked it! I just gotta be out front. I haven't ordered mine yet, so I hope one of those 10,000 will still be there when I do.


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## orlando (Feb 14, 2007)

One thing I wondered, the meter or whatever that thing is reads seconds per bubble. What does that mean?
How many seconds there are between each bubble. 
If so, the most you could get would be one bubble per second. No?


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## ponyrandy (Jan 13, 2007)

I think it does mean how many seconds between bubbles because it is adjustable from 0.1 seconds to 10 seconds. So at 0.1 seconds between bubbles, you would get up to 10 bps. I find 2 things odd. First is the amount of adustment from 0.1 to 1 second per bubble versus the amount of adustment from 1 second per bubble to 10 seconds per bubble. I would think that most of us would need .02 to 1 second between bubbles to give us 1 to 5 bps. It seems it would be awful touchy in that small amount of range to adjust it precisely. Therefore anything over 1 second per bubble would be useless unless you were using it on a nano. The second thing I find odd is "fully adjustable bubbles per second & size of the bubble". Not sure how you can adjust the size of the bubble. And why would you need to, increasing the bps would do the same as increasing the size of the bubble. 
Brian


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## orlando (Feb 14, 2007)

I see now, thanks for clarifying that..
Yeah it does seem strange, I may have to get one to see what this thing is and open it up..


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## Brilliant (Jun 25, 2006)

orlando said:


> I see now, thanks for clarifying that..
> Yeah it does seem strange, I may have to get one to see what this thing is and open it up..


Hmmm....let me guess...a potentiometer, LED, modulating valve and a power connector. :wink: 

Pretty cool...I might have to buy one to replace my old best regulator that makes buzzing sounds.


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## ponyrandy (Jan 13, 2007)

I wouldn't mind doing a free trial on one myself! In reality though, this thing is really no different than what we use now. Now we turn a needlevalve, on this one we turn an electronic knob. Now we count bubbles, on this one we count flashes of the LED. It seems to just be a way to fly by wire.
Brian


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## jeff5614 (Feb 15, 2006)

Brilliant said:


> Hmmm....let me guess...a potentiometer, LED, modulating valve and a power connector. :wink:
> 
> Pretty cool...I might have to buy one to replace my old best regulator that makes buzzing sounds.


I have one of the old best regulators also. It was making a buzzing sound so I gave them a call and was told it was due to low voltage and they asked if I had it plugged into a power strip, which I did. After reconnecting it to a different outlet the buzzing was gone.


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## wrkucera (Jan 6, 2008)

Come on everybody! "This product has forever changed the introduction of Co2 in to an aquarium"!!! And guess what? They can do this before they've even released it!!! Cheesey marketing is the essence of a fool with money! However admittedly if I had the luxury to buy it I certainly would based on the premise that it's crap until I actually use the product or someone with strong credentials could in fact support the manufacturers' claims. Over all, someone is trying to market something. For the introductory price of $189.99 : My milwaukee regulator and the sms122 controller which I had bought , fell into the same price range (regulator $85 & the sms122 $90 plus PA sales tax.) Oh yes, this new gadget doesn't even include a ph/co2 controller at all...

Well hey there, it was made in the U.S.A.


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## wrkucera (Jan 6, 2008)

hoppycalif said:


> It isn't an electronic regulator, as far as I can see. It is a mechanical regulator, with an electronic flow control. It looks like an entertaining gadget for those who have everything.


Spot on Hoppy!


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

If that thing is the best CO2 regulator, it looks like to me that they should at least spell CO2 correctly. They wrote Co2 and co2 in their description and they never wrote CO2. 

If they can't spell it right; would you think that these folks made the very best product?


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## helgymatt (Sep 12, 2007)

Left C said:


> If that thing is the best CO2 regulator, it looks like to me that they should at least spell CO2 correctly. They wrote Co2 and co2 in their description and they never wrote CO2.
> 
> If they can't spell it right; would you think that these folks made the very best product?


LOL


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

I am always interested in something new that one of my competitors has, and how much of a market there is for it. You guys are brutal! 

So does anyone see any advantages to having this instead of a solenoid or instead of a needle valve? From what they are saying this is more acurate and has no pressure drift. Even the best needle valve has some drift, or change in pressure causing you to have to re-ajust the needle valve. I can see that as somewhat of an advantage if its true. I do not see any benefit in having this replace a solenoid, and I do not know if you can still plug this into a timer or pH controller like you can a solenoid, or maybe I just missed that, but even if it can, how is this better than a solenoid? It mentions it has no heat like a solenoid has. Newbies are often paranoid about heat frm the solenoid, but I never knew it was really an issue.



> I think the funniest think about that link is that after selling only 10,000 of them the price will go up...lol. Is there business really that large? Also it says the product has changed CO2 introduction forever...how so if they have not even shipped 1 yet?


I don't think even Milwaukee sells that many units in one year, or any other major manufacturer, and AP couldn't come close to Milwaukee.


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## JERP (Feb 4, 2003)

Robert,
The M-Ventil Pulse solenoid that only consumes power while turning on or off sounds much more interesting to me. The solenoid would only produce heat while switching and is passive otherwise.


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

For my money, I'd get one of these brand new Victor dual stage chrome plated medical grade CO2 regulators and add an Ideal or Swagelok metering vlave. You can also add a Clippard or Burket solenoid or any other brand solenoid too.

Regulator: http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/mrmotorcycles_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

Metering valves:
http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/co2-regulators/ideal-co2-regulator.html
http://www.sumoregulator.com/
http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/CO2.html#needle

Solenoids:
http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/co2-regulator-solenoid.html
http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/CO2.html#solenoid


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