Recommendation: CO2 Regulator and Solenoid

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Hi Veterans(retired or active, ) of this hobby.

I'm certain you have vast experience and knowledge of CO2 Regulators/Solenoid. What would be your recommendation for a reliable and durable CO2 Regulator and Solenoid? Preferrably, allows ease and fine tuning of CO2 release rate. Where to get it and price estimate? I've read somewhere that Solenoid gets hot and generates heat. Are there some models that are "cooler"?

Lastly, would you recommend a aluminium CO2 tank compared to a normal one in the long term? I've seen both in Seaview and I was told the top up is the same price even if the Aluminium tank is of a lower capacity.

p.s: I do not own one now but is contemplating on getting one.

TIA

[mercur1al]

Not a veteran but have some points to share too.

The ANS solenoids are in general good priced and well received, with the high output pressure able to support all the co2 diffusion methods on the market currently including inline atomizers, bazooka atomizers etc. If you have the budget, the intense regulator with solenoid is another option, looks good and is extremely stable as well.

For aluminum bottles, depends on the capacity you go for. I have a 1L aluminum one which is rather light, but once the regulator is fastened, the weight causes it to be relatively easily toppled. In my opinion, they look good, are light and easy to carry around during top ups, but also easy to topple unless you secure it. I wouldn't recommend it.


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[Urban Aquaria]

You can check out the ANS Professional System package at East Ocean for reference on the approximate cost of a full setup:

http://www.eastoceansg.com/ans-2l-pr...em-p-1006.html

It comes with all the parts and accessories required, you can also swap out parts to other brands that you prefer at the shop and they will adjust the overall costing for you.

I've been using the ANS solenoid regulator for the past 2+ years, so far it works reliably and i have not experienced any heat produced by the solenoid. It runs cool.

The main difference between aluminum and steel Co2 tank is the aluminum ones are lighter (easier to carry around) and usually shiny (looks better), but they are also more expensive. If you are willing to spend more and have a open concept cabinet or stand, then the aluminum ones would look nice since its in full view... but if your Co2 tank will be hidden inside a cabinet, then might as well just get the steel ones, since no one will see it anyways.

[Suzerolt]

I personally have the ANS & Up Aqua brand solenoid.

The ANS brand one works great if you are using a regular diffuser or in-line reactor.

But if you want to use diffusers that produce fine bubbles (eg. Intense brand), you want to get something that can go with higher pressures. These are usually the adjustable ones that go all the way up to 50 PSI.
Consider the Up Aqua A154 & A164 models. I've seen many forumers complain here about un-reliable bubbles when trying to pair up their ANS solenoid (lower working pressure) with Intense diffusers. All these can be solved by setting it up with the right working pressure.
Available from our sponsor East Ocean at very reasonable price: http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...2-etc%E2%80%A6)

The aluminum canisters are visually nicer. But note that when you send in for top up, it may get mis-handled & be prone to knocks & scratches.

[Urban Aquaria]

One more thing i forgot to add... can't do 1-to-1 exchange at any LFS with aluminum Co2 tank either, you will just end up exchanging a shiny new aluminum one with a scratched up old steel one.

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Thanks to those who shared. May I know how long will a 3L alloy CO2 tank last for a standard 60x30x36 cm tank? If the refill cost is the same as 2L, I might as well get a 3L one. Am I correct on the refill cost?

[Urban Aquaria]

Thanks to those who shared. May I know how long will a 3L alloy CO2 tank last for a standard 60x30x36 cm tank? If the refill cost is the same as 2L, I might as well get a 3L one. Am I correct on the refill cost?

It mainly depends on the bps injection rate and injection duration.

Just for some reference, my 2L Co2 tank running at 1-2 bps for 8 hours a day was able to last for almost a year of usage before the main pressure started to drop. I guess you could back-calculate from there to get an estimate.

This will still vary between different setups though, if there are any leaks in the system (even tiny slow leaks), the Co2 will also deplete faster.

As for refill costs, it depends on the LFS or shop doing the refilling, if the ones you visit quote the same cost for both 2L and 3L tanks, then its more worth it to get a 3L one, just that the tank itself costs abit more initially, takes up abit more space and is heavier to carry.

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For refill in LFS, is it strictly 1-1 Exchange? Are there LFS that do refill on the spot so that I can get back my own tank? Typically what pressure do LFS top up to?


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[Suzerolt]

- Some LFS (eg C32 need a few days to send it to a vendor for refill.

- Nature Aquarium(Thomson), East Ocean & Fishy Business do 1-1 exchange for the CO2 tanks you buy from them. Not sure if there are identifying marks.

- Bioplast (also known as System & Control Engineering @ Boon Keng) refill on the spot

A full CO2 tank will show 1000psi. It remains at this level for a very long time during use.
Regarding max fill, you should be looking at weight instead of pressure. Refer to this thread : http://www.aquaticquotient.com/forum...ht-of-CO2-tank

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From what I gathered from other threads on CO2 refill:
1. Leave it with LFS for a few days to ensure max refill.
2. Bioplast though provide you on the spot refill, might not guarantee full tank.
3. Use a small spare CO2 tank as alternative while waiting for your main CO2 tank.

Is (1) andd (2) generally true?
For (3), can we step up on dosing with Seachem Excel or use CO2 tablet instead?

Do you guys actually weight your tank upon receiving it back from LFS?

[Urban Aquaria]

From my experience, i have done all 3 methods before and my tanks got refilled properly, didn't encounter any issues so far.

I used to weigh my Co2 tanks at the start, but nowadays i don't bother and just resuming using them after the refill. I guess you can weigh them to double-check and make sure the shop is doing a proper job refilling the tank, at least for the first one or two refills.

As for using Excel to supply liquid carbon while waiting for the Co2 tank to be refilled, it's a good idea to do that and it can help somewhat... otherwise you could also just shorten the light photoperiod in the meantime to compensate for the lack of additional Co2 supply.

I'm not a big fan of Co2 tablets due to the inconsistent Co2 supply they generate, so can't comment on their effectiveness.

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Does anyone know if I buy a new CO2 tank at Seaview, does it comes filled with CO2 or refill is a separate charge? The tank cost is 2L for $60 and 3L for $70.

[skytan]

when new it is usually full one.

[Ingen]

I have been using bioplast service for the past 1.5 years. So far so good, I can't guarantee it's a full fill but for a 1L tank, it last about 1.5-2month supplying to three tanks with a combined 110L of water at mayb 1bps per tank.

[Phillipians]

I own an ANS solenoid, both the older low pressure version and the higher pressure one for 2 tanks. My 2x1.5x1.5 tank is getting 1.5 t 2bps and 5 L tank will last me approximately 9 to 10 months. The 2 L one is about 3 months plus.

ANS brand is value for money and pretty reliable.
If you have the cash, Intense is even more precise in the output. Their range starts at $18X for the simplest function.

[Phillipians]

And I always go to East Ocean for refill. 1 to 1 exchange.

[Ingen]

I own an ANS solenoid, both the older low pressure version and the higher pressure one for 2 tanks. My 2x1.5x1.5 tank is getting 1.5 t 2bps and 5 L tank will last me approximately 9 to 10 months. The 2 L one is about 3 months plus.

ANS brand is value for money and pretty reliable.
If you have the cash, Intense is even more precise in the output. Their range starts at $18X for the simplest function.

I got Intense from Aquatic Avenue Pro/Expert at $178 if I recall correctly, with one year warranty. Not promoting, but it looks really cool.

[Phillipians]

Yup that's the one. Probably got it wrong. Thought entry was 18X. But don't get me wrong. If my ANS one goes Kaput, I will also probably get an Intense one to try out.

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How do you know how many bps is suitable for your tank? I'm using a ANS in-tank atomizer and bubbling at 42 bubbles per minute ( 0.7 bps) for my 34l(31x31x36cm) tank. There are lots of fine bubbles swirling just below the water surface.


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[Urban Aquaria]

How do you know how many bps is suitable for your tank? I'm using a ANS in-tank atomizer and bubbling at 42 bubbles per minute ( 0.7 bps) for my 34l(31x31x36cm) tank. There are lots of fine bubbles swirling just below the water surface.

Bubbles per second (bps) is subjective, as each tank setup is different depending on water volume, diffusion efficiency and plant take up rate. You can't just look at the bubbles to know if Co2 levels are actually at sufficient levels.

You'll need to use a drop checker to monitor and see if the amount of Co2 you are injecting is at optimal levels, otherwise it'll just be alot of wild guessing.