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You also need to cost in power consumption of the solenoid and the cost of buying a timer.
When you start out on your first planted tank, you have 3 choices of regulators.
One is the regular regulator, that pumps on co2. It works like a tap, turn to let co2 flow, turn to switch off.
One is the solenoid regulator, that turns on and off with a timer.
These are some costing projections that may help you decide on whether to buy a regulator or solenoid.
You also need to cost in power consumption of the solenoid and the cost of buying a timer.
Also need to add in cost of replacing plants and effort in removing BBA due to inconsistent CO2 from DIY CO2...
If you already have a timer for your lights, you don't need another timer. Just a multiplug.
I went with DIY for a few months, afterwhich I saved up enough to get myself a 2L CO2 tank with manual regulator. However manual regulators are literally taps, they cannot control bubble rate constantly (bubble rate shifts), thus I saved again and got myself a JBJ solenoid regulator. That has got to be one of the best purchases I ever made in my life.
Looks like I'll be getting a solenoid soon...
You need to consider the transportation fare to bring the CO2 canister to fill too.
With solenoid means less refill.
silane
does not really understand. Does it means that DIY CO2 cost only $10 a year?
YOu have to quantitive the conveniences of each, DYI being highly inconvenient for some people, while solanoid is quite convenient for all. YOu can also be using the cylinder for multiple tanks, hence using a spliiter with a solanoid will be more convenient than using DYI for many tanks.
and as mentioned above, the unstability of the DYI is more likely to cause algae.
BUt all these being said, this will still provide a vague guide to beginners. But instead of focussing on the specific costs and making it more and more accurate, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of each will be much better. Price of all items will vary, some can be bought at second hand from forumers, some FOC.
Taps? CO2 cylinder has a main valve that is mainly used for shutting or opening of the cylinder. Then follows by a regulater which modulate the output from the main valve to a much usage pressure. And eventually the final valve that able you to control bubble by bubble is called the needle valve. Most of the taiwanese regulaters come with pathetic needle valves, but you should be able to get it replaced with a good needle valve from a plumbing hardware shop. The best needle valve I've used is the one that came with my dennerle regulator, which allows me to adjust precisely whatever rate I wanted and maintaining it once adjustment is done. Never fluctuates. All other needle valves, other than the dennerle one, that I've used are crap, which includes the one that came with my JBJ regulator. The solenoid, which is next to the needle valve, emits so much heat that it heated up needle valve and causes it to expands and contracts, which in turn causes my CO2 rate to fluctuate.Originally Posted by |squee|
Does anyone with JBJ regulator experienced the same situation as me?
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