Pressurized CO2 setup

[PohSan]

hi, I have finally bought a complete co2 system from a LSF in serangoon north. I upgrade the cylinder to a fatter and shorter japan made one to hide in the store room. During the setup, I encountered some questions which need your advise:
1) I can't turn the valve on the cylinder. Is it faulty? Can turn a bit but then there is a obstruction in the valve that prevent me from turning futher.

2) Do you turn off the supply at nite? some said yes to prevent co2 poisoning and some said no to prevent PH shift.

3) I can't find a regulator knob (except the needle valve) on the solenoid as seem on the manual regulator. So how do I regulate the supply? By adjusting the cylinder valve?

4) Shop owner asked me to turn on the solenoid before turn on the cylinder to prevent damage to solenoid. So do I close the cylinder valve everytime I turned off the solenoid? If that is the case, I don't see the point of spending a bomb on the solenoid.


Thank in adv for answering my stupid question since this is the first time I use a pressurized co2 system.


Thank

[tawauboy]

1) did you use enough strength to turn the main valve? if it is still a problem bring it back to the lfs.

2) if you are pushing co2 concentration to 20 -30ppm during photoperiod, you'll need to shut off the co2 during light off. else your critter will get co2 overdose. your critter can handle the ph shift.

3) think your regulator has a fixed output pressure so there is no output pressure adjustment knob. you can only control the flowrate through the needle valve. how many gauges are there on your regulator?

4) if your output pressure is < 40 psi, your solenoid should not have a problem. you need not turn off the main valve everyday.

[Darkkon]

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On 11/13/2003 12:28:09 AM

1) I can't turn the valve on the cylinder. Is it faulty? Can turn a bit but then there is a obstruction in the valve that prevent me from turning futher.

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Haha yeah you have to use a bit more strengeth. I understand how you feel cos when i first bought my cylinder i also very cautious, scared wait turn anywhere too much will spoil the thing. After you turn beyond the so called "obstruction" everything's cool liao.

As for me, i am a follower of the "turn off at night" party, more for economical reasons actually [] But i feel that since when your lights are off at night, plants take in oxygen and release CO2 already, which will more or less maintain the CO2 level to that of in the day, thus preventing too drastic a pH change. Moreover, pH fluctuations won't be happening overnight if your kH is sufficient.

[marle]

how much u buy ur c02 system?

[PohSan]

Ha ha. How silly am I. At first, I dare not try to turn harder, scare to break some pins inside so I tried the argon cylinder in my factory. (don't tell my boss)True! You need to turn harder to turn on it. [] []
My system works prefectly, except one of the gauge is leaking gas so I rushed back to replace it.

My whole system cost me a little bit more than $250 (with electronic solenoid, bubble counter and diffuser), not cheap as compared to other LFS but save my trouble carrying the heavy cylinder around and convenient for after sale service.