# How much do you spend on CO2?



## Jose (21 Jan 2015)

Hi fishpeople,

Yeap, so approx how much CO2 Kgs and ££ you spend on CO2 periodically?

Also the method of diffusion you use?

Thats it really, simple question.


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## BigTom (21 Jan 2015)

I get mine free from the air. 

Sorry, couldn't resist.


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## ian_m (21 Jan 2015)

£10 for 2Kg FE every 100 days in 180l tank with in line diffuser.


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## dw1305 (21 Jan 2015)

Hi all, 





BigTom said:


> I get mine free from the air.


So do I, and the good thing are that it is constantly replenished, and there is more free CO2 all the time (400ppm, compared to 300ppm pre the industrial revolution).

cheers Darrel


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## Jose (21 Jan 2015)

ian_m said:


> £10 for 2Kg FE every 100 days in 180l tank with in line diffuser.


Mmm cool thats very little. How many BPS? Just to get an idea.


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## Jose (21 Jan 2015)

dw1305 said:


> So do I, and the good thing are that it is constantly replenished, and there is more free CO2 all the time (400ppm, compared to 300ppm pre the industrial revolution).



Hehe yeah but some plants cant be grown very well. This is main thing why I use CO2. Carpet plants and red pants.


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## ian_m (21 Jan 2015)

Jose said:


> How many BPS


BPS is meaningless as depends on size of bubble which depends on type of bubble counter. I use a JBL bubble counter with couple of bubbles per second, but never measured, no need to.

What I have measured is about 20gr per day CO2 and drop checker colour.


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## Marvin (21 Jan 2015)

ian_m said:


> £10 for 2Kg FE every 100 days in 180l tank with in line diffuser.



Where do you purchase your FE?


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## Vinkenoog1977 (21 Jan 2015)

Couple of pounds of sugar and some yeast and gelatine each month, so, maybe 2-3 Euros, for 12 tanks total.


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## dmachado (21 Jan 2015)

About 5kg mollasses per month at the current rate (experimental), 1,30€.  1 300L tank.


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## ian_m (21 Jan 2015)

Marvin said:


> Where do you purchase your FE?


Phoned up the number on our FE's at work of the company that supplies them. Found out the supplier/repairer/fitter guy lives down the same road as my work, so drops/swaps them out when he is going to/from home. I am in Southampton area.


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## Jose (21 Jan 2015)

Ups I forgot to say how much I spend. I use a soda bottle every two months or so in a 12 l nano. With an intank atomizer. So its £9 evry two months or so.


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## Jose (21 Jan 2015)

ian_m said:


> Phoned up the number on our FE's at work of the company that supplies them. Found out the supplier/repairer/fitter guy lives down the same road as my work, so drops/swaps them out when he is going to/from home. I am in Southampton area.


I live in Salisbury. For me right now its also about size since I dont have space for a 2kg cylinder. There are many places to get soda bottles and thats also a plus.


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## Paulo Soares (21 Jan 2015)

A 2 kg Fe every 3 months


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## Andy Thurston (21 Jan 2015)

My 6kg cost £40 on 07/03/14 and its still going on my 60l. refills are £16


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## tmiravent (21 Jan 2015)

BigTom said:


> I get mine free from the air.
> 
> Sorry, couldn't resist.



lol
not a bad ideia at all!

My low tech (200l) tank consumed 2kg in 1 year and 2 months!
cheers


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## Bhu (21 Jan 2015)

Last 2kg fill up £2  Barber Brothers in Birmingham. Very reasonable 2kg ex FE for sale too at £30 each full. Lever taken off and valve added...


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## terry82517 (21 Jan 2015)

5kg £13


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## clonitza (22 Jan 2015)

2x3kg = £4 here in nowhere's land, lasts me 2 years on my 60p


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## parotet (22 Jan 2015)

I bought a pub cylinder (8 kg of CO2) in March 2014 and switch it to my 60 liters tank. It's been running at 2-3 bps, from 9.45h to 18h everyday using an inline diffuser...
Two weeks ago I noticed some variation on the bubble rate (finally a leak) and the gauge was indicating a slight decrease of the pressure. Curiously at the FE shop I was told that half of the cylinder was still full! That means that I have been using it for 11 months and it can last for sure 4-5 months more. Not bad for a 50€ cylinder (cylinder + gas), refilling is around 40 € if I'm not wrong... thus I would say that I spend 3€ in Co2 per month.

Jordi


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## mantis147 (29 Jan 2015)

£20 for a 6kg bottle & £10 refills. This is my first and only been using a couple of months so lots left.


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## pepedopolous (5 Feb 2015)

Recently, I've been getting though a 2kg bottle every month! That's on a 125 litre aquarium. Something's very wrong here but can't find any leaks using the usual methods...

P


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## ian_m (5 Feb 2015)

pepedopolous said:


> Recently, I've been getting though a 2kg bottle every month! That's on a 125 litre aquarium


Its a leak or a leak but could be a leak. I get my drop checker yellow all over my 180l tank with 2kg lasting over 100 days.


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## Crossocheilus (5 Feb 2015)

pepedopolous said:


> Recently, I've been getting though a 2kg bottle every month! That's on a 125 litre aquarium.



I've had a similar thing, no leaks found painting water with washing up liquid on every joint of entire co2 system so... any recommendations for more reliable methods?


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## Crossocheilus (5 Feb 2015)

Also can leaks develop over time or will it be a leak from the start?


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## X3NiTH (5 Feb 2015)

Crossocheilus said:


> I've had a similar thing, no leaks found painting water with washing up liquid on every joint of entire co2 system so... any recommendations for more reliable methods?



Put everything in a large airtight refuse sack and draw all the air out, seal it up having only the solenoid power cable and co2 tubing coming out the top and then try and seal it up around the tubing with blue tack or plasticine to get an air tight seal, if there's any leaks the bag will inflate. If the bag inflates when the solenoid is closed then check the seals from the bottle end first and work your way towards the solenoid, if the bag inflates when the solenoid is open you then work through the connections starting at the co2 tubing connection back towards the solenoid until you find the leak.

Check an inline diffuser for leaks by wrapping it loosely in cling film but ensuring its a tight seal on the hoses, if it balloons there's a leak.


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## pepedopolous (6 Feb 2015)

X3NiTH said:


> Put everything in a large airtight refuse sack and draw all the air out, seal it up having only the solenoid power cable and co2 tubing coming out the top and then try and seal it up around the tubing with blue tack or plasticine to get an air tight seal, if there's any leaks the bag will inflate. If the bag inflates when the solenoid is closed then check the seals from the bottle end first and work your way towards the solenoid, if the bag inflates when the solenoid is open you then work through the connections starting at the co2 tubing connection back towards the solenoid until you find the leak.
> 
> Check an inline diffuser for leaks by wrapping it loosely in cling film but ensuring its a tight seal on the hoses, if it balloons there's a leak.


Thanks, I'm gonna try this.

P


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## Crossocheilus (23 Feb 2015)

Is the solenoid (CO2 Art, from dualstage + smc needle valve) at all water proof? I assume not, if so I cannot submerge the whole system as I would like. My problem with the clingfilm/bin bag idea is that there is still a joint that could leak, and it doesn't tell you where the leak is...


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## Jose (23 Feb 2015)

I really wouldnt think its waterproof. Soap and water is the best Ive found so far.


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## X3NiTH (23 Feb 2015)

I know it can't tell you exactly where the leak is but it can tell you there is a leak by inflating the bag. Absolutely no way would I submerge the regulator and electrics, that's a guaranteed recipe for disaster. 

I'm also convinced I have no leaks using the soap bubble method but my gas usage says otherwise. I've been swapping regulators around and testing for leaks and not found any but I'm convinced I have them, so I'll get the bag out and report back.


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## Crossocheilus (23 Feb 2015)

Don't worry found the/a leak- the atomizer I am just emailing CO2 Art now. Does anyone know if the intense one (can't be opened) is less leaky than the up diffuser?


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## Christos Ioannou (23 Feb 2015)

14€ on a 2kg co3 refill. Almost every 45 days. Tank is 180L


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## Crossocheilus (23 Feb 2015)

£10 2kg fire extinguisher


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## ian_m (23 Feb 2015)

Christos Ioannou said:


> Almost every 45 days. Tank is 180L


Twice the rate of me....may I suggest leak ?? Last 5 FE's have given me 100days in 180litre with a more yellow than green drop checker.


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## Christos Ioannou (24 Feb 2015)

I think its about time I did another check...


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## Christos Ioannou (24 Feb 2015)

Christos Ioannou said:


> I think its about time I did another check...


Last time I did the check for a leak, I found nothing. I am using the up inline atomizer.
This time, I will remove the electromagnetic part of the solenoid and deep the FE with the non electronic parts of the solenoid in a bucket of water and see if the solenoid leaks.
I think its about time I replaced my solenoid anyway, since when the valve is off (ie no power on the electromagnetic solenoid) I can still see bubbles coming out in the bubble counter. 
This is how a (my) solenoid looks when "broken apart". Only the far left part (electromagnet) is getting the power, to pull the piston and open the diaphragm, so that CO2 can travel in the tank.
Without that part, the system should still be an  airtight fit. Maybe I need to replace the O-ring on the brass part where the piston component is screwed in.


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## Jose (24 Feb 2015)

ian_m said:


> Twice the rate of me....may I suggest leak ?? Last 5 FE's have given me 100days in 180litre with a more yellow than green drop checker.



It could be a 1/2 efficient difuser or flow ian m.


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## Canadian Eric (25 Feb 2015)

Here in Canada for 5kg it's £13, and a 10kg for £15.


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## ian_m (25 Feb 2015)

Jose said:


> It could be a 1/2 efficient difuser or flow ian m.


Could be. Have you go too much surface agitation ? I know after cleaning and I have left my spray bar pointing too far up the surface is very "wibbly" and drop checker doesn't go as green as it should be.

Below is my CO2 usage for 10bottles. Ignore no.10 as when I printed this (21/01/2015) number 10 hadn't run out, in fact is still going.


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## Wisey (25 Feb 2015)

Where are people getting 2KG FE's for £10 please? Up here in Aberdeen, finding anyone interested in filling things at a reasonable price seems impossible, they are all geared up for dealing with the big companies using gas offshore and not interested in filling things for me. The only place I found is Chubb who want over £25 to fill a 2Kg FE. I'm finding FE's online are £25-£30 plus shipping, so would be keen to hear where people are picking them up for a tenner!


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## ian_m (25 Feb 2015)

Go to local library, post office, garage forecourt and note down the phone numbers on the CO2 extinguishers in these places. Phone the numbers, telling them exactly what you want, even CO2 extinguishers near their expiry date (5 years) are fine.

Many of these companies have 100's of old extinguishers that they have swapped out for new from commercial premises. I have had quite a few that have "expired" whilst I had them (get them weighed before accepting as may have leaked of course) and when I get them swapped over, there are marked for destruction as my supplier does not retest old cylinders.

If you get "old ones" to keep, check you local council tip will accept gas cylinders, many council tips do not. One council tip near me had a container of old gas bottles and CO2 fire extinguishers, but wouldn't let me have/buy any of them....


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