# C02 run out already?



## jamesw (31 Aug 2009)

My c02 is showing no pressure after 10 days. The bottle weighs 500g. my tank is 400litres. Is it usual for the c02 to run out so quickly? i wouldn't have got it if i new it was goin to run out this fast! It doesnt appear that i have any leaks in the connection points because they look like they are put together well. Any suggestions?

Thanks


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## George Farmer (31 Aug 2009)

Hi James

What bubble rate are you running?

It is feasible that if you're running 30ppm CO2 in such a large aquarium then you may have used 500g in 10 days, especially if you have decent surface movement and/or are running CO2 24/7.

Most guys with larger aquariums run at least 2Kg CO2 cylinders for this reason.

Double check all of your connections for leaks with soapy water to rule out that.


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## Mark Evans (31 Aug 2009)

jamesw said:
			
		

> It doesnt appear that i have any leaks in the connection points because they look like they are put together well. Any suggestions?



you need to check it properly. rub slightly soapy water around all the connections or anywhere where gas could possibly escape. see if they produce a leak. often the O ring perishes (where the reg connects to the bottle) sometimes you wouldn't even realise it....it's that slow a leak.

500g is small for 400L but should last longer than that  (not much mind)I'd of thought even 24/7. if you are planning on using 500g I'd get a solenoid fitted. to more than double your co2


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## Mark Evans (31 Aug 2009)

DOH...i've been farmered


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## baron von bubba (31 Aug 2009)

that seems about right.
500g in my 240l lasts 2 wks.
thats why i use fire extinguishers now.


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## jamesw (31 Aug 2009)

yea i have solenoid, its only on for 8 and a half hours every day, i keep the level green on the drop checker. But i do have surface agitation, i dont know whats classed as a lot and what isnt though. Could someone explain the soapy water method please? Would i be able to change the bottle then? its a JBL flora m602 system. Thanks


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## baron von bubba (31 Aug 2009)

jamesw said:
			
		

> yea i have solenoid, its only on for 8 and a half hours every day, i keep the level green on the drop checker. But i do have surface agitation, i dont know whats classed as a lot and what isnt though. Could someone explain the soapy water method please? Would i be able to change the bottle then? its a JBL flora m602 system. Thanks



the soapy water method is just putting soapy water on the joints/connections to visibly see if any leaks are present.
i'm pretty sure all the refillable bottle have the same thread so a fire extinguisher is the most economical way to go.


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## samc (31 Aug 2009)

i dunk the whole reg now as i used to check just the joints and wasted loads of co2 because the ajuster was leaking


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## GreenNeedle (31 Aug 2009)

As a guide 600g lasts about 80 days on my 125ltr which would make around 66days for 500g.  Would be around 20 days on a 400litre I calculate so not that far off.  Not ideal to run small bottles on larger tanks 

AC


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## baron von bubba (31 Aug 2009)

SuperColey1 said:
			
		

> As a guide 600g lasts about 80 days on my 125ltr which would make around 66days for 500g.  Would be around 2 days on a 400litre I calculate so not that far off.  Not ideal to run small bottles on larger tanks
> 
> AC



did you mean 20 days??


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## jamesw (31 Aug 2009)

So what can i do guys, can i use bigger c02 bottles, if so which ones?!?! running out of c02 every 10 days is a joke!

Thanks


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## GreenNeedle (31 Aug 2009)

Yes I meant 20 days.  I saw and edited it.  Then I saw the next post. lol 

Is it a disposable bottle setup or refillable.  If the latter then you can go the fire extinguisher route.  or hire a big BOC bottle.  You pay something like Â£1.50 a month rental and then just pay for refills.

AC


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## jamesw (1 Sep 2009)

You can use both disposable and refillable. Fire extinguishers are abit dodby arent they lol, wont the fly everywhere if something goes wrong?


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## baron von bubba (1 Sep 2009)

well, plenty of ppl do use them and i have not read of any nasty accidents............ yet  ;0)

the way i see it they are really no different to using a shop bought co2 bottle for the tank (apart form MUCH MUCH cheaper)
you still have to screw the reg on regardless of what bottle you use!


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## GreenNeedle (1 Sep 2009)

jamesw said:
			
		

> You can use both disposable and refillable. Fire extinguishers are abit dodby arent they lol, wont the fly everywhere if something goes wrong?



Any CO2 bottle has the potential to do as you say but that is a very very very rare occurrence.  Think of a balloon.  It stays still unless you let the gas out very quickly at which point it flies around the room.  It is quite hard to do the same to a cannister.

AC


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## jamesw (1 Sep 2009)

Where can i get nice sized FE's from? Doesnt someone on here sell them? And where can i get them re-filled?

Thanks


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## baron von bubba (1 Sep 2009)

jamesw said:
			
		

> Where can i get nice sized FE's from? Doesnt someone on here sell them? And where can i get them re-filled?
> 
> Thanks



dan sells em
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2204

where to get refills
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4612

of course if you wanna go bigger, pub bottles are another option.


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## jamesw (1 Sep 2009)

I rang this place

Guildford Calor Gas
Location : Farebright Services Ltd, 28 Westfield Rd, Guildford GU1 1RR 
Tel: 01483 300 410 
Website or http://www.calor.co.uk
Services : sell the 3.9kg bottles (pub bottles) for Â£15.99 and will take back empties.
Date Added/Updated : Apr 27, 2009

They said that they dont do refills?


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## baron von bubba (1 Sep 2009)

that is a fantastic price for a nearly 4kg of co2 tho.
buy 3 of those every 6 months and yer sorted!


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## GreenNeedle (1 Sep 2009)

There is BOC, Instagas, Gas products.  many more, check your yellow pages


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## jamesw (1 Sep 2009)

This may sound stupid but can you still use solenoids when using FE's? Also will my regulator fit on a FE?


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## baron von bubba (1 Sep 2009)

yes to solenoids.

99% certain the reg willl fit a FE as far as i know the threads are universal, hopefully someone with the same reg can confirm 100%


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## GreenNeedle (1 Sep 2009)

When you buy those solenoids seperate they are normally sold with hose connectors at both sides.  Meaning they are made to fit inline.  Some people remove the input hosetail and screw it into the regulator.  I have mine inline.

AC


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## jamesw (1 Sep 2009)

baron von bubba said:
			
		

> yes to solenoids.
> 
> 99% certain the reg willl fit a FE as far as i know the threads are universal, hopefully someone with the same reg can confirm 100%




Ok, well my regulator is from a JBL proflora m602. Well i hope it does fit a FE because ive just ordered two 5kg's.


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## GreenNeedle (1 Sep 2009)

It should do if you are using the same regulator 

AC


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## jamesw (4 Sep 2009)

Just set up my 5kg FE, glad it fit my regulator   ! Any ideas how long this "should" last? Based on my 500g running out in 10 days i calculated that it should last for 100 days, is that correct? Thanks


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## chris1004 (7 Sep 2009)

That seems about right for your 400L tank. I go through a 2kg FE every 2 months or so on my 250L tank so it seems about right based on this. Of course every tank is different and a lot depends on your injection method and its efficiency, how much is gassed off at the surface and how large your plant mass is (the more plants the higher the demand).

From what you are saying 5kg=100 days on a 400 litre tank, therefore 50g per day or 0.125grames/litre per day.
compared to 2kg lasting aproximatly 60 days on my 250 litre tank, therefore 33.33g per day or 0.13grammes/litre per day.

I find it best to concentrate your efforts in sourcing cheap co2 (my best buy so far is 9kg of co2 for Â£5.50 (second hand extinguishers found on on ebay)) rather than turning the surface aggitation and/or total disolved co2 down as low as you can. Just watch things closly when you near the end of a bottle as a co2 bottle dump can cause an unwanted spike in the total ppm disolved bringing it up to potentially dangerous levels for your fish (commonly called gassing). I now swap out a bottle as soon as the high pressure gauge falls below 45bar purely as a precaution as some of my fish are very precious to me.

Regards, Chris.


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