# A Guide To Cylinder Connections



## Andrew Thurston (7 Aug 2015)

*Guide to cylinder connections*

Confused about cylinder types and connections?

There are quite a few Different types of cylinder available for us to use in our aquariums and people are often confused as to which type of cylinder and what connections it may use.

These can be split into 2 main types


1) Standard cylinders

These include various sizes (1kg, 2kg, 5kg etc) and are available from places like BOC, Energas, Pub gas suppliers, Hydroponics shops etc. 

The connection that these cylinders will have is CGA320 in America or Canada.

The rest of the world use BS341 / DIN477 no.6 / JIS W21.8 these are all the same connection but have a different name depending which country you live in.


2) Smaller types

These can be split into 3 types.

a. Sodastream

These have special threads only produced by sodastream these are all the same connection except if you get the cylinders from New Zealand or Austrailia which are different from the rest of the world .

These contain around 500g of CO2.

 These can be obtained from most supermarkets and adapters can be bought so they will fit regulators for standard cylinders.


b. Non aquatic disposable types. 

DIY disposable welding CO2 can be used.

They contains 500g or 600g

The connection Is a M10 x 1

These can be bought at places like Machine Mart, Halfords, Ebay etc.


c. Aquatic disposable cartridge type

This is the most expensive way of adding co2 to your aquarium

These come in various sizes ranging from 20-95g 

they are not refillable and all the different makers use their own special connection

They can be bought from your local fish shop and ebay


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## Calotype (9 Aug 2015)

Thank for it ! I already knew it but i spend time understanding all those. So this probably help others !

One more thing, If you are in Europe, take care to don't buy on ebay(china, etc..) a regulator CGA320 for exemple, thinking you'll buy the bottle working with. I think you can buy regulator whatever the connection whereas there is restrictions about bottles...


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## Miroslav (2 Sep 2015)

Calotype said:


> take care to don't buy on ebay(china, etc..) a regulator CGA320 for exemple, thinking you'll buy the bottle working with



Hi,

Yes this is very true. There are not many stations which refill CGA320 cylinders in UK.


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