# eBay or CO2Art?



## VikingMummy2015 (5 Jul 2020)

I wasn’t actually planning on CO2 in either of my small tanks but hey ho.
I’m going for the aerosol in the 29L kitchen tank but i’m Thinking SodaStream for the 15gallon Fluval flex. I already have the annual cylinder exchange programme on the go and it’s easy to sort the refills (very important as I have limited time to go hunting for other refill options for medical reasons). I have easy plants and only want a small amount just to keep everything flourishing (I also have low to no kH so will be lower dose anyway, I think?). 
Looking on eBay, I can get everything for about £70...is there any reason why I should pay almost £100 extra for the “official” versions? Why is their regulator at £119 better than a £35 eBay one (complete with solenoid).


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## hypnogogia (5 Jul 2020)

VikingMummy2015 said:


> Why is their regulator at £119 better than a £35 eBay one (complete with solenoid).


Needle valves, regulators and pressure gauges are precision instruments.   You fish lives are at stake if it goes wrong.  They’ll also last forever.  Can that be said of the cheaper ones?


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## VikingMummy2015 (5 Jul 2020)

hypnogogia said:


> Needle valves, regulators and pressure gauges are precision instruments.   You fish lives are at stake if it goes wrong.  They’ll also last forever.  Can that be said of the cheaper ones?


That’s the kind of thing I’m asking! I see posts on here whilst searching Google, dating that eBay ones work well (one guy was switching his JBL branded one for the one that’s advertised on eBay etc). There’s a recent post too talking about them for small tank set-up. I’m just trying to figure out if I’m going to do ok with an eBay version, as a tie-dipping exercise, given I hadn’t planned on doing co2 at all! It’s literally because I just ordered more SodaStream canisters today, I wondered about using them rather than a passive diffuser. I hadn’t budgeted on almost £200 to give my plants a wee nudge.


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## si walker (5 Jul 2020)

CO2 Art will give a discount. Sign up and find out.!
🆒


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## VikingMummy2015 (5 Jul 2020)

si walker said:


> CO2 Art will give a discount. Sign up and find out.!
> 🆒


Yes, i’ve Got a 20% off code. But it’s still more than i’d planned and possibly still a LOT more than I actually *need* given i’m Happy with easy plants.


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## kishan313 (23 Jul 2020)

I went with eBay, its my first tank, using easy plants and just wanted to nudge them along.


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## Driftless (25 Jul 2020)

My first first regulators were inexpensive ones from Amazon, after two CO2 near disasters all of my current regulators are CO2 Art.  I just ordered another one today in fact.


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## lazybones51 (25 Jul 2020)

CO2Art. I have never had any CO2 issues using their equipment.


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## dino21 (26 Jul 2020)

Driftless said:


> My first first regulators were inexpensive ones from Amazon, after two CO2 near disasters all of my current regulators are CO2 Art.  I just ordered another one today in fact.



Out of interest, what were your  two near Co2 disasters ?  Could help others avert them ...


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## Driftless (1 Aug 2020)

dino21 said:


> Out of interest, what were your  two near Co2 disasters ?  Could help others avert them ...



Both times it was more CO2 being released into the tank than what we had set it to.  One of the times it was on planted discus tank and we thought we were going to lose all of the fish, we lost one discus.  That incident was what caused me to look into better quality, dual stage regulators and I decided on CO2art and I am happy that I did.


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## aquascape1987 (1 Aug 2020)

Co2 Art are great and offer great customer service and support. Recently, I bought an extension block of theirs from a 3rd party supplier, which was of old stock and an old design. It didn’t fit my reg consequently. I spoke to CO2 Art direct after not getting anywhere with the retailer, only looking for advice as to what the issue may be.

They worked out exactly what the issue was and sent me out a new one directly, free of charge at their own suggestion, even though it really was  was not their issue that a 3rd party was selling old and obsolete stock.

Don’t think you could argue that there is better customer service available than that.

Ive also never had an issue with the quality of their regulators etc. And any issues I have had, they have bent over backwards and resolved them.

So I would go with them for those reasons over saving 50 to 100 quid maybe. As someone pointed out above, lives and your mini eco system are at stake


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## steveno (1 Aug 2020)

Definitely agree with what others have said, get an decent regulator from C02 Arts, i gone thought 2 cheaper alternative, and trust me the head ache isn't worth the money saved.


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## SMW945 (20 Aug 2020)

I’ve ordered CO2 Art regulator this morning, using a discount code for just a little over £100.  After researching/asking around, I decided it was the one item I did not want to skimp on. Everything I’ve seen/read say their regulators are top quality.


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## Regent (28 Aug 2020)

si walker said:


> CO2 Art will give a discount. Sign up and find out.!
> 🆒


How does one access this code as I'm considering their full kit!


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## Ghettofarmulous (28 Aug 2020)

CO2 Art customer services  is top notch. Products are quality


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## si walker (28 Aug 2020)

Sign up and you get discounts? Sorry its been a while.


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## Luketendo (28 Aug 2020)

si walker said:


> Sign up and you get discounts? Sorry its been a while.


Think it was 15% my first order to Australia. From the EU store so I assume it works for UK too.

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk


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## Regent (28 Aug 2020)

Got a 10pc off code for signing up. Better than nothing, but still costly Vs alternatives


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## SMW945 (30 Aug 2020)

Regent said:


> How does one access this code as I'm considering their full kit!


I went to their website, signed up for their newsletter and they emailed the code through


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