# Inline Regulator for DIY Co2



## ajm83 (20 Mar 2015)

I have a DIY co2 setup as follows:






The idea being to (a) control output using a needle valve and solenoid and (b) store an amount of co2 gas therefore keeping the output more constant. 

Problem is that when adding a fresh mixture, the pressure raises from its normal ~25 PSI to around 40 for a few days, before it settles back down at the normal pressure. This affects the bubble rate significantly, so I have to adjust the needle valve every day until it settles down.

Anyway, I stumbled across this product on the co2 art website recently. 



 
http://www.co2art.co.uk/products/inline-regulator-with-advance-smc-precision-valve
http://www.co2art.co.uk/products/inline-regulator-with-advance-smc-precision-valve
Unfortunately it's out of stock, but I was thinking that this (or something similar) could work to control the output. Taking a range between (say) 15 - 60 PSI as input and outputting at (for ex.) 10 PSI.

If that regulator linked above wouldn't do that, does anybody know of product(s) which could be used to cobble together such a system?



_PS. I know what you're thinking - get pressurised! I can't as there's not enough vertical space under the tank._


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## Jose (20 Mar 2015)

ajm83 said:


> PS. I know what you're thinking - get pressurised! I can't as there's not enough vertical space under the tank.



You can use an extension and place the co2 cylinder wherever you want? You can also put the cylinder horizontally, no big deal.

Yes I also think you are taking it a bit too far, mainly because co2 stability is more important than the amount itself.

Dont think you are gonna get a lot out of your system either. Because how much co2 will you be able to store if at all? Maybe half an hours worth of CO2? I could do the maths if you wanted?

Anyway hope you dont take this the wrong way its just honest thoughts. Ive taken it too far myself. I think we all do with CO2 at some pint.


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## ajm83 (20 Mar 2015)

Jose said:


> You can use an extension and place the co2 cylinder wherever you want? You can also put the cylinder horizontally, no big deal.
> 
> Yes I also think you are taking it a bit too far, mainly because co2 stability is more important than the amount itself.
> 
> ...




Not at all, all replies welcome  I do realise it is a bizarre amount of effort to go to for a DIY system.

With regards to the cylinder I've been told it absolutely cannot be horizontal, so do be careful if that's what you're doing!


All I was thinking is that if a constant PSI can be outputted by the regulator, then the system will require absolutely no adjustment or maintenance whatsoever other than changing mixture every few weeks or so.


What I need to know really is whether a regulator which operates at such pressures exists/can be constructed and would operate consistently over a wide enough range to be worthwhile.


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## Manrock (20 Mar 2015)

Amazed you can get enough pressure to get it through a needle valve in the first place! I ran 3 x 2L bottles in tandam for several years but eventually the faff got to me and I bought a cylinder system! The best tip anyone ever gave me for DIY CO2 was to add a little marmite to the mixture - it gave me an extra 2 weeks from each bottle.


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## ajm83 (20 Mar 2015)

Manrock said:


> Amazed you can get enough pressure to get it through a needle valve in the first place! I ran 3 x 2L bottles in tandam for several years but eventually the faff got to me and I bought a cylinder system! The best tip anyone ever gave me for DIY CO2 was to add a little marmite to the mixture - it gave me an extra 2 weeks from each bottle.



Good tip, on the marmite thanks , haven't heard that one before.

There's absolutely no problem getting enough pressure, the pressure gauge shows 45+ PSI solidly for a few days after mixture change, then 25PSI for a few weeks.I reckon it would actually go higher than 45 PSI but that's the pressure my PRV vents at.


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## ian_m (20 Mar 2015)

ajm83 said:


> With regards to the cylinder I've been told it absolutely cannot be horizontal, so do be careful if that's what you're doing!


LOB - load of bollards....I ran my FE for months laid horizontally in a magazine rack, until I ousted the wife's magazine rack out of the space between the tank and the wall 

If you are having an unnecessary worry about liquid CO2 getting into your regulator and killing your fish and household, then your should really be using your CO2 upside down or have the dip tube removed.



An FE yesterday with dip tube.

As no one has pumped liquid CO2 into their tanks or recently died due to liquid CO2 freezing their regulator when an FE is stood upright, one can safely assume there isn't an issue.....


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## Manrock (20 Mar 2015)

That's impressive! I tried to put a brass inline one-way valve on my set-up and couldn't get enough pressurre to push through it. My seals on my homeade bottles would just blow. You should post a picture.

Cheers


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## ajm83 (20 Mar 2015)

Manrock said:


> That's impressive! I tried to put a brass inline one-way valve on my set-up and couldn't get enough pressurre to push through it. My seals on my homeade bottles would just blow. You should post a picture.
> 
> Cheers



No big secret, just that I use these on the bottles, and with proper co2 line there are no detectable leaks 



 
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121457945...49&var=420398448216&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


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## Manrock (20 Mar 2015)

ajm83 said:


> No big secret, just that I use these on the bottles, and with proper co2 line there are no detectable leaks
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ahh - if only I'd known about these!


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## Andy Thurston (20 Mar 2015)

as an apprentice, I was surprised by how much pressure a pop bottle could take. after inflating it to 120psi with compressed air we had to throw it on the floor to make it explode
Disclaimer: messing with compressed gasses is a dangerous thing to do!!!
DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME
I repeat
*DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME*
to answer the op's question try thorite.co.uk or a local pneumatics supplier


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## dmachado (24 Mar 2015)

Well, my 2 cents: I have a 6 bottle yeast system with a 5 liter storage, using a garden pressure sprayer that has an integrated relief valve.

You really should be looking to manage the quantity and not the pressure of the CO2.

I have an interval timer (about 5 min off, 1 sec on, adjustable) that I use to open the solenoid cyclically during lights on and let the CO2 into the reactor in small bursts. More cycles of the solenoid, no heating of the solenoid, not sure what's better...

The amount "dumped" into the reactor at lights on is significantly bigger at the start than at the end of the day (no big deal - plants will be using less and less CO2 as the day goes by), but you get to manage the high pressure CO2 "dumps" at lights on (it gets up to almost 2 bar with a 5l storage bottle). A larger storage means you get lower and more constant pressure, with less or even no relief valve losses.

I'm still getting it right, but yesterday I had tiny bubbles from many plants (curiously with less ferts and less flow in the water than the day before when more CO2 was available - that's another story to look into as I am also experimenting with H2O2 injection to increase redox).

I setup two new bottles every week, this takes me about 5 minutes. Then I let the fermentation start and hook them up later that day at feeding or fert time, usually.

I hope you get it right and prove you can grow plants out of sugar, I'm growing mine out of molasses!


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## karla (25 Mar 2015)

Check out RS components they might have a suitable reg


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## Andy Thurston (25 Mar 2015)

karla said:


> Check out RS components they might have a suitable reg


the spam i get from them, after buying one thing, is insane


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## karla (25 Mar 2015)

Really? I never get spam from rs, I hate spam, so wouldn't have recommended if I knew that.


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## Andy Thurston (26 Mar 2015)

well i say spam... its relevant to their business  but its stuff i don't really need/want. its slowed down now after a year or so to acceptable levels.


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## ajm83 (26 Mar 2015)

Brief update. Clarke air regulator and BSP->6mm fittings arrived. Have fitted as follows:



 

(Excuse the excessively long hose and general mess, I'm still working out the best layout!)

First thoughts are that it appears to work.  Initially set the reg at 1 bar & needle at 175 BPS (input being around 2 bar at the current time). Will update the thread further as mixture runs low, and after refilling the generator bottles. Hopefully BPS remains constant throughout.


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## Andy Thurston (26 Mar 2015)

ajm83 said:


> Brief update. Clarke air regulator and BSP->6mm fittings arrived. Have fitted as follows:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


nicely done once you've proved it works properly/as you want it to then you can tidy the installation up
It looks like your using traditional lemonade to supply co2 to your aquarium


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## ajm83 (31 Mar 2015)

Quick update: it works perfectly. Rock solid BPS throughout the lifetime of the generator bottles. That's 3 bar down to 1 bar, at which point I change one of the generator bottles.

One problem I had is that the threads on the pushfit adapter and the regulator didn't mate properly so there was a leak. I suspect one of the items actually has NPT not BSP threads (or vice versa) hence they won't tighten to an airtight seal. Anyway sorted now (with a fair bit of teflon tape!).


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## Jose (31 Mar 2015)

Wow man well done! You deserve it after all that trouble.


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## Andy Thurston (31 Mar 2015)

ajm83 said:


> Quick update: it works perfectly. Rock solid BPS throughout the lifetime of the generator bottles. That's 3 bar down to 1 bar, at which point I change one of the generator bottles.
> 
> One problem I had is that the threads on the pushfit adapter and the regulator didn't mate properly so there was a leak. I suspect one of the items actually has NPT not BSP threads (or vice versa) hence they won't tighten to an airtight seal. Anyway sorted now (with a fair bit of teflon tape!).


the only difference between npt and bsp is the thread angle not sure which way round without checking but I think npt is 60* and bsp is 55* lots of ptfe usually does the trick


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