# Co2 Injection Problems



## jagz (3 Sep 2012)

Ok guys so here is the story,

I currently have a 2kg co2 cylinder with a tmc reg and solanoid, i then have a check valve and into a bubble counter which then leads into a up atomiser which is connected to my 1400 lph external filter.

so here is my problem, please remember that i have no fish in the tank at the moment only plants, so when i set it up i had the bubbles in the counter at about 5-6 per second, and i was getting a good mist into the tank, so the night time come and the solanoid turned off the co2 at 10pm when the lights go off, so now there is no co2 , this afternoon the solanoid switches back on at 2pm (2 hrs before lights on) now the bubbles are only  about 1-1.5 per second, i have not messed with the needle valve or anything, when i tunr the needle valve to increase the bubbles per second nothing happens the bubbles dont increase, but i can shut off the bubble by turning off the needle valve, 

now this to me seems like there is to much pressure in the co2 tubing and equipment for the atomiser to push though into the water flow,

is anyelse having these issues or is it just me, also does it matter how fast you push the co2 into the atomiser , that the atomiser will only allow so much though

any help would be great cuz im starting to get a little confused


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## GHNelson (3 Sep 2012)

HI 
The UP atomiser has to run at 1.7 bar and above to run smoothly.
What working pressure are you running at :?: 
Once the UP atomiser is purged of water your bubble rate should increase....to the original needle valve setting.
hoggie


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## jagz (3 Sep 2012)

hogan53 said:
			
		

> HI
> The UP atomiser has to run at 1.7 bar and above to run smoothly.
> What working pressure are you running at :?:
> Once the UP atomiser is purged of water your bubble rate should increase....to the original needle valve setting.
> hoggie



well the pressure when the needle valve is turned off is, 1.75bar but when i open the needle valve it drops to about 1bar, no i have a tmc regulator the one with the solanoid , it has a allen key socket on the side, when i try to alter the working pressure it wont og any higher than the 1.75bar but when i turn it the other way it does drop the working pressure

any ideas


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## GHNelson (3 Sep 2012)

Hi
If your regulator is adjustable.
1.Open the Solenoid valve
2.Open the Cylinder valve
3.Open the needle valve
You should now be able to increase the working pressure with the Allen key.
hoggie


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## jagz (3 Sep 2012)

im confused lol

i have this regulator http://rockncritters.co.uk/index.php?ma ... ts_id=1557, the only valave i have are the one on the co2 bottle, and the needle valve which goes to the co2 tubing , and then i have a allen key socket , there is a big knob on the fron of the reg but i have tried to turn that but i don thtink it does

so what do i open then


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## GHNelson (3 Sep 2012)

Hi Mate
I think your out of luck...I don't think this regulator is adjustable  
Maybe others can confirm that theory.
hoggie


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## GHNelson (3 Sep 2012)

:arrow: viewtopic.php?f=37&t=17878&p=183659#p183659


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## GHNelson (3 Sep 2012)

Meant to say Open Cylinder valve/knob.
hoggie


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## jagz (3 Sep 2012)

ok yea i did read that thread, although that big know on the front of mine does now turn with a bit of man power in it, 

so i have now set it so that when the needle valve is shut the working pressure is just over 2 bar and when the needle valve is open it drops to just about 1.75 bar, this seems to allow me to adjust the bubbles a bit better in the bubble counter too, ill see if this still works as planned, tomorrow when solanoid turns it off and back on again


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## GHNelson (3 Sep 2012)

Hi
Did you adjust the large knob on the front with a spanner?
I would adjust it too 2.2 bar if you can.
hoggie


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## jagz (3 Sep 2012)

it is about 2.2bar now it has built up a bit, and it is 2 bar when the valve is open, cheers for your help hoggie,


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## GHNelson (3 Sep 2012)

Hi jagz
Can you post how you adjusted the regulator to help others 
hoggie


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## jagz (3 Sep 2012)

yea no problem, 

what i found was the allen key fitting on the side done nothing to help increase the pressure, it only let co2 out so im guessing that is just a bung for one of the holes,

All i done was use a pipe spanner on the big nut on the front , it did take a bit of strengh to turn it but once the tightness was broke it can be done by hand, i had the needle valve closed to adjust mine, and then just turn the knob, you can then see the pressure rise and fall, when i got the desired pressure i then opened the needle valve to see what it dropped too, obviosly the co2 bottle know was opened fully, and hey presto, 2.2 bar when closed and just under 2 bar when open, jobs a gooden


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## GHNelson (3 Sep 2012)

George Farmer
Did say it was adjustable but we never found out how he altered the working pressure.
Well done for your perseverance  ...others have given up pulling their hair out 
hoggie


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## jagz (3 Sep 2012)

well i did buy this reg as i was told it was adjustable and not fixed, so i knew there was a way but that know on the front was very tight i thought i was going to break the thing , with my big monkey hand lol

im well chuffed i have sorted it now, i just hope all is still good tomorrow after a full cycle of the timers

cheers


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## jagz (9 Sep 2012)

well it would appear im still having the same problem here , 

i can set it all up and it is fine and the bubbles and pressure i have set stay at what i set, but after a cycle when the solanoid turns the co2 back on the working pressure has dropped and the bubbles drop right the way down to like 1-2 a second,

i was messing with this the other day and i ended up wasting the bottle of co2 lol, so i had to go for a refill, now when the guy refilled it i put the reg on in front of him and the bottle pressure shot up to 55bar and the working pressure went to 3 bar, so this is where i left it and over the days the working pressure just drops each day, also the bottle pressure now is only about 40 im starting to think my reg is no good and is leaking or something, im really starting to get annoyed with it now, im off work for 10 more days and i need this fully sorted before i go back or my co2 is going to be all over the place, im ok messing each day at the moment because im here to do it but when im at work i wont be here.

i was thinking of buying a new reg if i buy one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SWP-Side-Entr ... 1e716e45ab how would i get a solanoid to fit on the outlet it is a 3/8 bsp male thread, any help on any of the above is very much appreciated as im at my wits end now with this co2 setup

cheers guys Ric


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## nry (9 Sep 2012)

Not sure if the pub ones are good for aquariums?

I have this one:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Up-Aqua-CO2-r ... 3a699390ce

Can't fault it at all.


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## jagz (9 Sep 2012)

can the working pressure be adjusted on that one as i run a up atomiser, ill let you know how that reg works out anyways cuz i have just ordered one lol


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## CrispyCod (25 Sep 2012)

Hi,

Any update on this one? I am having the same issue.

Reg-Solenoid-NV-NRV-BC-NRV-Up Atomizer. Output pressure at 3 Bar, which is Stable, slight drop when switched on but thats all.

Bubble count resets each day to a low value, adjust the needle valve up again and it increases, but next day it resets itself. I thought I had a problem with the regulator so swapped it out but the same is still happening (so new solenoid and needle valve as well).

Could the pressure be too high? Have I set the flow rate the wrong way, Ie  Needle start closed then open it, or should I fully open and adjust down? Not sure how this would make a difference, but cant figure it! 

Any help much appreciated,

Chris


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## wazuck (25 Sep 2012)

jagz said:
			
		

> well it would appear im still having the same problem here ,
> 
> i can set it all up and it is fine and the bubbles and pressure i have set stay at what i set, but after a cycle when the solanoid turns the co2 back on the working pressure has dropped and the bubbles drop right the way down to like 1-2 a second,
> 
> ...



If you really want to custom build your reg I have a dual stage regulator that's fully adjustable up to 4bar. It will never suffer end of tank dump either. It also fits FE. All it needs is the solenoid and needle valve. The output thread is 1/4 bsp but if taken off is 1/8 bsp. You could remover the 1/4 fitting and screw the tmc parts straight in, I'd advise using plumbing tape to insure there are no leaks. Interested?


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## CrispyCod (27 Sep 2012)

Hi all,

No ideas on this one then?

I have had some feedback suggesting a dodgy solenoid, have people had similar symptoms with when using a dodgy solenoid?

Cheers

Chris


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