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CO2, Safety and Ease

adamhawk

adamhawk

Member
Joined
23 Jun 2012
Messages
108
So looking to set up CO2 for my 180 Juwel tank, question is or are...

What is needed and where from (I want to save money but I want long lasting, durable items)
Is it safe, is there anything I can do to make it safe.
Are there any great alternatives that are cheap to set up and run, without buying indivdual parts?

Thanks in advance.
 
adamhawk said:
So looking to set up CO2 for my 180 Juwel tank, question is or are...

What is needed and where from (I want to save money but I want long lasting, durable items)
Is it safe, is there anything I can do to make it safe.
Are there any great alternatives that are cheap to set up and run, without buying indivdual parts?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Hi,
Try scanning topic titles in the section in which you are posting, or searching via the search function. This topic, located immediately above to your topic, might help=> Everything you need for a FE co2 set up!!

Cheers,
 
lopeznora said:
New CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) analyzer designed to monitor CO2 for multiple applications including Brewing industry.

G110-00N

New CO2 analyzer designed to monitor CO2 for multiple applicatons, including Brewing industry. This unit has been developed to incorporate the latest technology and specification requirements, that provide the user with a fast, simple to use analyzer.

get more visit http://www.viasensor.info/g11000n-p-412.html
Click to expand...

Interesting, and it's free apparently ;)
 
adamhawk said:
Is it safe, is there anything I can do to make it safe.
Click to expand...
A correctly installed system, with care taken to ensure there are no leaks should be quite safe. You must be aware though that there is a very real risk of Carbon Dioxide Asphyxiation if a substantial leak should occur in a confined space.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/carboncapture/carbondioxide.htm

There is also the not insignificant fact that we are dealing with high pressure storage cylinders:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/hid/din/538.pdf

I'm no expert on the subject but I would expect best practice for fishkeepers would be to use only a system specifically designed for the purpose. Whilst it's obviously attractive from a financial standpoint to use things like Fire Extinguishers as a source of CO2 they aren't designed for this purpose and at the very least could invalidate your house insurance should an accident occur as a result of using it in an inappropriate way.

Don't let any of this put you off though! Just choose a good system designed for the purpose and take the time to understand how it all works. If you are still concerned you can reduce the risks somewhat by using smaller cylinders, although this will cost you more to operate.
 
Thanks, looking at buying the V2 kit, 500g canister, v2 solenoid reg etc, whole set up would cost £150 and then £7 to refil canister, Would that be good, how long would it last in a 180ltr? ta.
 
The FE is no different than a "specifically designed system" its an industry standard pressure vessel there are no more risks using an FE as there are using other cylinders storing high pressure gas. Its just they cost £10 a pop as opposed to £100+
 
The valve on the top of a Fire Extinguisher is completely different to that on say a beer gas cylinder (which is a better option IMO) It's designed to contain the gas in the cylinder until needed then release it quickly in one or more bursts - it's not designed to be kept open for several months!


adamhawk said:
500g canister, how long would it last in a 180ltr? ta.
Click to expand...

Don't know, best answered by someone who's running CO2 on a similar size tank. :)
 
Aqua sobriquet said:
The valve on the top of a Fire Extinguisher is completely different to that on say a beer gas cylinder (which is a better option IMO) It's designed to contain the gas in the cylinder until needed then release it quickly in one or more bursts - it's not designed to be kept open for several months!
Click to expand...

nope they're both exactly the same just one has a handle and one has a wheel the internals are identical pressure is controlled on release by the regulator.

adamhawk said:
500g canister, how long would it last in a 180ltr? ta.
Click to expand...

not long
 
Well "not long" does not quite allow me to know, how long is a piece of string as it were, any indication to lenght of time would be muchly apprechiated. ta.
 
hinch said:
nope they're both exactly the same just one has a handle and one has a wheel the internals are identical pressure is controlled on release by the regulator.
Click to expand...

Not true. And this from the horses mouth "The valve is only expected to be leak free in the closed position. A small amount of leakage whilst it's held open would not be regarded as a problem as a large amount of CO2 is already being vented to atmosphere fighting a fire"
 
Aqua sobriquet said:
Not true. And this from the horses mouth "The valve is only expected to be leak free in the closed position. A small amount of leakage whilst it's held open would not be regarded as a problem as a large amount of CO2 is already being vented to atmosphere fighting a fire"
Click to expand...
Bit wierd....how can it leak when it is open ??????
 
they're both a simple ball valve don't believe me? thats fine take an angle grinder to both and look for yourself.

your FE will always be in the open state anyway (fully open) exactly the same as a normal beer bottle would be fully open as the working pressure is dictated by the regulator so again any leakage across the ball is unimportant
 
adamhawk said:
Well "not long" does not quite allow me to know, how long is a piece of string as it were, any indication to lenght of time would be muchly apprechiated. ta.
Click to expand...

depends on your injection rate i'd expect no more than a month on a 500g bottle a 2kg FE lasts me about 3 months
 
I have CO2 fire extingisher in my office and two in the corridor and I don't seem to remember being asphixiated recently, so can't really see the issue having one at home is a problem. In fact less of a problem at home mine is hidden well out the way, no chance of being knocked over, dropped , accidentally pulled off wall unlike the the work ones.
 
I guess the "danger" comes in when things are not tightend or faulty or is used inappropiatley, otherwise as you say has to be the same as a work one.
 
We have hundreds of FE's where I work. When we've changed suppliers in the past the incoming company has been happy to let me have a couple of CO2 FE's so when I first read about using them on an aquarium it was a no brainer. I asked someone from the fire safety company first though and they said "it's not a good idea" and mentioned the valve.

I couldn't put any of my family at risk after hearing this. What folks do in their own homes is up to them but suggesting to others on an open forum that what you're doing is perfectly safe is a bad idea.

As a point of interest ask your insurance company if your insurance is still valid cable tying a fire extinguisher handle down to feed your aquarium plants.

I'll say no more. This started with the OP asking about CO2 safety and my conscience is clear.
 
thats just your fire safety guy telling you fibs to try to get you to buy brand new ones every time

as for family safety 2kg cos will disipate into the volume of air in your house and probably not even raise the co2 content by 1ppm perhaps 1ppb instead if it was that dangerous you wouldn't see the low smoke being used on stage shows/tvs etc as they chew through alot more than 2kg of co2 per minute to provide that smoke.
 
I know friends who have 1kg CO2 extinguisher in their kitchen, next to their fire blanket and they have not died due to lack of O2.

Thought about getting one of these for aquarium use, but are not that common and seem to be only supplied by companies wanting you on a yearly maintainence and inspection contract. :(
 
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