• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

CO2 Equipment - Worth Resurrecting?

Justal

Member
Joined
7 Feb 2015
Messages
65
Location
Aberystwyth
Hi Everyone,
I'm new here having just discovered the world of Aquascaping! I'm about to set up a new 100cmx40cmx60 tank. I was going to try to keep the cost down and go low-tech without CO2, however, I've just found this at the back of the shed - a Dennerle regulator and old cylinder from a 6ft planted tank I had set up about 15 years ago.

pVhef4.jpg


xDB1aZ.jpg


At the time it was state of the art but no doubt things have moved on quite a bit since then. The cylinder will need replacing as it is a little rusty, but the regulator looks fine. Is it worth resurrecting it and adding it to my new tank, or would it just be a waste of money based on what is available these days. If the latter I'll probably try my luck without CO2 rather than spending any more money.

I've had tanks in the past with DIY yeast and sugar jelly CO2 systems that I make up every so often, but usually end up giving up on them after a while as it's such a pfaff - ultimately they end up as non-CO2 tanks and plant growth is still really good, but I'm just wondering whether or not any of this kit I've found lying around is worth salvaging and putting to use? How much would it cost to get it up and running?

Thanks,
Al.
 
Yes I'd salvage. i could be wrong but is it fe/ fire extinguisher fitting? It's a good make, you say 15 years ago so it's probably better quality than a new one.
 
That's what I was thinking, but I'm having second thoughts as it has all been sat in the shed for about 10 years so I'm not too sure if there would be any safety concerns with using it.

Also by the time I've bought a new cylinder, a few bits of hosing, a diffuser and such like, I might be better off just getting a completely new kit such as this one: http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections...products/advance-complete-aquarium-co2-system

Along with a soda stream gas bottle?

Al.
 
Ah just realised it's got no solenoid. So yes go new but keep it as a spare don't bin it.. I would buy a regulator that fits fe personally as they are easy to get hold of depending if you're get refill near you or on a run you go on.
 
Not sure what and 'fe' fit is, but I doubt if there is anywhere local where I could easily get it refilled... Is there anything wrong with the soda stream bottle idea? At least I could get hold of bottles for that easily either online or in a local Argos. How long would a soda stream style bottle last? I know that like asking how long a piece of string is as it'll depend on the bubble count that I employ, but just a general ballpark while I decided whether or not to go for CO2.

Thanks,
Al.
 
c809c44e62453554e40fe8df539f9a90.jpg
cheapest way is fire extinguishers other that that were talking pub cylinders if you have the space. With your size tank I'd forget soda stream personally.
 
Check your area for refills - it's much more convenient (& almost same price) for me to use Sodastream bottles (though I've not ordered the kit yet).

If there is someone local doing gas refills, they'll know where you can get your old tank tested & re-certified, same shop should also be able to check regulator - everything should be fine depending on storage conditions (if there's a lot of rust, it may've compromised the threads).
 
Alto How much do the soda stream bottles/cans hold then I've never used them.?
 
Is it a Dennerle cylinder?
Dennerle regulator will not fit a Pub/Fe Cylinder....its a different fit!
Although you may be able to get another replacement adapter!
hoggie
 
I think that what I would do hoggie, look for a adaptor cheap from China a cheap inline solenoid job done. I'd at least give it a visual check ie threads clean them up connect it and see if there's any leaks first. Before I gave up on a dennerele reg.
 
OK, so to use the Dennerle Regulator (that I already have) I'll need the following:

  • Locally source-able cylinder - possibly Soda Stream as we live in the middle of nowhere and getting hold of anything else might prove difficult
  • Adaptor to connect Dennerle regulator to soda stream bottle
  • Solenoid - I'm assuming this is controlled by a timer switch on the plug socket?
I'd then need the in tank accessories such as a diffuser, bubble counter, drop checker etc as well.

Is that correct, is there anything else that I'd need for a modern CO2 set up? In the past I simply had CO2 that bubbled through the tank via a spiral diffuser constantly, so this is all new to me. I'm not sure how much all of the above will cost yet (and that will decide on whether or not I'll go for CO2 in the tank), but I'm guessing it'll not be far off the cost of a complete new set up? I'm starting to think that as a newbie (or at least a born again aquarist) that I might feel more confident with a new set that is all designed to work together out of the box.

Maybe I could even sell the Dennerle regulator to go towards a new CO2 set up - sorry, thinking out loud here, is it worth anything to anyone?

So much for the low-tech set up, at this rate I'm going to be adding CO2 before I've even set the tank up, and will no doubt be getting rid of the internal filter that came with the tank and needing an external as well.... It's taking over already!

Thanks for your time, its all helping me decide how best to approach this new project.
Al.
 
Hi
Is it a Dennerle cylinder?
You may have to remove the adapter on the reg and replace it with one that fits Pub/Fire extinguishers!
Dennerle regulator will not fit a Pub/Fe Cylinder....its a different fit!
I don't think you can get an adapter for a Dennerle to Soda Stream!
You can put the Reg on Ebay or make 25 posts and you will get into the The SALE/WANTED/SWAP Section and put it up for sale in there.
Get a inline Atomiser or a Glass diffuser....plus you will need a Co2 drop checker and solution!
Purchase another Check valve.....you may want to use a bubble counter?
Or purchase a new regulator.
http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections...l-stage-regulator-and-solenoid-magnetic-valve
hoggie
 
Then go ring up local fire protection services in your local town/city and ask them what they do with out of date cylinders explaining you're going to use them for a fish tank. If they say they recycle them move on, if they say scrap them ask how much they want for 3-4 of them. You should be able to get them for free up to £15 each, any more then that you can try another place.
 
Thanks guys.... I'm beginning to think that maybe a full system such as the one I linked to above from CO2art might be the best option for me, and maybe sell the Dennerle regulator... Better get making some posts here so that I can post on the For Sale section... damn, should have split this one into two posts!! :)

Al
 
Alto How much do the soda stream bottles/cans hold then I've never used them.?
Soda stream bottle is 425gr of CO2. A 2Kg fire extinguisher has obviously 2Kg of CO2, a 5Kg fire extinguisher....oh you get the idea.

Also you might want to know usage, I get about 100days CO2 from a 2Kg FE on a 180litre tank with almost yellow drop checker.
 
Ah, but they have to be posts of value Al......like this one.:D
 
Don't worry they will all be of the utmost quality.... I was about to click the 'submit' button there, but I can't help waffling on.

Think I'll try to sell the regulator and set up my new tank without CO2 at first to see how it goes. So, completely off topic, here's a bit of an intro......

The old (scratched and a little bit tatty) tank that my new tank will be replacing has been moved 'temporarily' to another room. The plan was that I could then decorate and replace the carpet in the room it was in and set the new tank up once that was done. I was then going to move everything from the old tank into the new one and get rid of the old equipment. However, now that the old tank is set up 'temporarily' in the other room I quite like it there so it looks as though I'll end up with two tanks, meaning the the new one is a completely blank canvas, so I'm still at the planning stages of deciding what to do with it and thanks to reading through posts here was getting excited about maybe adding CO2 seeing as I found an old regulator.

The old tank is a 90 x 30 x 38cm tank
Lighting: 3x 25W T5
Filtration: A tiny little internal filter that barely works... (In fact it hadn't been working at all for about 3 months, but I managed to fix it during the tear down and rebuild).
Substrate: Plain aquarium gravel

It has had sugar/yeast CO2 in the past but that was many years ago - incidentally when I took it all down last week to make way for the new tank, there was an old sugar / yeast solution bottle still attached to it that had been there fermenting for a couple of years! The contents smelled and tasted just like sherry - It seemed a shame to just pour it down the sink! (See, told you my posts would be top quality).

Tearing it all down and setting it back up in another room was quite a task (blog post here: http://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2015/aquarium-re-location/), but I'm pleased to report that there were no casualties and all inhabitants are currently happy and healthy in their new home. (Some photos here: http://www.alananna.co.uk/blog/2015/aquarium/).
Inhabitants are Cherry barbs, Flying Foxes, Dwarf Danios, Ember Tetras, Bristlenose Plec and some Amano shrimps.

Aquarium1.jpg


I've since built up the gravel at the back and sides a little to give a better feeling of depth. Some of the Crypts have since melted a bit, so I'm going to give them a bit of a tidy up later today. While I'm doing that I shall continue planning what to do with the new tank.. The carpet fitter is coming on Tuesday so the new build should start soon after.

As far as the new tank goes, this is what I have available to me so far:

Tank: Aquatlantis Fusion 100 (102 x 40 x 60 cm)
Lighting: 44W H2O LED that comes with the tank - 6800k, 3824 lumens. I like the design of the hood which was what tempted me to go for this tank as I can't stand hoods with tiny little access flaps.
Filtration: Internal BioBox 2 filter - 650l/h with 200w heater
Pump: As well as the filter the tank also comes with an EasyFlux 900 (810l/h) pump that pumps water up over the LED's. This is supposed to lengthen the life of the LED's by cooling them and also heat the water so reducing the amount of heat needed in the tank - Quite a clever little idea I thought! It also increases water circulation within the tank.
I've also ordered an RGB LED strip to add some backlighting to the tank - just because I can.

I also have 20 litres of Florabase complete substrate and 2.5 litres of a finer florabase substrate and of course the Dennerle regulator that I might not use. Other than that everything is still a completely blank canvas - and my mind is a whirr of what to do with it! :)

Al.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top