Hi All,
This is a branch from my previous thread in the 'Pumps & Filters' section, regarding my experimantal self-cleaning planted goldfish aquarium. You can read up on the experiment progress here:
http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=17348
As the discussion in the 'Pumps & filters' thread has lead on to Sodastream CO2 systems, I have posted this info here in the CO2 section, where it is easier to find.
Firstly - Why Sodastream CO2?
I decided not to buy a commercially available pressurised CO2 set (e.g. JBL, Red Sea, etc) because I considered them to be rather too expensive, given that I can easily buy the parts individually and build a system for myself for far less money. Likewise, if you consider that the biggest expense of running a CO2 system over a number of years will be the CO2 gas itself, I thought that the readily available Sodastream bottles would be an ideal low-cost alternative, at £10.99 for a refill, available at my local branch of Robert Dyas. (Note: I accept that the large 'pub-gas' cylinders would be the ultimate cheap source of CO2, but I didn't fancy a great big ugly cylinder lurking in the corner of my living room...)
So, given the above I have made up a DIY pressurised CO2 system based around a Sodastream CO2 bottle. This is the 'new' type larger 60 litre size bottle, with the complicated buttress thread that people are finding it difficult to connect onto.
First, I bought an adapter from 'Craftbrewer' in Australia. This was the single most expensive component in my CO2 system ($39.00 AUS), a bit pricey to buy and ship over to the UK, but it arrived within a week and is excellent quality (Nickel plated brass). Unfortunately, the thread on the other side of the adapter was a 1/4" BSP, and I needed a 1/2" BSP to fit my regulator, so I went to my local hydraulics supply shop, and got a 1/4" to 1/2" BSP adapter (see photo). (Note - Since I bought my adapter from Craftbrewer, I have noticed that they have now changed the design, and they now feature the correct 1/2" BSP thread to go straight in to the regulator)
Follow this link to the adapter:
http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=924
Here is my adapter (Including 1/4" to 1/2" connector):
The green 'glue' you can see is a 3M systems epoxy resin, I used this instead of the usual PTFE thread tape, as the resin cannot be inadvertantly 'unwound' when when removing / changing the gas cylinder.
Here is the adapter fitted onto the Sodastream bottle:
So - just need to connect up to my solenoid, and I'll be in business! I'll post an update showing the complete system once I have got it all installed.
Cheers all!
TomW
This is a branch from my previous thread in the 'Pumps & Filters' section, regarding my experimantal self-cleaning planted goldfish aquarium. You can read up on the experiment progress here:
http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=17348
As the discussion in the 'Pumps & filters' thread has lead on to Sodastream CO2 systems, I have posted this info here in the CO2 section, where it is easier to find.
Firstly - Why Sodastream CO2?
I decided not to buy a commercially available pressurised CO2 set (e.g. JBL, Red Sea, etc) because I considered them to be rather too expensive, given that I can easily buy the parts individually and build a system for myself for far less money. Likewise, if you consider that the biggest expense of running a CO2 system over a number of years will be the CO2 gas itself, I thought that the readily available Sodastream bottles would be an ideal low-cost alternative, at £10.99 for a refill, available at my local branch of Robert Dyas. (Note: I accept that the large 'pub-gas' cylinders would be the ultimate cheap source of CO2, but I didn't fancy a great big ugly cylinder lurking in the corner of my living room...)
So, given the above I have made up a DIY pressurised CO2 system based around a Sodastream CO2 bottle. This is the 'new' type larger 60 litre size bottle, with the complicated buttress thread that people are finding it difficult to connect onto.
First, I bought an adapter from 'Craftbrewer' in Australia. This was the single most expensive component in my CO2 system ($39.00 AUS), a bit pricey to buy and ship over to the UK, but it arrived within a week and is excellent quality (Nickel plated brass). Unfortunately, the thread on the other side of the adapter was a 1/4" BSP, and I needed a 1/2" BSP to fit my regulator, so I went to my local hydraulics supply shop, and got a 1/4" to 1/2" BSP adapter (see photo). (Note - Since I bought my adapter from Craftbrewer, I have noticed that they have now changed the design, and they now feature the correct 1/2" BSP thread to go straight in to the regulator)
Follow this link to the adapter:
http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=924
Here is my adapter (Including 1/4" to 1/2" connector):
The green 'glue' you can see is a 3M systems epoxy resin, I used this instead of the usual PTFE thread tape, as the resin cannot be inadvertantly 'unwound' when when removing / changing the gas cylinder.
Here is the adapter fitted onto the Sodastream bottle:
So - just need to connect up to my solenoid, and I'll be in business! I'll post an update showing the complete system once I have got it all installed.
Cheers all!
TomW
