Aquario neo CO2

[Jstewart0925]

Has anybody had experience with this kit its my first time with any experience with adding or having CO2 but is there a way to change the diffuser out while it’s pressured or do I need to let it run out before I can change it?
Thanks in advance 

[Cleveland M]

I have no experience with this but since no one has replied I'll jump in with an opinion. I wouldn't disconnect anything under pressure.

Hopefully someone with experience will jump in today. 

[IanB]

Long version: If you are simply talking about the aquaria Neo Co2 diffusor that goes from a regulator to the tank, it should not be a huge deal to disconnect it under pressure if you have to, though I am having trouble imagining a scenario where you would have to? You can simply turn off the solenoid on your regulator, or if it doesn't have one, close the canister connection to the regulator. Then open the needle valve all the way and it will quickly bleed off the small amount of CO2 in the line from the regulator to diffuser. Then you are fine to remove the diffuser without it being at a high pressure. The most potentially dangerous pressure with a CO2 system, however, is between the tank and the regulator, not at the diffusor. The regulator's purpose is to step down the high pressure of the canister (needed to keep the CO2 liquid and compact) to a "working pressure" that is safe for you to work with (often around 30 psi... think of a car tire).

TL;Dr: You shouldn't have to. Simply close the source CO2 (at the canister or regulator via solenoid), then open the needle valve to bleed off excess pressure (if you have a very small tank and are worried about a CO2 dump, you can lift diffuser out of water for this, though if you open the needle valve all the way the bubbles will be so big the amount of CO2 left in the line won't change the water chemistry significantly). Once the diffuser stops spitting out bubbles, you know it isn't under high pressure anymore, and can do whatever you like with it.

Also, unsolicited but cool tip I saw from Jurjs Jutjatevs, a German aquascaper, is that the small aquario Neo diffuser fits inside the new aquario flow lily pipes, so that you can set it up as, effectively, an inline diffuser (not to be confused with a reactor-- you will still see the bubbles). 

[Jstewart0925]

On 8/27/2022 at 1:48 PM, IanB said:

Long version: If you are simply talking about the aquaria Neo Co2 diffusor that goes from a regulator to the tank, it should not be a huge deal to disconnect it under pressure if you have to, though I am having trouble imagining a scenario where you would have to? You can simply turn off the solenoid on your regulator, or if it doesn't have one, close the canister connection to the regulator. Then open the needle valve all the way and it will quickly bleed off the small amount of CO2 in the line from the regulator to diffuser. Then you are fine to remove the diffuser without it being at a high pressure. The most potentially dangerous pressure with a CO2 system, however, is between the tank and the regulator, not at the diffusor. The regulator's purpose is to step down the high pressure of the canister (needed to keep the CO2 liquid and compact) to a "working pressure" that is safe for you to work with (often around 30 psi... think of a car tire).

TL;Dr: You shouldn't have to. Simply close the source CO2 (at the canister or regulator via solenoid), then open the needle valve to bleed off excess pressure (if you have a very small tank and are worried about a CO2 dump, you can lift diffuser out of water for this, though if you open the needle valve all the way the bubbles will be so big the amount of CO2 left in the line won't change the water chemistry significantly). Once the diffuser stops spitting out bubbles, you know it isn't under high pressure anymore, and can do whatever you like with it.

Also, unsolicited but cool tip I saw from Jurjs Jutjatevs, a German aquascaper, is that the small aquario Neo diffuser fits inside the new aquario flow lily pipes, so that you can set it up as, effectively, an inline diffuser (not to be confused with a reactor-- you will still see the bubbles). 

This doesn’t have all that like a regular CO2 tank and all that it’s a bottle with a powder mixture and a yeast starter just a simple bottle design 

[IanB]

Ah, I am afraid I have not used the diy CO2 systems (because they can't easily be shut on or off). I doubt it runs at a dangerous pressure, but don't take my word for it, please!

[Jstewart0925]

On 8/27/2022 at 2:36 PM, IanB said:

Ah, I am afraid I have not used the diy CO2 systems (because they can't easily be shut on or off). I doubt it runs at a dangerous pressure, but don't take my word for it, please!

It’s low pressure kind of like when you shake a coke up and open it. 

[IanB]

On 8/29/2022 at 10:17 AM, Jstewart0925 said:

It’s low pressure kind of like when you shake a coke up and open it. 

I'd be shocked if it ran at a dangerous pressure given the massive liability issues that would cause but I have never used these so can't give advice.

[Jstewart0925]

I actually ended up changing it out little pressure just made a swoosh sound was all.