I want to play with co2. Suggestions.

[Clovis]

I set up a new fluval flex 15g today as an aquascape. It’s pretty heavily planted. The plants are all easy low to medium light but I would still like to try co2. Mostly for fun. 
 

I read some bad things about the fluval co2 kits. Any suggestions on a starter setup for someone who wants to tinker?

Edited March 7, 2021 by Clovis

[Chrisdis]

If you plan on tinkering with co2 you should do your fish a favor and get a decent dual stage regulator. Co2art has some fairly cheap good quality products. The failure rate of those single stage setups like the fluval is pretty high. Just my opinion. 

[James V.]

I’m thinking of trying the same thing (keep in mind I have no experience) but I saw a video on YouTube by the “King Of DIY” called “HOW TO: DIY CO2 system for aquarium plants TUTORIAL” I’m going to try this cheap diy system.

[Mmiller2001]

C0²Art is a solid option on a budget. Fzone sells some for cheaper, but I can't speak for quality. That said, reviews are pretty positive on them.

[Rochelle]

Co2Art sells really good regulators w/solenoids, with options to add on. I’ve purchased three and love two of my setups completely. Unfortunately my last one wouldn’t turn off when the power shut down. I emailed them. They asked for photos of every little part and then sent me tiny replacement parts, where I had to basically dismantle the thing and rebuild it.  I have not yet tried it as I had to buy a different one for immediate use and it works fine. Plus I don’t trust my skills. The other is now my backup. Just be aware if you are new to C02. Maybe buy something less expensive on Amazon. 

[Brian]

Good Luck 

keep us updated 

[Andy's Fish Den]

I have an Fzone regulator, and the build quality of it is great, and so far it has worked flawlessly. Now, I just started using CO2 and this is the first and only regulator I have bought so I have nothing to compare it to. 

[Chrisdis]

2 hours ago, Andy's Fish Den said:

I have an Fzone regulator, and the build quality of it is great, and so far it has worked flawlessly. Now, I just started using CO2 and this is the first and only regulator I have bought so I have nothing to compare it to. 

I'm glad you said that. I purchased an fzone regulator as a spare. I haven't had to use it but it seems to be of good quality. Glad to hear yours works as it should. 

[Jungle Fan]

I have used different brands of CO2 regulators through the years and @Chrisdisis absolutely correct get a dual stage regulator with a solenoid, and a decent bubble counter. In my experience the best on the market are the GreenLeaf Aquariums dual stage CO2 regulators, they are manufactured here in the U.S. and have the best warranty, and Colin the owner bends over backwards should you have any problems, the only negative is the price, they are definitely up there but not having headaches and having to replace them so soon was worth it to me.

Second place in my ranking is CO2Art, a German company, that also produces a quality product and I've heard good things about their warranty as well. A friend uses an Fzone regulator and absolutely loves it, based on the price I was thinking about getting one for my plant holding tank, although I've also heard about warranty problems from some other fishkeepers in my area; I might still give a try, or go with a CO2Art for this plant only tank with fluctuating levels of plants.

Make sure whatever CO2 regulator you end up with to get the CO2 tubing as CO2 will over time destroy airline tubing, and to get yourself a decent CO2 check valve to prevent water from backflowing and destroying your regulator. Another hint: in case you decide to run an inside tank diffuser and your CO2 only during the active photoperiod and shut it down at night as I do, it helps to add the check valve  fairly close to the rim outside of the tank, that way your CO2 doesn't have to push back large amounts of water before it becomes available to the diffuser inside the tank again.

[d6veteran]

I got the CO2 art setup.  The upfront investment is steep, but the dual stage regulator and ability to run it on a timer is amazing once you get it setup.

[StephenP2003]

On 3/6/2021 at 10:27 PM, Mmiller2001 said:

Fzone sells some for cheaper, but I can't speak for quality. That said, reviews are pretty positive on them.

I have an FZONE and a CO2Art, and both are performing well. The CO2Art has a little better needle valve for fine-tuning low-CO2 injection, like 1 bubble every 2 seconds. 

I have a fluval spec 16 with CO2 injection, about 1 bubble every 1.5 seconds, coming from a 5lb CO2 tank. It's gonna last a while. It's just not worth having to buying replacement cartridges or constantly refilling stuff. A 5lb tank is $70 brand new, maybe cheaper, and the fire extinguisher place I go to charges a dollar a pound to fill tanks.

[Jungle Fan]

As @StephenP2003said the 5 lb. cylinders are definitely the way to go, so you don't have to constantly get refills, they last quite a while, fit inside most stands leaving enough space for the regulator gauges (don't forget to measure though), and you can get them refilled not just at the fire extinguisher places that are usually licensed to do the hydrostatic test (about $40 - $50 most places I've lived, but cheaper than buying a new one, and you get years of use in between) on them once their current expiration date runs out, but you can also get them refilled at most local home brewing shops. Where I live the brewing shop is about $10 cheaper (total:$14), also sells seals, and is about 10 miles closer. It pays off to compare.

I've got two cylinders, one in use, the other in reserve so I can switch it out right away, once the one in use runs out, and I can take my time refilling it. The places I take mine to always return my same cylinder, although there are some places that will just take yours and return a random full cylinder. I don't like that practice as I noticed that I usually ended up getting one that was all dinged up and needed another hydrostatic test soon when i lived in a place that used that method. When I moved I left those to a friend who was getting started with CO2 and was happy to get a tank for free and did not mind getting one that was up for inspection soon, and for all I know he just happily kept exchanging them without problem.

For safety and your regulator's sake always let them acclimate to room temperature first for several hours before hooking them up, and make sure you don't leave them in a hot car, and that you transport, and store them standing up.  I built myself a little box I can slide around to stand them up in under the tank, so even if our little paw bearing fuzz butt should manage to get under there he won't be able to topple the cylinders and potentially cause havoc.

Edited March 9, 2021 by Jungle Fan

[Chrisdis]

Nice setup @Jungle Fan. I guess my cylinders are overkill. I have 2 - 50# cylinders in my utility room and have them piped through the wall. $68 to refill them. Bad thing is they are over 4ft tall. Good thing is it will be a very long time before I need a refill!

[Jungle Fan]

@Chrisdiswith 2 - 50 lb cylinders you must be running more than one, or a very large tank. At my age things begin to not just be about dreaming big but manageability, and convenience. Although there was a time when I used to lug heavy loads up to 120 lb on trips I enjoy that these cylinders now are just 5 lb and I  did not want to have to drill, or plumb this time. I did some of that when I was younger and kept Discus and Angelfish and ran a sump. 2 - 50 lb cylinders  would have been a dream of mine for the reason that I kept more tanks and the longer time in between refills would have been very attractive, now the thought of lugging 50 lb 4 FT cylinders and having to get them to stay upright in transport would give me pause. That is besides the fact that I've gotten to know the brewery shop owner and he also keeps an aquarium and we do like to compare notes while I'm there to get my refills which is about once, or twice a year.

I wanted to put a like on your post but I'm still out of reactions for the day, haven't quite figured out how this cycle works yet, 24 hr, time elapsed since last allotted reaction, ...

[Chrisdis]

The reason for the 50# bottles is basically convenience. We had the co2 bottles in our shop and since I live about 40 miles from the nearest refill center I want to make as few trips as possible. These bottles were free and 68 bucks to fill so that's the reason for using them. I'm also just dosing my 40gal and my 65gal. So I may never have to refill!

[Jungle Fan]

With 40 miles to the refill center the 50 lb bottles are convenience, and opting for those, especially when they were free would be an easy decision. I've lived way up in the mountains before for a while, and every trip to get supplies was planned out in advance when you had to travel 60 miles each way. By the time you'll need a refill with those on a 40gal and a 65gal you'll probably end up needing another hydrostatic test as well because it will have lasted that long.

[Chrisdis]

On 3/9/2021 at 1:32 PM, Jungle Fan said:

As @StephenP2003said the 5 lb. cylinders are definitely the way to go, so you don't have to constantly get refills, they last quite a while, fit inside most stands leaving enough space for the regulator gauges (don't forget to measure though), and you can get them refilled not just at the fire extinguisher places that are usually licensed to do the hydrostatic test (about $40 - $50 most places I've lived, but cheaper than buying a new one, and you get years of use in between) on them once their current expiration date runs out, but you can also get them refilled at most local home brewing shops. Where I live the brewing shop is about $10 cheaper (total:$14), also sells seals, and is about 10 miles closer. It pays off to compare.

I've got two cylinders, one in use, the other in reserve so I can switch it out right away, once the one in use runs out, and I can take my time refilling it. The places I take mine to always return my same cylinder, although there are some places that will just take yours and return a random full cylinder. I don't like that practice as I noticed that I usually ended up getting one that was all dinged up and needed another hydrostatic test soon when i lived in a place that used that method. When I moved I left those to a friend who was getting started with CO2 and was happy to get a tank for free and did not mind getting one that was up for inspection soon, and for all I know he just happily kept exchanging them without problem.

For safety and your regulator's sake always let them acclimate to room temperature first for several hours before hooking them up, and make sure you don't leave them in a hot car, and that you transport, and store them standing up.  I built myself a little box I can slide around to stand them up in under the tank, so even if our little paw bearing fuzz butt should manage to get under there he won't be able to topple the cylinders and potentially cause havoc.

What size tank are you dosing? I was just wondering if you were using a reactor or a diffuser. 

[Jungle Fan]

It's my 75 Gallon Amazon inspired jungle tank, I started with glass diffusers a long time ago, then went to using reactors, and inline diffusers, but a few years ago I read an article, I believe it might have been in the Aquatic Gardener's Association Journal, that was based on a study that explained that the tiny CO2 bubbles in the tank actually have a stimulating effect on leaf growth past just supply of CO2 as a nutrient and I went back to using diffusers, at least for tanks up to 90 gallons. So currently I'm using a large Aquario Neo CO2 Diffuser from Aquarium-Co Op.

Edited March 11, 2021 by Jungle Fan
Clarification

[kammaroon]

@Jungle Fan Beautiful tank. Those lights 😳

[Chrisdis]

2 hours ago, Jungle Fan said:

It's my 75 Gallon Amazon inspired jungle tank, I started with glass diffusers a long time ago, then went to using reactors, and inline diffusers, but a few years ago I read an article, I believe it might have been in the Aquatic Gardener's Association Journal, that was based on a study that explained that the tiny CO2 bubbles in the tank actually have a stimulating effect on leaf growth past just supply of CO2 as a nutrient and I went back to using diffusers, at least for tanks up to 90 gallons. So currently I'm using a large Aquario Neo CO2 Diffuser from Aquarium-Co Op.

That's a beautiful tank. I was using a jardli 1 1/2 glass diffuser but I just installed the v2 large bazooka from co2art. I was just wondering if a reactor would be better for a larger tank. It's a 65 gallon. I'm just getting good growth here lately. Been dosing for about 3 weeks now

[Jungle Fan]

The Aquario Neo diffuser has been working great for my 75gal. I was a little concerned about its size at first, but the mist of bubbles is the finest I have ever seen a diffuser produce and once the solenoid kicks on in the morning it doesn't take very long for the drop checker to turn a nice shade of green. I must admit I was a bit skeptical at first but I'm glad I talked to Aquarium Co-Op Customer Service and decided to buy it. I've got it positioned right under the outflow pipe of my canister filter and the flow distributes the CO2 bubbles throughout the whole tank.