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whats the total cost of pressurized co2 system

8K views 51 replies 21 participants last post by  OVT 
#1 ·
I was wondering how much it costs to have everthing I need to run pressurized co2? assuming I were to buy everthing new. I also saw a ph guage setup to run the co2 when the ph changed, is this recommened? Thank you.
 
#2 ·
Well you have options. Albany Aquarium has a 5# tank plus JBJ regulator w/solenoid and bubble counter for 200$. An inline reactor can be made for under 20$.

You could also by pieces from different places. You could get a JBJ regulator from AB for 88$ and I found a 5# aluminum tank for 65$ so that puts you at 153 for that setup.

So to make a long answer even longer, 150--200$. Some people will tell you I'm sure that you can get it for less which is possible too.
 
#3 ·
AlgaeHater said:
I was wondering how much it costs to have everthing I need to run pressurized co2? assuming I were to buy everthing new. I also saw a ph guage setup to run the co2 when the ph changed, is this recommened? Thank you.
That would depend entirely on whether or not you have a live in significant other, life partner etc.

Standard rule of thump is for every dollar spent on things they do not understand, you'll be needing to spend two dollars on things they don't understand.

At which point my best advice to you is to just give them the checkbook or plastic and adopt the entirely reasonable attitude that the less you know about things you don't understand the better off you'll be. :icon_bigg
 
#4 ·
I'm also investigating the same thing...
I hope the other veteran planted tankers will share their experience..
how much, which one, where to buy, etc...

I think I can live with $150-200... but I saw $300-$400 all the times!
 
#44 ·
Now that it is 2016 it might be discontinued. Still running? What model is it and where did you buy it?

Bump:
5 lb. Aluminum Tank ~ $59.00
Dual-guage regulator ~ $36.00
Clippard Needle Valve ~ $22.00
Vortex Reactor ~ $49.00

Total ~ $166.00; everything was brand new.
Still running? I wonder if now that is 2016 if you can still get the parts for the same cost. Most costly item I am finding is the regulator. Have not seen any for $36. Mostly around $200. Please tell me which model it is and where you got it.

Bump:
Might this be what you're referring to?
(
That link does not work anymore. Any suggestion what to google for to find it?
 
#7 ·
5 lb. Aluminum Tank ~ $59.00
Dual-guage regulator ~ $36.00
Clippard Needle Valve ~ $22.00
Vortex Reactor ~ $49.00

Total ~ $166.00; everything was brand new.

If I had made my own reactor, I probably could have saved around $30.00 or so.

I find I don't really need all of the automation -- it's really just overkill unless you have really sensitive fish (e.g. Discus, etc.). :)

Regardless of whether you go automatic or not, going pressurized is really worth the investment!
 
#8 ·
For me...
5lb. CO2 tank filled - $60
Milwaukee regulator with CO2 tubing- $69
Dennerle CO2 check valve - $18
DIY inline reactor - $10

Total $157.

Bigpow, the cheapest you'll get the Milwaukee is from glass-gardens, for $65 (discount to PT members). You'll also need a good checkvalve for the Milwaukee since they don't have one, and those can be around $18 (Dennerle from marinedepot.com). A JBJ from aquatic store is $89 (free shipping) and already has a checkvalve. So looking about the same for either or. CO2 tanks vary locally.

There is an article written somewhere on this forum to do it all for under $100. By this you won't be using a Milwaukee or JBJ, but instead a regular CO2 regulator and a clippard needle valve. For me, I wasn't saving much money that way - I could get the regulator for $40, and the clippard with adapters for $20 = $60 total. All depends on who your clippard dealer is too. I just payed $9 more for the Milwaukee to save the hassle.
 
#9 ·
Rolo said:
...There is an article written somewhere on this forum to do it all for under $100.
Might this be what you're referring to?

It's a good article -- and that was my starting point when I became interested in investing in pressurized CO2 ... though I don't have a clippard dealer anywhere in town nor any welding supply shops that have tanks that cheap. :(
 
#12 ·
For most people they are just as well off ordering the Clippard valve from somewhere like AquaBotanic. It comes with the 10-32 to 0.125" adapter that you will need. Unless you are lucky like I am and have a Clippard distributor close to the house you are much better off buying it from a vendor that includes the adapter.

It's possible to do CO2 for under $150 depending on how much the cylinder runs you. If you want automated then it's going to cost another $100 or so. I run three manual systems. Two of them off the same tank. I built my own systems so I could run multiple tanks off of a cylinder and regulator. Besides when I built my systems the great deals on all-in-one units just weren't there. I also build my own reactors and plumb them into the return lines of my cannister filters.
 
#13 ·
If you have a CO2 supplier, like a welding shop, there may be no need to buy a bottle. You put a deposit on their bottle, and just swap the used bottle for a full bottle when you need.

I just don't understand the need to purchase a bottle. :confused: Every bottle I have ever gotten from my supplier was painted, clean and had been safety inspected.

Mike
 
#14 ·
If you buy a new bottle Mike, in general you get a shiny bright alunimum cylinder with a hydro test good for five years (make sure you ask about the specific date when purchasing one).

At least in my area, you're looking at a $65.00 cash deposit and $6.00 a month rental fee, plus the cost of refills, my tank was $65.00 with shipping. The rentals here are steel, banged up and otherwise downright ugly.
 
#16 ·
Then I guess I am the lucky one!

As I said earlier, the bottles I get are painted and clean. They might not be "shiny" or as light as aluminum, but they do the same thing. Once they are in the cabinet under the aquarium, I usually don't see them till its time for a refill! :) Cost was about the same as purchase.

Rentals are nasty looking, run $7.50 a month for a 20 lb tank and need a $75 deposit.
Rex, you pay $7.50 a month to rent the bottle?? I just put a deposit on the bottle and pay for the refills.


Mike
 
#17 ·
glass-gardens.com said:
If you buy a new bottle Mike, in general you get a shiny bright alunimum cylinder with a hydro test good for five years (make sure you ask about the specific date when purchasing one).
Funny story (kind of). I bought my cylinder for $65 cheapest price I could find. The bottle was in kind of shabby shape but it worked and it was the cheapest I could find it. So I get it refilled there twice and on the third time I find the place has gone out of business so I go searching for another location to get my bottle refilled. Well it turns out my bottle hadn't been inspected since 1991. I then had to pay another $55 to get the $65 bottle inspected. So overall that 5lb bottle cost me $120. A rippoff, all because I got ripped off by some store.

Moral of teh story is: Check the inspection date when buying a CO2 bottle.
 
#18 ·
It is illegal to fill those things past the date, and of course not to mention ripping off customers, it serves them right to go out of business. I'm wondering why you didn't just get the expired bottle re-hydrotested by the new supplier. Don't tell me they also ripped you off and told you had to buy another new bottle! A hydrotest for sure can't be more then $65.
 
#21 ·
bigpow said:
say... I'm having a hard time finding local supplier (closest one is around 60-70 miles away)

How long will it last anyway for a 5 lbs tank? (55-gallon)
It depends on how efficient your reactor is (the more efficient the reactor, the less CO2 you use per unit time). Thus, you can get anywhere from 6 months to a year with a 5 lb. tank. :)
 
#22 ·
The total cost depends on where you buy it, and what componants you use. You have three advertiser sponsors here to choose from, as well as several other online retailers, local shops, DIY componants, whatever...

Here is something I wrote up to understand some of the choices:


The major componants are the regulator, which is the gauges that go on your C02 tank, a needle valve on the regulator which is what you use to ajust how much gas is going into your aquarium, (most regulators made for aquariums come with a built in needle valve, but if you buy a cheap regulator like what is used for a beer tap, you would need to add a needlevalve), a bubble counter which is filled with water and is either attached directly to the regulator or attached to the tubing running from the regulator to the aquarium, and finaly a device to either mix the gas with water, (a reactor) or a device that bubbles the gas into the water, (a diffusor).

Reactors are more efficient because the gas is totally absorbed into the water and the enriched water is pumped into your aquarium. Diffusors are less efficient because no matter how fine the bubbles are, many simply rise to the water surface and disapate. With diffusors it is sometimes difficult to reach the higher levels of C02 in your water.

There are both internal and external reactors. An internal reactor sits inside your aquarium and is usually attached to a small pump. External reactors can either sit under your tank or hang on the back of the tank and can be connected to a cannister filter or pump.

There are two other componants that are more optional. First is a Solenoid valve or sometimes called a magnetic valve. This attaches to a regulator and is an electronic shutoff valve. It plugs into an electrical outlet. When it is plugged in, the C02 flows, when it is unplugged or the power is shut off, it closes the C02 shutting it off. A solenoid is used in one of two ways: plugged into a timer with your lights so that the C02 is shut off at night, or plugged into a pH controller.

A pH controller gives you the ultimate automation. A probe inside the aquarium reads the pH. When enough C02 is added to your aquarium to bring the pH down to what you have it set for, the controller signals the solenoid valve to shut off. As the plants use the C02 and the pH begins to rise, it signals the solenoid to turn on keeping the C02 at a more constant level with much less pH swing.

There are currently two brands of regulators that include a needle valve, bubblecounter and solenoid valve. JBJ and Milwaukee. JBJ also has a check valve which Milwaukee does not. A check valve will prevent back pressure that could draw water from your aquarium into your regulator, which sometimes happens if you shut off the pump on the reactor. The other difference between these to regulators is that the JBJ has a fixed working pressure, which means when you open up the C02 valve on your C02 tank, the regulator automaticaly ajusts to the right working pressure. With the Milwaukee you have to manually ajust to the desired PSI pressure.

There are other aquarium C02 regulators that do not include the solenoid or the bubblecounter such as Aqua Medic and Ultralife. When using these you would have to buy a separate solenoid if you want to use one. They either connect inline via the tubing, or fitted onto the regulator. Some people simply leave their C02 running 24/7 without a solenoid or pH controller and live with the pH swing at night.

Some online dealers or petstores will try and sell you a C02 tank, or include it in the "system". Buying a C02 tank with your system is a waste of money in my opinion. You have to bring the tank somewhere to be filled. 90% of these places will not actually fill your tank, but instead swap it for one of theirs that is already filled. Many of these places will not even accept a tank for swap that is not one of their own. Instead you can buy a filled tank from them for 70 to $80 and refill swaps for around 10 to $15. Look for welding gas suppliers in your phone book. Every major city or area usually has several to choose from. Some people report that fire extinguisher suppliers will refill tanks.

You may also hear some talk on the internet about different grades of C02 gas. It is all hogwash. Any C02 gas that you can purchase is basicaly the same and suitable for aquarium use.


You could get a JBJ regulator from AB for 88$
Thats right! So if Marc still wants to claim to be the lowest priced JBJ regulator seller on the net, he is going to have to lower his price another $2.00 !! :proud:
 
#23 ·
Robert, you're not a Ph.D., aren't you? :)
Your written skill is excellent.
Concise yet very thorough...

I can't wait to get myself a pressurized system!
I'm leaning towards Aquabotanic's JBJ regulator. Even if it's not the cheapest, I'd still buy it from Aquabotanic (the least I could do for providing such a nice forum).

Now to find the tank ... ... ...



On my mind:
I started out the hobby by keeping fish with all used/cheap/DIY stuffs.
The future is not looking good for my wallet, as I have bought a 2026 and soon a CO2 system.... maybe in the near future, a good lighting system to replace my DIY lighting

Somebody remind me again, why I'm more interested in the equipments rather than the fish now? :confused:

Oh yeah, it's those beautiful pictures from planted tank gurus' tanks :D
 
#24 ·
I don't pay rental. But around here if you want a 20 lb cylinder which I own they want $7.50 a month to rent the cylinder. They do make money on those things. Now if I had a restaurant I could just pay the deposit and have them for free for my liquid sugar machine.
 
#26 ·
AlgaeHater, found it. Thanks.
So far Praxair has the lowest price, $65 for a full tank & $12/refill.
Airgas sells the tank empty for $70, refill is a steep $21

Oh yeah, and the guy told me the reason I have to buy my own tank was because 5-lbs tank is way too small. They have 50-lbs tanks for rent... :)


BTW:
Lots of online stores have "special deals" when it comes to CO2 package - the price differences between stores can be a lot!
From my experience, this tells me that the margin of these equipments are very good.
 
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