Paintball Co2 Injection DIY Setup with Tons of Photos

[Jeffww]

How far does your dc color get when going at 1bps? What lights are you running and what height?

[Jaggedfury]

I no longer have a drop checker. It was broken during a water change less than 2 weeks ago no one of my other tank. Doing without. My tank have 2 dozen white clouds, different types of shrimps ranging from CBS, CRS, Cherries, Yellow, Tiger, Green, Blue, Bumble bee shrimps. No death for the longest that I can remember.. last August. The 2 dozen white clouds eats like pigs on flakes and happily swimming. The Glosso planted all over the tank is growing massively fast.

It's a 15gallon rimless tank. Height of the tank is 12'' tall. Running 48 watts T5HO Hagen Glo Dual Fixture above it sitting on the rim of the rimless tank. 1'' from above the water line because I don't fill it to the Rim of the tank.

[boredouttahell]

has any one else's on off valve failed? I have a black one almost the same as the one jagged sells. it was working fine until the pin on the inside came off when i went to change out the tank. I tried to put it back on but now it leaks...

[JACimages]

FYi i got my system finally working and im able to get 1b/3s!! with very very fine tuning!!

[JACimages]

Nvm. Kind of pissed off! The tuning is getting ridiculous I cannot get it to change. And I had it down at a good 1b/4s in my edge than overnight it went crazy and gasses everything in my tank. so I'm thinking another valve?

[sailnut]

After 3 weeks I have found that its very hard to set a certain bubble rate and have the system sustain it.

My experience is that the bubble count will drop to very a low level and then hold it. It will also hold pretty steady above 2bbs. I have trouble staying at 1bbs or slightly less. It just drifts downwards.

I bought a 5lb CO2 tank and ordered a Milwaukee regulator. Although far from the best it should be more consistent then what I am obtaining with my present setup.

[Jaggedfury]

Originally Posted by JACimages

Nvm. Kind of pissed off! The tuning is getting ridiculous I cannot get it to change. And I had it down at a good 1b/4s in my edge than overnight it went crazy and gasses everything in my tank. so I'm thinking another valve?

How is it that you're gasping everything to death. I can assure you mines run 24/7 and I have 22 fish, 60+ mix shrimps, live plants and no death occur.

If I had a camera set up, you can watch it daily lol. There is no problem besides a little too much high of the lighting fixture that causes a slight green water. Other than that fish/shrimps/plants are alive and growing.

Temperature would have a play in this, but not much. It wouldn't jump from 2 bps for 1bps. It does however depending on the coldness of the room/tank, it drops by .1-.2 bps.

Check for leaks, check for leaks, check for leaks. Checking for leaks don't not mean dump the top end of the tank into the water and take it out. It means keep it underwater, spin it around a few times and observe bubble or bubbles forming.

Unsteady pressure are caused by leaks.

[jahmic]

I had issues getting a good seal with the brass compression rings. Like a couple other people that posted up here noticed...the ring would slip as you tightened it down, awkwardly pinch the tubing, and create a bad seal. I tried multiple times, but no matter what, it would always end with a tiny leak.

Went to home depot and the employee (who is also a friend of mine) who has worked on similar setups for indoor gardening basically said that the brass rings paired with the vinyl tubing were the issue. Granted, it COULD work...and I'm sure it has for TONS of people, but I couldn't get a seal that I was happy with for the life of me.

So, he handed me some Delrin compression rings. Watts makes them, 1/4". Sorry I don't have the exact part number, but it says "A-1 60-PT" on the bag. They come 3 to a bag for just over a dollar. Basically, his reasoning was that the vinyl tubing is too soft to easily hold the brass ring in place as you tighten it down, and invariably, if the threading is off on the collar by just the slightest amount, the pressure causes the ring to slip, move the tubing off to the side, and collapse unevenly...then you're stuck with a leak. The delrin sleeve is molded a little differently, and doesn't slip...at all.

I got home, threw on the delrin sleeve, and had a great seal on the first shot. In fact, I was able to wrench it down enough that the tubing actually stretches when I try to tug it out of the nut...there's no way it's coming out.

So...if anybody is having any issues with getting the brass compression ring to stay in place, I'd say grab some of those and see how they go.






Here's a pic of the ring. Sorry, didn't take one while installing. They MUST be installed with the Left side of that compression ring facing the valve. In other words, the CO2 outflow would be heading to the right of that photo once you have the ring installed

[Couesfanatic]

Are you guys using check valves with this setup?

[jjonesrjc]

Question my setup I got a package number 3 I have co2 tubing and just received my bubble counter and diffuser from GLA the diffuser states it needs low pressure of about 33 psi is there a way to regulate the pressure with the ASA on/off? Or can it handle the 800 psi of this setup and is saying it can work with as little pressure as 33psi?

[Jaggedfury]

With all the hype about those super diffuser that mist a ton, I've got myself one, 45mm size from a local aquarium shop in town. The 30psi or whatever they're rated at, will work with this setup. I will get photos later on.

So to answer your questions, yes it will work.

[Jaggedfury]

Originally Posted by Couesfanatic

Are you guys using check valves with this setup?

Check Valve or not, it works fine. I use it on of my setup, and the others I don't. This is because one of my tank is placed up high, so the PB tank sits low. In hopes that the aquarium water doesn't siphon backward, a check valve is used.

[jahmic]

Just wanted to pop in and say thanks for the setup.

I decided to take a test run using last night using a "chopstick diffuser" method last night, and placed the diffuser into my HOB where it's sitting underneath the impeller motor...made myself a little DIY reactor back there. Drop checker went from blue to green over night, and it's been green all day. Decided to turn the flow rate down since it hasn't shifted toward a darker green all day, and I'd like to try leaving it on 24/7 and know that I won't gas my tank...we'll see how that goes.

I've actually had zero issues getting a steady low flow rate. Right now I'm sitting at 1 bubble every 5 seconds. Last night it was 1 bubble every 3 seconds, and was still right there when I got home. I decided to turn it down a bit tonight, just in case. I figured I'd play it safe since the drop checker started out blue last night, and it's starting out green tonight...

Made myself a DIY bubble counter using a BD Vacutainer urine collection cup, lol. Had PLENTY sitting around at work, and the design made it a no brainer for making a bubble counter. Here's what they look like:



So...thanks again, I'll keep you posted. Definitely stoked about the upcoming rescape and the explosion of growth that I'm sure will go along with it.


I should also mention...I did attempt to use a standard glass diffuser, and noticed that the valve and the outgoing pressure had to be significantly higher for the diffuser to function properly. Also, the bps rate seemed to fluctuate here and there with that setup. Not sure why...just an observation. Perhaps I was impatient though and didn't give things enough time to settle in since I only had it going for an hour like that. But, in the end...I decided that I didn't like the mist of bubbles sitting on the top glass of my tank (fluval edge), so I decided that I'd stick with the HOB "reactor" and see where that takes things.

Total cost for pressurized CO2 (minus the diffuser that I'll probably sell off): $54 :b

[Jaggedfury]

Originally Posted by jahmic

Just wanted to pop in and say thanks for the setup.

I decided to take a test run using last night using a "chopstick diffuser" method last night, and placed the diffuser into my HOB where it's sitting underneath the impeller motor...made myself a little DIY reactor back there. Drop checker went from blue to green over night, and it's been green all day. Decided to turn the flow rate down since it hasn't shifted toward a darker green all day, and I'd like to try leaving it on 24/7 and know that I won't gas my tank...we'll see how that goes.

I've actually had zero issues getting a steady low flow rate. Right now I'm sitting at 1 bubble every 5 seconds. Last night it was 1 bubble every 3 seconds, and was still right there when I got home. I decided to turn it down a bit tonight, just in case. I figured I'd play it safe since the drop checker started out blue last night, and it's starting out green tonight...

Made myself a DIY bubble counter using a BD Vacutainer urine collection cup, lol. Had PLENTY sitting around at work, and the design made it a no brainer for making a bubble counter. Here's what they look like:



So...thanks again, I'll keep you posted. Definitely stoked about the upcoming rescape and the explosion of growth that I'm sure will go along with it.


I should also mention...I did attempt to use a standard glass diffuser, and noticed that the valve and the outgoing pressure had to be significantly higher for the diffuser to function properly. Also, the bps rate seemed to fluctuate here and there with that setup. Not sure why...just an observation. Perhaps I was impatient though and didn't give things enough time to settle in since I only had it going for an hour like that. But, in the end...I decided that I didn't like the mist of bubbles sitting on the top glass of my tank (fluval edge), so I decided that I'd stick with the HOB "reactor" and see where that takes things.

Total cost for pressurized CO2 (minus the diffuser that I'll probably sell off): $54 :b

Great! A week ago for the initial setup of one of my newly bought planted tank, I tweaked it to 2 bps. I dropped it down to 1 bps due to having too high of a lighting and the co2 causes a massive green water outbreak. Doing water changes daily to get rid of it. On the other hand, plenty of plant growth. I expect to have a Glosso fully cover mat in 3-4 weeks.


Ok, I just got off the phone with my vendor that supplies me with PB parts.

I showed him this setup I have.


He said that works great. The only thing he would do is to remove that 2nd gauge and use a more precise (often time bigger) gauge with readings from 1-10 psi increments.

He also mentioned, that a regulator is not needed in this application because a regulator is used to control constant flow of VERY HIGH OUTPUT PRESSURE.

He gave me an example.

850 psi + escape from the PB tank, then is held back by my Needle Valve. Until that Needle Valve is opened, a set psi isn't marked down. A regulator would be needed, if you are outputting alot of psi. Alot to him is 100 psi. (He mentioned 100psi as the example). So if 100 psi comes out of your Needle Valve from the 850 psi that is stuck in the ASA On/Off Valve chamber, A regulator is needed to regulate the VERY HIGH PRESSURE Flow.

His comments regarding all my setups is that, it doesn't need a regulator at all. He also mentioned with the setup I have, fine tuning is already accomplished. The pressure is held back as long as your Needle Valve can take it. This is why you're able to go down to 1bps being lowest.

I'm not sure if that answers some of your folk's questions regarding a regulator. But to me it seems very right. Constant flow is already given at such low bps for our applications that its used in. I still don't see a need for a regulator.

Let me know how you folks think about it. Or have any questions I can ask him.

Just so people know, regulators aren't cheap. If one feels more "happier" with a regulator, I assume you'll dish out $30 + dollar for one to be hooked up to this PB setup?

Thanks
Jase

[sailnut]

When the second needle valve is closed and nothing is flowing the pressure in your above posted system will be that of the CO2 tank.

The first and second needle valves only restrict the flow. They partially obstruct the little hole which the CO2 flows through. The first valve controls the maximum flow that can be modulated by the 2nd valve. Once that flow rate is exceed the pressure that the 2nd valve sees will drop.

Try clamping the hose from the 2nd needle to the diffuser so the gas cannot flow. The pressure will instantly start rising and blow out the tubing because with NO flow the pressure through out the system will rapidly equalize to that of the CO2 tank. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN WITH A REGULATOR!

Since the first valve is coarsely modulating the flow rate the idea is to use the second valve to fine tune the output of the first.

A regulator allows CO2 to flow from the high pressure source to a low pressure reservoir. A valve opens when the pressure goes down and closes when the pressure rises. With a regulator your needle valve NEVER sees more then the pressure in the regulated reservoir. When properly setup this pressure approximates what which is needed to drive your diffuser . That's what makes it much easier to tune the flow.