Have paintball CO2 systems gotten a bad rap?

[btimmer92]

Well, it's all about the regulator and needle valve. Most paintball systems have no regulator, and that is about the most dangerous thing you do, and they are pretty crappy to use anyway. Slap a real regulator or a stabilizer and LP reg on it, and a good needle valve, and it's just as good. Of course unless you have a small aquarium, you might as well just go regular co2 tank system.

[NatCh]

Originally Posted by bsmith

... but it is a pretty safe bet to say that just about every full size co2 system is better in about every aspect then even the most prestigious paint ball rig.

I'm afraid I can't agree with that. It would require a single component, the CO2 tank, to make or break the entire system.

To put it another way, by that logic, taking a top of the line traditional system that was performing well and replacing the tank with a paintball tank would cause the whole system to suddenly begin performing badly.


It seems reasonable to me to expect comparable systems to perform comparably regardless of the size or type CO2 tank connected to them -- with the obvious exception of the frequency of refills, of course.

In other words, the overall performance of a system would seem to be far more dependent upon the components other than the supply tank rather than only upon the supply tank, and I think my own experience supports that. :shrug:



In any case, what I was getting at originally (and I think your comment is a case in point) is that there seems to be a general perception that any CO2 system that runs from a paintball tank must, necessarily and without exception, stink like a landfill on a midsummer day.

I think my own experience suggests that the performance of any CO2 system is directly related to the willingness to spend the money on decent support equipment (regulator, needle valve, etc.). I don't think that the size or type of the supply tank alone makes any significant difference other than the frequency of refills.


In other words, this is yet another chapter in the book: CO2 In The Planted Aquarium: Cheap Will Really Cost You.


All that being said, I still would encourage folks to go with a traditional system if they have the space for it. I certainly wouldn't suggest choosing a paintball system as a way to save money!

[bsmith]

When I think of a paintball co2 system I think of the systems where it is an all in one package that has the preset regulator output. Now I have never researched paintball systems and have never seen anything different then that.

[sayurasem]

I like/dislike this system.

kinda regret spend 60 bucks on it. I like using sugar + yeast better.

-why? well because I dont have life insurance, cant afford it. I notice things can blow up with high pressurized paintball (tank, asa valve, needle valve, glass diffuser). Those 4 things can blow easily with the 800 psi, just a living bomb.

But the thing about yeast + sugar is just messy, and too frequent refills. 2 cups per 1 1/2 weeks is alot of sugar and messy, sticky, ants magnet.

so my bottom point is diy paintball system is not very good for their safety hazards and money you put into.

[btimmer92]

natch that is what I was saying. A paintball system just means it uses a paintball tank instead of a normal tank. But the only thing that matters is the regulator and needle valve used. So by the actual definition it makes no difference if you have a paintball tank or a normal tank, unless you have a really big aquarium or a really small aquarium, in which case one of the two would be a lot better.

By peoples' conception of "paintball system" which means a tank, on off valve, and crummy $5 needle valve, then YES, that paintball system sucks.

[bsmith]

Originally Posted by btimmer92

natch that is what I was saying. A paintball system just means it uses a paintball tank instead of a normal tank. But the only thing that matters is the regulator and needle valve used. So by the actual definition it makes no difference if you have a paintball tank or a normal tank, unless you have a really big aquarium or a really small aquarium, in which case one of the two would be a lot better.

By peoples' conception of "paintball system" which means a tank, on off valve, and crummy $5 needle valve, then YES, that paintball system sucks.

I think that's 99.9% of people's perception/conception of a paintball system. I think if you guys are talking about just using a paintball cylinder then you are arguing the same point I am.

[xxxSHyXAxxx]

Originally Posted by tbarabash

I bought the GLA paintball dual guage regulator for 176$.. came with solenoid, bubble counter, good quality needle valve and I love it. Currently running 24/7 on my fluval edge at 1bps and maintain a nice green throughout the photoperiod and just starting to yellow o/n until lights come on again. With my calculations each paintball tank will, once I get my lazy butt out to walmart to get a timer should last me at least 6 months.. at 5$ a fill, that's not too bad maintenance or yearly fees at all. Could have gotten a normal tank reg and adaptor, but I'm never going to need a bigger tank on the edge and don't plan on stopping my edge anytime soon as its loved by EVERYONE that sees it.

Once I get a larger tank I'll just buy a good 10# setup and call it a day and live happily ever after

i'm not trying to say you're wrong for what you purchased but IMO you should have gotten the normal tank reg and adaptor since you're thinking about getting another tank. Once you get a bigger tank you could have just gotten a splitter and ran both tanks off of the #10. Now you're going to have to buy a completely new set up.



with that being said. that is one downfall to a paintball set up. you can really use it on more than one tank, if having more than one tank is your thing. the main reason i decided to go with a tank vice paintball is because i wanted to expand in the future and not have to buy more things. AAAAND if i only have to keep my eye on and fill one tank i'm happier then having to watch two or three. less is best. to add to that, say you have a high light tank and a low light tank. you'll have to fill the co2 at two different times because you're not going to use as much in the low light tank. you could just fill them both but correct me if i'm wrong its a flat rate to fill the tanks. now you're just flushing money down the pooper

[OverStocked]

Originally Posted by xxxSHyXAxxx

i'm not trying to say you're wrong for what you purchased but IMO you should have gotten the normal tank reg and adaptor since you're thinking about getting another tank. Once you get a bigger tank you could have just gotten a splitter and ran both tanks off of the #10. Now you're going to have to buy a completely new set up.



with that being said. that is one downfall to a paintball set up. you can really use it on more than one tank, if having more than one tank is your thing. the main reason i decided to go with a tank vice paintball is because i wanted to expand in the future and not have to buy more things. AAAAND if i only have to keep my eye on and fill one tank i'm happier then having to watch two or three. less is best. to add to that, say you have a high light tank and a low light tank. you'll have to fill the co2 at two different times because you're not going to use as much in the low light tank. you could just fill them both but correct me if i'm wrong its a flat rate to fill the tanks. now you're just flushing money down the pooper

Why do people change their font type and size? I don't get it. It's annoying.

As for having to buy a whole new setup.... nope. All this person would need to buy is a new cga 320 nipple/nut.

[xxxSHyXAxxx]

i can't spell worth a crap so i copy and paste what i type into a word doc. to spell check. then i copy and paste it back. also i stand corrected

[OverStocked]

Originally Posted by xxxSHyXAxxx

i can't spell worth a crap so i copy and paste what i type into a word doc. to spell check. then i copy and paste it back. also i stand corrected

LOL I get it! You should download a browser like google chrome. It has spell check built in. I wouldn't be able to survive without it.

[bsmith]

Originally Posted by xxxSHyXAxxx

i can't spell worth a crap so i copy and paste what i type into a word doc. to spell check. then i copy and paste it back. also i stand corrected

I was going to say, thats the reason im typing this message on FrireFox right now!

[Cakeslob]

I like the acid wash stabilizer

On the bad rap topic:
IMO anyone who has to look up how to make a paintball co2 reg on the cheap is better off getting a ready made unit. Probably a lot safer too. If you already have or know someone who has these paintball parts then go wild. Would make things a lot easier for your self and wallet to just save your money and get the "real deal". Just dont mess around with something you dont understand.

[btimmer92]

I had google chrome and loved it, but somehow it went haywire, and I had to uninstall it, now whenever I try to re-download it my computer freezes.... O_o I don't understand....

also, I realize we are taking this thread completely off track.

[NatCh]

Ha! I think we've pretty well covered the original topic, so carry on.

Thanks, all, for the thoughts and comments.

[mott]

I had a red sea paintball setup that I got pretty cheap, used it on my mini-m for 2 years and I loved it! never had a eotd and ran it dry several times, now I wouldn't use it for anything over a 20g but in general I don't think paintball systems get a bad rap, they just don't get used often on bigger tanks, just not efficient enough.