The cost of Co2

[thefishman84]

Hello all. I have been reading plenty of different posts on pressurized co2 systems. I was wondering what is the cost? From what i can find the initial cost can vary from $200 -$400+, but is it expensive to run a pressurized system for a 125 gal? Also, what is a good way to get it dispersed across the 6 feet of water?

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[Bluek24a4]

Mine was $190 for the reg off a member on this forum, and I already had a 10 pound steel tank, but when exchanging it for a filled tank, they charged me an inspection fee since the bottle was over due, and the cost of the fill. My whole setup was probably $250 overall.

For a tank of that size, I think you're going to need a reactor of some sort. A ceramic diffuser wont cut it.

[Aquaticfan]

Yep Tank that size you will want a reactor with more then one return to the tank or even more then one reactor. Bigger tanks have issues getting Co2 distributed throughout the tank. If you ran 2 reactors one on each return and a return at each end of the tank you would get better distribution.

I would also recommend a 20lb Co2 tank. 5lb and 10lb wont last long.

[smokaah]

I use a small airstone and a powerhead to disperse my CO2 seems to be working fine.

[nvladik]

55mm atomic diffuser seems to do the job, as long as circulation in the tank is good. I saw multiple threads referring to a need of a reactor. Are you guys comparing reactor performance to a cheap airstone/diffuser?

[jccaclimber]

Get a 20 pound tank. After that CO2 will run you $20-40/year depending on how much you use and what CO2 costs around your area.

[Hoppy]

If you are on a budget, and $200 seems excessive, start monitoring the SnS forum here, and Craigslist, for used CO2 systems. You can save a lot of money that way. CO2 regulators don't wear out in a year or two, they last many years, still working fine. Used CO2 tanks are as good as new, if you have them hidden under the aquarium anyway. So, save money by buying used.

[thefishman84]

Thanks for the help. About $40 a month is not as bad as I was thinking. I figured the bulk of the cost was the initial setup, but that should be manageable I think. A local club I have recently gotten involved with is going to have what all the members call a HUGE auction next month. Maybe I will check out what I find there.

Also, will a semi automatic setup be satisfactory, or am I going to need a fully automatic setup for that size tank.

[jccaclimber]

Originally Posted by thefishman84

Thanks for the help. About $40 a month is not as bad as I was thinking. I figured the bulk of the cost was the initial setup, but that should be manageable I think. A local club I have recently gotten involved with is going to have what all the members call a HUGE auction next month. Maybe I will check out what I find there.

Also, will a semi automatic setup be satisfactory, or am I going to need a fully automatic setup for that size tank.

A reactor, needle valve, regulator (home made or otherwise), bubble counter (optional, but nice), and tank should be good. Get a vacation timer to turn it on and off. I personally don't like the pH meter controlled ones, but that's not a discussion I feel like having now.
Also, after the startup cost I meant $40/year, not per month. The guys I know with 125 gallon tanks running on 20 pound CO2 tanks refill them every 7-10 months at a cost of $15-30 depending on where they go.

[Higher Thinking]

I just put together a system for a friend of mine for her 220. I don't really think it is as necessary to use two reactor systems as people often mention. It all comes down to water circulation. If the flow in your tank is such that there is movement throughout the entire tank, why would you need to add another area to insert CO2? (I ask this not to you, but to others suggesting this idea). Not to mention the fact that using two needle valves and inputs will significantly increase your costs.

I think realistically you should look to spend about 100 on a full 20 lb tank. This price is always changing geographically, but I can get full 20lbers for this price and filling them is 15 dollars.

Then you have the regulator which you could get a cheaper one like the one from Aquatek that costs about 65 bucks. This comes with the solenoid and needle valve, but they aren't the best quality. You could buy this unit then upgrade the regulator by buying a post-body kit from members such as Bettatail (as I have done). This member will sell you an upgraded solenoid and needle valve that you can install on your regulator. It isn't as hard as one might think. This post body kit can run you anywhere from 70-150 bucks depending on how "upgraded" you go.

A bubble counter can be bought online for about 12 bucks for the JBJ bubble counters.

Then you also need a drop checker which again can be bought from members on this forum or online. ~$15

Then you need to decide how you want to diffuse it. If your filter is big enough (like an FX5) you can just thread the CO2 tubing into the input of the filter or you can build a reactor. Either way, make sure you have really good flow around where the CO2 saturated waters enters your tank.

Here is a link to a reactor that I built:http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/di...my-fluval.html

[Dan Knowlton]

I have a 125 and am using a needle wheel pump (Mag 9.5) with a venturi to chop up the bubbles - comes out as a mist and I get 9 months on a 20lb CO2 tank.

Dan K.

[thefishman84]

Sorry about that, I did mean $40/year. It just came out wrong. Has anyone ever bought a regulator from say... ace or home depot, or do they not have the quality needed? With my filter system pumping water through holes in my background. I don't think it would work all that well putting a chamber there. I was thinking about running another powerhead on the lower left side of the tank and hooking that up to a reactor that would hang on the back.
Here is what it looks like right now http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/my...fishman84.html

[jccaclimber]

I suspect that Ace and HD/Lowes will sell you a low pressure regulater, which is very different from the high pressure regulator that attaches to your tank. You might find a high pressure one in the welding section, but I suspect that will be an expensive way to go. You would also still need a low flow needle valve, solenoid, and bubble counter. The main issue with welding setups is that they are designed for much higher gas flow rates than are used with aquariums.

[thefishman84]

ok, thanks for clearing that up. I will not bother with them then.

[thefishman84]

Originally Posted by Higher Thinking

Then you have the regulator which you could get a cheaper one like the one from Aquatek that costs about 65 bucks. This comes with the solenoid and needle valve, but they aren't the best quality. You could buy this unit then upgrade the regulator by buying a post-body kit from members such as Bettatail (as I have done). This member will sell you an upgraded solenoid and needle valve that you can install on your regulator. It isn't as hard as one might think. This post body kit can run you anywhere from 70-150 bucks depending on how "upgraded" you go.

A bubble counter can be bought online for about 12 bucks for the JBJ bubble counters.

Would the co2 regulator single output on aquatek here http://aquatek-california.com/co2-re...#single-outlet work and bypass all the replacement/upgrade parts, or is it still not up to par?