CHEAPEST co2 paintball regulator ...

7389 Views 22 Replies 9 Participants Last post by wetbizquit, Aug 5, 2012

wetbizquit

Discussion Starter · Jul 31, 2012

well i have been messing around with paintball setups on a few of my tanks, using the ASA on/off valve and come to the conclusion that they suck, they explode, the pins fall out, pain in the a$$ to deal with, i have heard you can get regulators at a decent price for paintball setup, but where??

i have a few setups on the way to be built, in total i will be running 4 setups put together from this http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=115850
thanks to jagged!!

but i need a good price on regulators for all of them, anyone have a good source so i dont spend like 170$ on one that grean leaf offers? i need cheap but yet efficient or i will have to keep trying my luck with these on/off valves which scare the crap out of me..... almost pooped my pants last time too much pressure got into the bubble counter....

1 - 20 of 23 Posts

Trickerie

· #2 · Jul 31, 2012

Are your tanks close to each other? You could use aquateks split reg and just frequently change out the paintball tank

http://www.amazon.com/AQUATEK-Regul...374&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=aquatek+regulator

somewhatshocked

· #3 · Jul 31, 2012

Get a really nice dual-stage regulator from here on TPT for $50, buy a $15 paintball adapter and you're all set.

wetbizquit

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 31, 2012

somewhatshocked said:
Get a really nice dual-stage regulator from here on TPT for $50, buy a $15 paintball adapter and you're all set.

do you have a link??

and i would love to use the above regulator but my tanks wont be close together for a while, not until i get a shrimp rack up and running so maybe in the future.... i just need something that is all in one i can just buy, screw on and go

somewhatshocked

· #5 · Jul 31, 2012

Yep. Hit up the Swap & Shop - the For Sale/Trade section. Or post a Want To Buy message in the WTB section. There are several sellers who can help you put together a great regulator for an affordable price.

wetbizquit

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jul 31, 2012

ok sounds great, thanks for your help!

wetbizquit

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 31, 2012

posted a thread in the WTB section, hopefully someone responds, i just dont have the cash flow to invest too much, ive managed to do my paintball setups for around 40$ but i just want an easier way.... its too risky and my on/off valves arent that great so far...

dubels

· #8 · Jul 31, 2012

I have seen people add paintball regulators to their DIY paintball setups. I was going to use a regulator from an autococker. Can be found cheap used.

OverStocked

· #9 · Jul 31, 2012

I would run lines from 1 or two regs to the other tanks. Buy a 5 or 10lb tank, reg, manifold and NV. Many people can help you get there.

Paintball co2 is more expensive in many ways. It costs much more to fill paintball co2. A 5lb fill costs 12 dollars here and a 10lb was 16 last I filled.

You don't need a dual stage reg, despite many many many people's constant insisting. Plenty of good single stage regs are out there.

Getting the cheapest option often ends in frustration much like you have with these paintball setups. I really wish people would quit selling and recommending these "paintball ASA" setups.

oldpunk78

· #10 · Jul 31, 2012

OverStocked said:
Getting the cheapest option often ends in frustration much like you have with these paintball setups. I really wish people would quit selling and recommending these "paintball ASA" setups.

X2

They should be sold with a warning. Warning - Death or injury could result in improper or use or mishandling... (You are holding onto a small rocket with strip-able aluminum threads holding it together.)

You know what really gets me... The fact that those paintball adapters don't come with instructions. You could easily get frost bite from just had tightening the cga-320 side with out the washer installed.

idleivey

· #11 · Jul 31, 2012

I've been using an ASA and its a PITA to get it dialed in and can shift even after you do. Danger wise you should be fine as long as you don't use an atomizer or any type of diffusion that clamps down on the line.

I've had mine blow three or so times (only while I've been messing with it) and worst case you lose your co2 and spray some water around. Now if I had an atomizer on there I would have cracked my tank easily.

somewhatshocked

· #12 · Aug 1, 2012

One doesn't need a dual-stage regulator but it eliminates potential headaches like end of tank dump - which is very real. And for the price, I can't imagine not just getting dual-stage. The price difference is so minimal that it just makes sense. Kind of like spending a zillion bucks on a paintball system when you could get a 10lb system for a similar price.

For my last regulator purchase, I spent a whopping $102ish on the regulator, manifold, three needle valves, solenoid and shipping.

Another thing about getting a full-size regulator… you won't have to buy a whole new rig when you decide to move up from a 20oz bottle to a 10lb cylinder.

ThatGuyWithTheFish

· #13 · Aug 1, 2012

somewhatshocked said:
One doesn't need a dual-stage regulator but it eliminates potential headaches like end of tank dump - which is very real.

I thought Paintball tanks didn't do that?

wetbizquit

Discussion Starter · #14 · Aug 1, 2012

good information, thanks guys, i'm trying to vast my knowledge on bigger co2 setups, since i will one day have a larger fish room (already working my way up there with 9 tanks and 5 heavily planted setups) i need to learn rapidly.... i feel like i have a decent amount of knowledge but i need to learn all the details

as far as the paintball methods, i like to use them for smaller tanks, and it is cheap to build with a cylinder only about 50 ish bucks... but once i get a planted tank room setup i would like to get a regulator with a 6 way option to just have co2 tubing around the whole room hooked to maybe a 20lb tank..... where do you guys get your setups? is there a place that doesnt charge an arm and a leg for a complete all in one kit (minus the cylinder) ??

wetbizquit

Discussion Starter · #15 · Aug 1, 2012

somewhatshocked said:
For my last regulator purchase, I spent a whopping $102ish on the regulator, manifold, three needle valves, solenoid and shipping.

if i may ask, where did you find such a great buy?

i have searched and found a few good sources for cheaper larger co2 cylinders that are affordable but never have seen a complete package for this cheap, i would love more information since you seem quite experienced with pressurized setups...

freph

· #16 · Aug 1, 2012

oldpunk78 said:
X2

They should be sold with a warning. Warning - Death or injury could result in improper or use or mishandling... (You are holding onto a small rocket with strip-able aluminum threads holding it together.)

You know what really gets me... The fact that those paintball adapters don't come with instructions. You could easily get frost bite from just had tightening the cga-320 side with out the washer installed.

X3...these things are seriously a concern.

ThatGuyWithTheFish said:
I thought Paintball tanks didn't do that?

Not 100% sure on this. I run my paintball tanks all the way to 0 psi. Never had an issue with eotd. I do notice an increase in output pressure but it's only up to about +10 psi max. I just run my regs around 40-50 psi normally to compensate. Constant bubble rate throughout the life of the tank.

wetbizquit

Discussion Starter · #17 · Aug 1, 2012

i do agree as well as far as concern, right on the 20 oz cylinder it says "this bottle can kill" there is enough pressure in these things that if something wrong happened to extent it would do some serious damage....

somewhatshocked

· #18 · Aug 1, 2012

Wasn't referencing paintball tanks since I'd already addressed why I thought it was a good idea to get a full scale regulator instead of something specifically for paintball.

ThatGuyWithTheFish said:
I thought Paintball tanks didn't do that?

somewhatshocked

· #19 · Aug 1, 2012

Here on TPT.

I already have CO2 cylinders. Just bought the regulator and post-body kit.

wetbizquit said:
if i may ask, where did you find such a great buy?

i have searched and found a few good sources for cheaper larger co2 cylinders that are affordable but never have seen a complete package for this cheap, i would love more information since you seem quite experienced with pressurized setups...

oldpunk78

· #20 · Aug 1, 2012

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=185676

1 - 20 of 23 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.