Can you guys tell me if there is any harm in putting a CO2 regular gauge horizontal instead of vertical? So basically to read the gauges you'd have to look at them from above. I don't see why there would be a problem but just wanted to make sure since I'm new to this. The reason why I need to do this is so I can set up a bubble counter with a 90 degree elbow connected to the needle valve.
CO2 Regulator Gauges Sideways?
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Hm... no I wasn't. Example?
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Have you researched: end of the tank dump? I wouldn't get that regulator if I were you.
I have read into this and will have to see how it goes since I already received this CO2 regulator. See the other thread about why I didn't look into the other regulators you were mentioning.
Im not a guru of any sort..and as a fellow new guy...I'm not sure what any of this means.
"It should be fine. Are you aware that there are some gauges that read sideways? "
or
"Have you researched: end of the tank dump? I wouldn't get that regulator if I were you."
"It should be fine. Are you aware that there are some gauges that read sideways? "
or
"Have you researched: end of the tank dump? I wouldn't get that regulator if I were you."
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498 Posts
The OP posted other threads concerning this. There's some upside down gauges, as well as sideways. I'd use an elbow to solve this. But then again, it's a $95 single stage regulator. I'd just return it if you still can.
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No problems with which way the gauge is turned. It is terribly important to keep the tank upright, though. Understanding what happens in the tank helps. The gas is under pressure high enough to make the CO2 into liquid when first filled with just a small area at the top of gas. So all that goes to the meter is gas, not liquid. The gauges are designed handle gases and up or down doesn't matter.
I turn my meters so I can read them easy and reach the adjustments with my right hand. No biggie!
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I turn my meters so I can read them easy and reach the adjustments with my right hand. No biggie!
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To me end of tank is a myth unless the user does something wrong.I have three milwaukees for over two years with absolutely no problem other than a cheap needle valve.Has anyone ever really known someone who experienced end of tank dump that was not caused by user error???
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A lot of regulator spec sheets will have the rate of output pressure rise per 100 psi drop in inlet pressure. That part isn't a myth. Whether it's enough to have a noticeable impact depends on the regulator, the working pressure setting, and the CO2 level at which the user runs their tank. Here's a test case of how it works with a Milwaukee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M08hPs-J3SM
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Running a 20 pound tank on a single stage reg and a 125 gallon tank makes me worry less about the EOTD thing. It is possible to get into trouble but it does seem to take some lack of attention to do it. First thing is how close you are to gassing the fish under normal load. If you are running close, a small increase may push it too far.
But understanding how to avoid that small increase is the better way for me. I just work carefully to make sure I don't leave a leak so that I lose a tank of gas. Seems logical to take a few minutes to do a leak check to avoid the hassle and expense of losing the gas. If I don't get careless and lose a tank overnight or so, the next thing that can create end of tank is running down to that point.
I have something like more than a week to notice the gauge beginning to move down as the last of the liquid has been used. Somewhere along the time when pressure comes off the normal and when it get down to 400 PSI or so, I find time to refill the tank.
If you get silly and don't take care to check and watch your tank, you may pay the price.
Kind of like driving, if you don't pay attention, you may have to pay the price but it's easy to avoid.
But understanding how to avoid that small increase is the better way for me. I just work carefully to make sure I don't leave a leak so that I lose a tank of gas. Seems logical to take a few minutes to do a leak check to avoid the hassle and expense of losing the gas. If I don't get careless and lose a tank overnight or so, the next thing that can create end of tank is running down to that point.
I have something like more than a week to notice the gauge beginning to move down as the last of the liquid has been used. Somewhere along the time when pressure comes off the normal and when it get down to 400 PSI or so, I find time to refill the tank.
If you get silly and don't take care to check and watch your tank, you may pay the price.
Kind of like driving, if you don't pay attention, you may have to pay the price but it's easy to avoid.
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Hi Kevin,yes we had this conversation before and I understand but as stated'
One more note: While a needle valve makes tuning flow rate easier, you don't need to adjust it at the end. The actual EOTD takes several days as the tank runs down, not seconds like I have it here. Rather than adjusting your needle valve then counting bubbles leave the needle valve, and adjust the pressure regulator back to the output pressure you want. This way you still get constant CO2 and you don't have to mess with a needle valve. Just remember to set your regulator back when you refill your tank."
The only reason I brought it up is because when I first started looking at regulators I stated that I had just retired and was working on a budget as so many others on here have stated and immediately there were one or two who cautioned about the aqua tek and milwaukee regulators.Now there can be no argument that if one can afford a two stage name brand regulator than that is the way to go but when a member states that he can't afford 150.00+ for a set up than we need to be careful not to turn them off of the great advantages of co2 by scaring them with something that if it does happen is so rare that it is not worth mentioning.Almost all of the few members who have cautioned about this have never experienced it and only heard about it from some unnamed person.I do agree that all possible info should be given a newbie to co2 I just think we need to be careful about what info we put the most importance on like proper set up of the regulator.My point being in the three years with two other{Not as good forums} no one has ever experienced this except when things were set up wrong.
One more note: While a needle valve makes tuning flow rate easier, you don't need to adjust it at the end. The actual EOTD takes several days as the tank runs down, not seconds like I have it here. Rather than adjusting your needle valve then counting bubbles leave the needle valve, and adjust the pressure regulator back to the output pressure you want. This way you still get constant CO2 and you don't have to mess with a needle valve. Just remember to set your regulator back when you refill your tank."
The only reason I brought it up is because when I first started looking at regulators I stated that I had just retired and was working on a budget as so many others on here have stated and immediately there were one or two who cautioned about the aqua tek and milwaukee regulators.Now there can be no argument that if one can afford a two stage name brand regulator than that is the way to go but when a member states that he can't afford 150.00+ for a set up than we need to be careful not to turn them off of the great advantages of co2 by scaring them with something that if it does happen is so rare that it is not worth mentioning.Almost all of the few members who have cautioned about this have never experienced it and only heard about it from some unnamed person.I do agree that all possible info should be given a newbie to co2 I just think we need to be careful about what info we put the most importance on like proper set up of the regulator.My point being in the three years with two other{Not as good forums} no one has ever experienced this except when things were set up wrong.
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I run a single stage reg and am pretty sure I experienced end of tank dump near the beginning of using pressurized co2. Had a comedy of errors at the beginning of that journey; but I found quite a few dead fish in multiple tanks and then realized my co2 tank was completely empty (essentially 0 psi). Not quite sure how long this took to occur as I was not smart enough to monitor the gauges carefully at the beginning; and I had a few leaks in my manifold system. I assumed the empty co2 tank was due to those leaks....but the dead fish seem to indicate otherwise.
Now the simple solution for me was to first of all fix the leaks. Then, I made sure to monitor my gauges more carefully/more often; and now I just make sure to disconnect a tank as soon as I seem the slightest decrease in tank pressure. Rather than watch the psi drop from 800 to 700 to 600 etc over the course of a few days I simple disconnect as soon as the pressure gets to about 700-750 and go get it filled. For a while I would try to push it a bit and let the psi drop slowly over a few days. But it seemed like it would slowly go from 800 to 700 and then suddenly drop to 600 and lower. So I stopped tempting fate!
If you ensure you never get to the end of a tank then you'll never see an end of tank dump!
Now the simple solution for me was to first of all fix the leaks. Then, I made sure to monitor my gauges more carefully/more often; and now I just make sure to disconnect a tank as soon as I seem the slightest decrease in tank pressure. Rather than watch the psi drop from 800 to 700 to 600 etc over the course of a few days I simple disconnect as soon as the pressure gets to about 700-750 and go get it filled. For a while I would try to push it a bit and let the psi drop slowly over a few days. But it seemed like it would slowly go from 800 to 700 and then suddenly drop to 600 and lower. So I stopped tempting fate!
If you ensure you never get to the end of a tank then you'll never see an end of tank dump!
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