Is that the check valve inside of the bubble counter or do you have one installed after it (you should)?

I would increase the working pressure (and close the needle valve slightly) to see if the higher pressure would keep the valve open and the flow constant. Another possibility is a drifting needle valve.

 

Check Valve is in the counter and can't adjust working pressure, it's set at a constant 50psi.

This is an example of the poor design and quality of the normal commercial set.
When looking at needle valves, a long finely tapered needle moved by fine, well machined threads will work far better but when we look at the lower level sets, we see a short valve, meaning a short needle and made with what is often called "pot metal" which is soft and impossible to make in a precise way. So we get a bad needle tied in such a way that even the smallest movement makes a big change and that setting will often drift due to the loose fitting.
So they sell us a cheap set and we find it may drive us crazy until we buy something better? Sometimes it works, while others find it never does.

What would you recommend?

 

Yeah, the needle valves on these aren't the best. And unfortunately there is no pressure adjustment to increase, it's just got the one needle valve...

I guess I've been lucky with these. I have one on a 29g and one on a two gal and although they took forever to set, they stay put for me. The 2g is at about 0.5 bps and doesn't drift. (As I knock on wood...) To help your problem, I would suggest getting a better needle valve, like a Fabco, and running it in-line. Open the Aquatek valve a little more and use the Fabco to fine tune it

 

This is an example of the poor design and quality of the normal commercial set.
When looking at needle valves, a long finely tapered needle moved by fine, well machined threads will work far better but when we look at the lower level sets, we see a short valve, meaning a short needle and made with what is often called "pot metal" which is soft and impossible to make in a precise way. So we get a bad needle tied in such a way that even the smallest movement makes a big change and that setting will often drift due to the loose fitting.
So they sell us a cheap set and we find it may drive us crazy until we buy something better? Sometimes it works, while others find it never does.

 

The question of what I would recommend has to be a bit of non-answer as we all have differing needs due to our personal situation.
For the high budget person, I really love the custom jobs which often run above $400 but that is not for most of us who just like to do the game without breaking any of the normal price points we set for ourselves. It's not always that we can't afford more, but often just that we don't want to spend that amount, and there really is a difference!
So many of us do go into the game with the thought that we don't want to spend any more than required. Often it is a question of sure we feel we will still be doing the same hobby a couple years from now and tying down more than a couple hundred is just out---for whatever reason. That means there is definitely always going to be a market for the lowest priced setup, even when we know that it may be something we kick ourselves for buying. I cannot fault a person who doesn't spend money they don't have as I have seen way too many ruin their life that way. It may be a drag to deal with a funky CO2 setup but it is even worse to deal with a credit card bill that is past due? So the lower priced is not always bad but I do like to let folks know what they are buying and then let them choose their poison.
For my personal choice, high end is not right for me but the cheapest is not any fun, so I wind up in the middle for several reasons and that is a field where we can trade off some time, money and a bit of effort to get a good working setup that has far better quality than the shelf ready items but far less money than custom. That is an area where we each have to know ourselves and be honest about what fits. I know that I have the time and willingness to study and shop carefully to get the parts and I do know that I have the background to make it possible for me to put things together.
At this point, I recommend going with the lower priced of the shelf ready if DIY or high is not for you, but do it with knowledge of what to expect.
If somewhat simple DIY is okay, I move up in quality in the small parts by going with this set to get them without much study and to avoid mistakes in ordering as well as shipping:
https://www.diyco2regulator.com/co2-regulator-post-body-kit-1-12v
Add a surplus power supply for the 12VDC (wall wart?) that some may have in the junk box from some old electronics, fit a Fluval bubble counter like this inline:
https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-88g-CO2-Bubble-Counter-Ounces/dp/B004GCPM6K
This is an example but I buy mine locally much cheaper, so shopping does pay.
And finally I screw it all together on a regulator that fits what I want to pay. I trust myself not to leave a leak or let the tank go dry, so single stage works for me and I pick up new from the local brew shop supply, but there are also very good values in dual stage if we shop around.
No single one answer for all of us!!!

 

The question of what I would recommend has to be a bit of non-answer as we all have differing needs due to our personal situation.

For the high budget person, I really love the custom jobs which often run above $400 but that is not for most of us who just like to do the game without breaking any of the normal price points we set for ourselves. It's not always that we can't afford more, but often just that we don't want to spend that amount, and there really is a difference!

So many of us do go into the game with the thought that we don't want to spend any more than required. Often it is a question of sure we feel we will still be doing the same hobby a couple years from now and tying down more than a couple hundred is just out---for whatever reason. That means there is definitely always going to be a market for the lowest priced setup, even when we know that it may be something we kick ourselves for buying. I cannot fault a person who doesn't spend money they don't have as I have seen way too many ruin their life that way. It may be a drag to deal with a funky CO2 setup but it is even worse to deal with a credit card bill that is past due? So the lower priced is not always bad but I do like to let folks know what they are buying and then let them choose their poison.

For my personal choice, high end is not right for me but the cheapest is not any fun, so I wind up in the middle for several reasons and that is a field where we can trade off some time, money and a bit of effort to get a good working setup that has far better quality than the shelf ready items but far less money than custom. That is an area where we each have to know ourselves and be honest about what fits. I know that I have the time and willingness to study and shop carefully to get the parts and I do know that I have the background to make it possible for me to put things together.

At this point, I recommend going with the lower priced of the shelf ready if DIY or high is not for you, but do it with knowledge of what to expect.

If somewhat simple DIY is okay, I move up in quality in the small parts by going with this set to get them without much study and to avoid mistakes in ordering as well as shipping:

https://www.diyco2regulator.com/co2-regulator-post-body-kit-1-12v

Add a surplus power supply for the 12VDC (wall wart?) that some may have in the junk box from some old electronics, fit a Fluval bubble counter like this inline:

https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-88g-CO2-Bubble-Counter-Ounces/dp/B004GCPM6K

This is an example but I buy mine locally much cheaper, so shopping does pay.

And finally I screw it all together on a regulator that fits what I want to pay. I trust myself not to leave a leak or let the tank go dry, so single stage works for me and I pick up new from the local brew shop supply, but there are also very good values in dual stage if we shop around.

No single one answer for all of us!!!

Thanks for the extensive reply. I'm in the boat where I'm not trying to spend $200 on a GLA but this $100 aquatek is failing. I guess the only thing I really need is a needle valve that won't drift. I don't want to run two valves so I'll have to look and see if I can remove the current valve and replace it with a better one.


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There's a bunch of threads on upgrading the Aquatek mini's nv right here. (scroll down past the 4 or 5 ads...) Might be worth a look to see how other folks have solved this issue

 

I occasionally get equipment in swapping and some of it is not what I want, so I have done a number of "mods" to stuff to improve it. One mentioned is simply opening the poor quality needle valve so it doesn't restrict the flow muc and then going out inline at whatever point is handy and cut the tubing to insert a better quality valve. The one I use most often is the Fabco when I'm adding it inline as it uses the "too small" 10-32 to barb fitting. It's too small and weak to like it on hard plumbing but when I add it inline on tubing, nothing breaks as the tubing flex too easy if I snag it, etc. I find the 10 refers to a number ten screw and the 32 menas 32 threads per inch so it is small but handy to acquire if you have an RC car/plane shop around as they use one made by Dubro for fuel lines.
I DO NOT recommend this use of barb fittings and tubing for those who use high pressure diffusers as the barb holds much better at low pressure and not so good at 50 PSI!!! Just as insurance, I find a dab of super glue will both hold and seal the tubing.

 

Just ended up ordering a GLA regulator. I'll just re sale this aquatek one to someone whose willing to put a second control valve on it.

 

I know I'm late to the party, but this thread might still get some views. I have two of the Aquatek mini's and both needle valves needed to be replaced. The ones that come on them are JUNK...Not only that, but I have to take the bodies apart, clean, and lubricate the ' piston' inside every other month or so, or else they gets stuck either on or off ! Lastly, the customer service at Aquatek SUCKS ! When my first valve failed, I wrote to them to see if they sold an upgrade and was told the didn't, and that I was basically out of luck. I wished I hadn't bought two at once, or I would have never bought the second one. Once I got the new valve, and routine cleaning maintenance, they're dialed in pretty good. But in NO WAY would I ever recommend anyone buying one. There are much better, even if they cost more, regulators out there that have companies that stand behind there products and don't have the ' you bought it, you own it business model

J