Shopping List for a Pressurized System

32Bit_Fish said:

1-Pressurized CO2 cylinder (5 lb for a 20g tank? Does the cylinder come with valves)?

2-Regulator (what type?)
3- CO2 tubing
4- Diffuser (Can I go with a powerhead instead)
5 - bubble counter (necessary?)

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1. 5lb is fine. Comes with just the on/off valve.
2. Aquatek is on sale and a good first reg to own.
3. I personally think CO2 tubing is overated but others will say otherwise
4. Powerheads make terrible diffusers. Ceramic or reactors are the best.
5. Yes bubble counters are needed otherwise its really hard to tell how much CO2 youre flowing
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Why powerhead makes terrible diffusers? It disburst the big CO2 bubbles into several small ones and help circulating the water in the tank.

I dont know how reactor works.

Distributes, yes....but the bubbles will still be fairly large unless you have a fractionating/needle wheel impeller.

A reactor works by keeping the CO2 in a chamber with lots of turbulence, effectively giving 100% CO2 diffusion. I find that plants do better with a fine mist vs that type of diffusion though.

If you're getting a regulator that's not a complete kit, you'll need a post body kit for it as well and possibly a CGA 320 nipple and nut combo if it's not CGA 320. For a beginner if you don't want to deal with the mumbo jumbo, you can just buy something like AquaTek, GLA, or you can talk to one of our wonderful CO2 specialists on here and they can hook you up.

Who is the wonderful CO2 specialist on this board?

There's a few of them. maknwar and Bettatail to name a couple.

Thanks.

I was reading one of the online articles on components of pressurized CO2 system. One of the items they mentioned that people should purchase metal washer that installed between the valve and cylinder? I'm assuming a new CO2 cylinder comes with a disposable washer and I have to buy a high quality one to replace it. How much difference does that make? I'm assuming I get a new plastic one from every refill?

32Bit_Fish said:

Who is the wonderful CO2 specialist on this board?

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freph said:

There's a few of them. maknwar and Bettatail to name a couple.

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Cough, cough... Lol

oldpunk78 said:

Cough, cough... Lol

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I'm assuming you are one of those wonderful people on this board? :smile:

oldpunk78 said:

Cough, cough... Lol

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I knew I was missing one! Sorry! I saw btimmer dropped out of the business otherwise I would've included him too.

32Bit_Fish said:

I'm assuming you are one of those wonderful people on this board? :smile:

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I don't know if wonderful is the right word or not, but I try :b

Actually ive seen a couple posts from Maknwar that he to is stepping out and liquidating inventory. Bettatail has been fairly MIA for some time..

Oldpunk is a class act and could easily help you, I have heard of one other thats in the process of starting up soon to help fill the void of the others we have lost, but may be another month before ready.