Fe Co2

[hensonc4098]

Hi guys,

Been looking at FE CO2 for the new tank which I should be getting fairly soon. It's a 2nd hand juwel vision 180. Would like to try CO2 on it as I've previously only dosed liquid CO2 irregularly and so with little success.

My dad's a fire alarm engineer and maintains FEs, so no shortage there at least...

Couple of questions though. I've been a'readin all these guides and what not and my brain is kinda frazzled. With regards to regulators, I'd initially seen the one on AE here which is specifically designed for use with FEs because of the DIN 477 connection, but is a hefty £90.

Then reading some of the "how-to" guides, people were recommending ones on ebay like this, which looks the same but also has a built in bubble counter at £50, however the connection is different. Or there is this one which doesn't have a bubble counter and is £45.

So... how do the connections work if they are different? Or are they just called something different but they're actually the same? Sneaky.

I think I understand everything other than that, i.e. need to take off the horn of the FE, attach the regulator (tightly...) and then tape the handles together to keep it open. Then use bubble counter (if not included in regulator) and diffuser into the tank using CO2 proof piping...

And apparently the pH will drop... Is this a problem? Does everyone that has CO2 in there tank have fluctuating pH then?

I'm away to hide under my desk for a while. This combined with biomolecular science is not a good combination it seems...

 

[bally]

hi

Same tank

i recently set up a FE co2 system using a regulator with built in bubble counter,but to be honest you can buy a bubble counter cheap enough and use inline. Basically what you have already written is the way my set up works.However instead of taping the handles of the FE together i use a lose fitting jubuliee clip.its tight enough to keep the handles closed but lose enought to slip of when i went to turn the suppy of. I dont trust the regulator not to leak over night when i adjust the valve.Chinese rubbish im afraid.

I leave mine on during normal day light hours as this is when plants use it.

As for PH, i have had no problems so far, but i do have a problem with BBA which is(can be) caused by the CO2 levels, so make sure you have a decent diffuser.

hope it helps

 

[hensonc4098]

Are they UK plugs that are on the solenoid regulator? Or do you just have a normal regulator?

 

[bally]

yes they come with UK adaptors if you buy from Hong kong etc, but i dont use one. I've had electrical stuff from Hong kong,china before and they dont last.Made very cheaply mostly.I wouldnt trust it.The regs are ok,but would trust any electrical item. Thats just me and bad experiances.

I just turn my off on an evening when i feed the fish (Open the handles)

 

[hensonc4098]

Hmmm. I won't be there at weekends though to switch it on and off, so I think I'll just either bite the bullet and get the AE one, or just get a basic reg from hong kong and then a decent solenoid from the uk.
Like, I know I trust china with all the other electrical goods in my house and that, but still...

 

[Craig89]

This is the one I'm going for on my FE system. Slightly more than the hong kong one but won't take 3 weeks to get here. I wouldn't judge them on one persons experiences (no offence intended) many people running FE systems are using the regs from china without any problems.

 

[Dan-CR4]

i have got the exact same one that you link to without the bubble counter attached. It works well but after 3 months the cheap solenoid on it gave up and got stuck on open. so had to buy a better inline solenoid for it. Would i buy the same one again, yes maybe, but the solenoids are crap IMO.

 

[hensonc4098]

This is the one I'm going for on my FE system. Slightly more than the hong kong one but won't take 3 weeks to get here. I wouldn't judge them on one persons experiences (no offence intended) many people running FE systems are using the regs from china without any problems.

Sorry, which one are you using?

 

[Craig89]

This is the one I'm going for on my FE system. Slightly more than the hong kong one but won't take 3 weeks to get here. I wouldn't judge them on one persons experiences (no offence intended) many people running FE systems are using the regs from china without any problems.

Sorry, which one are you using?

My bad lol,

http/item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=300735220131

 

[hensonc4098]

No probs. It's not really that much more expensive than the hong kong ones once you've paid postage on them. Take it you've not had any issues with it regarding the solenoid, compared to the hong kong ones?

 

[Dan-CR4]

my solenoid might of just been a rogue one, and all the others may be ok. I just thought I would let you know that mine gave up. The biggest problem was the solenoid I got with mine, is a sealed unit, so cant be taken apart and serviced.

I cant fault the regulater and needle valve on this system as it works well, just a shame my solenoid packed up. but if I was not around when the solenoid was mean't to turn off, it may have overdosed my tank with co2 when the lights are out, that was my main concern, but like any manufactured item, sometimes the odd faulty one gets through

Would be good to get others peole views if they got the same model

 

[hensonc4098]

For the price of the UK one though (£56 vs £45 from china), I might just get it and then I can at least send it back if it's dodgy. Or phone someone that knows how to speak english... lol

 

[Dan-CR4]

For the price of the UK one though (£56 vs £45 from china), I might just get it and then I can at least send it back if it's dodgy. Or phone someone that knows how to speak english... lol

Most of the HK sellers only give 30 days guarantee, then it would cost quite a bit to send any faulty item back, so buying from a UK supplier is probably a better option. Unless you can save loads. When I bought mine the cost difference from HK to UK was around £40 at the time, thats why I went with HK. but then having to spend another £20 on a solenoid from Germany, I only saved £20 in the end, not loads for the hassle it gave me at the time.

 

[Craig89]

No probs. It's not really that much more expensive than the hong kong ones once you've paid postage on them. Take it you've not had any issues with it regarding the solenoid, compared to the hong kong ones?

I've not got it yet but it will be the one I go for just for peace of mind

 

[hensonc4098]

Yep, I think the UK one is the way to go.

Oh sorry craig, read your first post as you had it even though you didn't say that Ima go back to sleep now...