Fe Help

[Behold]

Ok New to the whole CO2 Idea. Few Questions (Please humor me)

I have a 500l Tank. im looking at

Reg with Bubble counter and Solinoid

This should cover most of the ancillaries needed.

Question 1. What size FE is needed to run for at least 6 months working on a only using during the day.

Question 2. Am i right in saying the 2 gauges are tank pressure (High) and running pressure (low)

Question 3. Pipe work from low pressure to diffuser. What can/suold i use?

Question 4. what size will my diffuser need to be?

Question 5. How and what is the best external diffuser out there to remove it from being in the tank? or is it not worth it.

Finally Question 6. does the Bubble counter sit in line as im struggling to see how... (Dumb moment)?

Thanks all

 

[Behold]

Oh and should i get a CO2 Tester or is it not needed? should i get this first to see how under i am?

 

[SuperColey1]

That reg should be OK.
1 - This will depend on your plantmass, lighting, dosing, circulation etc. Namely the higher light oyu have the faster the plants will grow, the more plants you have the more they will consume, the better your circulation the less CO2 you will need to inject. As a guess I would say a 2kg should last you 3 months or so (I use disposables on a smaller tnak so have no real idea on this)

2 Yes they are cylinder pressure and cylinder output pressure (not to be confused with the amount going down the line because the needle valve will restrict the output pressure further.)

3 - Buy the Rhinox tubing from the same supplier or get some proper CO2 hose. airline hose is more porous and will leech some gas.

4 - Ignore the adverts. Some of prefer to use larger diffusers than needed and some use smaller than needed. The end user decides really.

5 - I am currently using one of these external ceramic diffusers that fit in line on the filter outlet (from filter to tank):
http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...N:IT&ih=002

6 - The 'thumbscrew' you can see on the top of the bubble counter more than like surrounds a nipple. The hose goes over the nipple and the thumbscrew then screws down to secure the line.

7 - I wouldn't bother wasting money on any test before or after as they will most likely give you a highly inaccurate reading and lead you on a wild goose chase thinking you are under or over. I would buy a dropchecker (DC), ignore the solution that comes with it and then buy some 4dKH solution and some bromo blue (API Ph test kits are bromo blue as are some others.)

This is called a permanent CO2 test where in fact it is reading the Ph change and indicating the level of CO2 by the colour within the DC chamber changing from blue (when you put plain 4dKH in) to Green (25-30ppm) to yellow (this will kill inhabitants very quickly.) Although the reading with be 2-4 hours behind the actual level within the tank you can instantly check every time you walk past by looking at the colour.

AC

 

[Behold]

That reg should be OK.
1 - This will depend on your plantmass, lighting, dosing, circulation etc. Namely the higher light oyu have the faster the plants will grow, the more plants you have the more they will consume, the better your circulation the less CO2 you will need to inject. As a guess I would say a 2kg should last you 3 months or so (I use disposables on a smaller tnak so have no real idea on this)

2 Yes they are cylinder pressure and cylinder output pressure (not to be confused with the amount going down the line because the needle valve will restrict the output pressure further.)

3 - Buy the Rhinox tubing from the same supplier or get some proper CO2 hose. airline hose is more porous and will leech some gas.

4 - Ignore the adverts. Some of prefer to use larger diffusers than needed and some use smaller than needed. The end user decides really.

5 - I am currently using one of these external ceramic diffusers that fit in line on the filter outlet (from filter to tank):
[URL="http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...N:IT&ih=002"]http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...N:IT&ih=002[/URL]

6 - The 'thumbscrew' you can see on the top of the bubble counter more than like surrounds a nipple. The hose goes over the nipple and the thumbscrew then screws down to secure the line.

7 - I wouldn't bother wasting money on any test before or after as they will most likely give you a highly inaccurate reading and lead you on a wild goose chase thinking you are under or over. I would buy a dropchecker (DC), ignore the solution that comes with it and then buy some 4dKH solution and some bromo blue (API Ph test kits are bromo blue as are some others.)

This is called a permanent CO2 test where in fact it is reading the Ph change and indicating the level of CO2 by the colour within the DC chamber changing from blue (when you put plain 4dKH in) to Green (25-30ppm) to yellow (this will kill inhabitants very quickly.) Although the reading with be 2-4 hours behind the actual level within the tank you can instantly check every time you walk past by looking at the colour.

AC

Thanks For that. as to point 6. Im taking it the you could split out from the counter via the stopper on the right bottom.

The external diffuser looks like the ticket. how does your filter handle the air going in to it?

Finaly as to the drop checker I found this DIY Checker i just need the 4dKH as i have the PH API stuff.

When setting the bubbles should i calculate whats needed or just increase by 2-3 bpm leave for a while then continue 4 hours later with a few more once green count my BPM so i know what i need to set it to in the future.?

 

[SuperColey1]

No the stopper on the right looks to me like it is the needle valve adjuster!!! You get the whole rig set up, open the regulator valve to 1.5bar (ish) and then use the needle valve to adjust the bubble count up and down.

The air doesn't go into the filter. It is on the filter outflow. Filter -> diffusor -> external heater -> spraybar:

The white 'tube' in the middle acts like the filter hose and the water passes through it. The gas injects into the outer section and then seeps through the ceramic 'tube' into the water. Then the bubbles come out the spraybar/Lily/output whichever you are using.

drop checker looks okay but the price of the glass ones on ebay is not much. choice is yours.

For the bubble rate I would dedicate a day to it. start it off at 2-3bps for your size tank. check the DC 4 hours later an watch the fish etc for gasping. If it is green then great. If it goes past green to yellow turn it down. Repeat on the next day if necessary. You will be using the solenoid so the CO2 will only be on 2 hours pre lights and cut out 2 hours pre dark.
Do all the adjustment with the needle valve turning a few millimetres each time.

This is my setup (disposable cannisters) the needle valve comes out of the front of the reg on here (the black adjuster at the front) and then I have the solenoid inline, then onto the non return valve, bubble counter and diffuser which is on the pipe going into the tank.

AC

 

[aaronnorth]

just splash out on this drop checker for £3.50!

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/Aquarium-CO2-Glass-D...id=p3286.c0.m14

 

[Behold]

The dop checke looks fine might get one of them then. How often do you change the fluid???

As to the setup the ebay add says on the inlet. I guess thats wrong! as to the one way valve should i need one? surely the Bubble counter must be a one way valve??? or do i still use one.?

Thanks all this has really helped.

Soo my shopping list is nearly done.... just need to work out where to mount my can.....

 

[SuperColey1]

You change the 4dKH and bromo every 2 or 3 weeks.

By inlet they mean inlet to the tank which is the filter outlet. If you look at their picture it is fitted on the filter outlet as you can also use this unit in the tank although it won't make much circulation. better fitted inline than using it instead of a spraybar or pipe inlet..

The one way valve/Non return valve/NRV is not the same as a bubble counter. It is a valve that stops water from returning down the pipe into the reg. If you have a bubble counter then condensation will climb up the pipes sometimes and therefre the NRV is there to stop it. It will also stop any possibility of suction pulling tank water down the pipe into the regulator in the event of a leak. NRV and bubble counter are definately needed.

AC

 

[Behold]

Thanks

 

[Behold]

Supercoley is that a ex700??? im needing to run the diffuser on a 1200..... Will my piping be too big???

 

[SuperColey1]

The hosetails are stepped like the UV ones. Should allow for your bigger hoses and shouldn't be a problem with a couple of jubilee clips.

AC