# CO2 regulator setting



## springboard (Apr 10, 2011)

I have a pressurized CO2 system running to a ceramic diffuser in my planted tank. I noticed that when the solenoid activates that it takes very long before I see any bubbles emerge from the diffuser. Sometimes this can be over 30mins. Currently I have the regulator set to ~18 psi and adjusted the needle value to about one bubble per sec once the bubbles start emerging. Is this normal to take that long before bubble emerge?


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## Captured Moments (Apr 22, 2010)

I don't use ceramic diffusers but I am pretty sure it shouldn't take that long for bubbles to start appearing. Try disconnecting the hose at the diffuser and see if bubbles rise from the end of the hose shortly after the solenoid kicks in thereby isolating the diffuser which could be plugged.
The other possibility may be that you have a leak somewhere.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Hi Isaac. Your regulator outlet pressure may be too low? Try opening the valve at the regulator a bit more to say 20-25 psi. Your bubble rate should be controlled with the needle valve (not by the regulator).


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Maybe the outlet pressure meter is faulty? 18 psi should be plenty to get the diffuser going, unless you have a leak or the diffuser is plugged. Is the diffuser clean? How long a run is the tubing from the needle valve to the diffuser? How deep is the diffuser from the surface of the water? All these things will affect the pressure needed to run the diffuser. I used to run 15 PSI for my ceramic diffusers, and now run 25 psi for my bazooka atomizer.


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

Here's another reason why it may take so long, as soon as the co2 turns on it will take awhile to fill the co2 tube, say if the tube is 4ft long at 1 bubble per second it could take up to half an hr before reAching the diffusor. I bet you don't have a check valve on the co2 line.... 

When the co2 turns off the positive pressure in the hose turns to negative and would probally back feed tank water into the line (happened to me before) and when it starts back up it has to push all the water sitting in the line.

A simple way to fix this problem is have your co2 solenoid come on with a separate timer atleast 1 hr before the lights.

Problem solved!


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

tang daddy said:


> Here's another reason why it may take so long, as soon as the co2 turns on it will take awhile to fill the co2 tube, say if the tube is 4ft long at 1 bubble per second it could take up to half an hr before reAching the diffusor. I bet you don't have a check valve on the co2 line....
> 
> When the co2 turns off the positive pressure in the hose turns to negative and would probally back feed tank water into the line (happened to me before) and when it starts back up it has to push all the water sitting in the line.
> 
> ...


Good point. But the proper way to fix the problem is to use a one way check valve at the top of the tank. If the water gets into your solenoid and hten your regulator, it'll be game over, bye bye regulator.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Ah, missed the 18psi part, that is plenty. I actually use 2 check valves to protect the reg.


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## springboard (Apr 10, 2011)

I bought the diffuser from J&L about a month ago. It's submerged in about 10" of water placed close to the inlet of my filter. But the hosing is quite long, maybe about 10ft since I didn't want to cut it incase I need it in the future. It shouldn't be the diffuser since bubbles do come out. And I don't happen to use a one-way value. I'll put one in just incase.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Put in the one way valve and shorten the tubing as much as possible and the problem should go away. If it doesn't, you'll want to check for leaks with soapy water. Tubing is cheap, I wouldn't worry about wasting it.


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

Thanks for the correction Gary as I was writing it too fast if forgot to say the check valve which I had mentioned in the first paragraph. Dual check valves and a separate timer ftw!


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Yeah, dual check valves are good, as I've had a dud check valve as well.


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## Captured Moments (Apr 22, 2010)

What about your bubble rate? How big is your tank and do you use a Co2 drop checker? I know that bubble rate is no direct relation to the amount of Co2 ppm in the water but 1 bps seems low to me.


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## springboard (Apr 10, 2011)

So it seems like I should purchase a drop counter and a new timer. Yeah I'm kinda weird, willing to spend the money on a pressurized CO2 system but too cheap to protect it with a value, too cheap to utilize it properly with a drop counter and too cheap to make it run properly with a separate timer! 

Right now I have it connected to the same timer as the lights and it's all setup in a 20gal planted tank with endlers, japonica shrimp and a juvenile BNP.


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Isaac: feel free to swing by if you are actually in Coquitlam. I may have something for you.


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## Captured Moments (Apr 22, 2010)

At least get a check valve because they are cheap and it's worth it because it will prevent backflow of water in the line. Like you, I don't have a separate timer on one of my planted tank and the Co2 kicks in at the same time as my lights and I don't even have a Co2 drop checker in that tank. You can get by without a Co2 drop checker if you get a feel for the tank and you can approximate bubble rate with Co2 and the method of diffusion. Not accurate but seems to work in this tank. I also watch the fish behaviour, plants growing progression.. not an exact science. For example in that tank (60 gal), I run about 4 bps of Co2 and it's fed into the intake tube of my Xp3. But that's just me being a little "sloppy" on that tank but you don't have to follow my example.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

Just a point of information, if you use the 3 in 1 diffusers at j&l, you have a check valve in the line. They are what the yellow part at the bottom of the diffuser is, just below the bubble counter built in. I much prefer them built in rather than cheap plastic in lines. One more point of failure is the way I see it. Brass ones right after the needle valve built in is the way to do it properly, but that is $$$

I run the ceramic disks from j&l, but I use 30 psi as I have a 20 foot run of tubing

Sent via Tapatalk; SGH-T589R


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