Pressurized C02 help

[fortunateson]

Hey guys and girls I've got a few questions about pressurized C02. I've been keeping plants for quite some time now and only used DIY stuff. Now we my current set up I want to change to presurized C02 however I know nothing about it!

Here is my tank set-up stats

90 Gallon discus tank
- 3x 48 inch 6700k t5 bulbs
- 1x 48 inch colormax t5 bulb (the pink one)
- Flourite gravel
- 2x marineland canister (filters 55gallon each)




These are my questions

What do I need to get started and where can I get it?
How much will it cost ball park?
What should i set the bubble count to be on my tank?

Thanks
Mike

[charlie]

This thread will give you a good start
http://ovas.ca/index.php?topic=26165.0

[fischkopp]

Hi Mike,

Nice tank! Let me give you some general answers based on what I experienced. If you browse a bit through the planted forum you will find a lot of detailed answers for every single item.

[... of course Charlie responded much faster, the link he points to is most valuable ...]

What do I need to get started and where can I get it?

• 5lb, better 10lb CO2 canister, can be obtained at places that deal with fire extinguishers, I got mine from Davidson
• High pressure regulator, to set the working pressure for the
• Needle valve, which is use to fine-adjust the amount of CO2 you are injecting
• Solenoid to switch is on/off
• Bubblecounter to have a measure of the CO2 you are using
• Reactor/diffuser/something to wash the CO2 into the tnakl water
• Timer, CO2 tubing

You can often get regulator, solenoid, needle valve & bubble counter in a set, from Milwaukee for example. It's one of the cheaper starter models; if you want to go better try Sumo regulators or Rex Griggs model. I used them all three, and find Sumo with Svagelok high precision needle valves the most reliable solution.

Reactor or diffuser is personal choice, most of them work well, active and inline reactors are said to be more efficient (less wasted CO2). And there are many different models and DIY versions out there.

How much will it cost ball park?

Between $150 - $300+, depending what you choose to use.

What should i set the bubble count to be on my tank?

That will depend on your tank (plants, light duration, temp, feeding, ...) and will be unique. A starting point is usually 1 bubble/second. You have to monitor the CO2 concentration and adjust the bubble count until you reach the desired level (usually 30...50 ppm).