One CO2 bottle for 2 tanks

[magnosis]

I have a 5lbs CO2 bottle with a Milwaukee regulartor, solenoid, needle valve and bubble counter.  It works well. 

Now I would like this bottle to supply 2 tanks.  I'll need a Y splitter, a new solenoid, needle valve and bubble counter.

Where can I find these parts for a decent price ?

Is there a standard size for all these fittings or do I need parts that are specific to the Milwaukee rig ?


@charlie I've seen your setup, this is exactly what I need =)  any advise would be much appreciated.

[dan2x38]

I did a quick Goggle but didn't find it. Just Goggle CO2 2-way manifold with bubble counters. I had a 3-way one just used a blank to eliminate one of the outlets. It supplied 2 tanks perfectly and it is not that expensive. I gave mine to Zima on here you can check if he is using it or would sell it off. I paid approx. $30 I think. You have to make sure there no leaks I used pipe dope for all the threads.

Make sure you use quality air tubing so the CO2 does not leach through the tubing walls.

[magnosis]

Thanks Dan. 

I will order some CO2-certified tubing from aqmagic especially because my new tank is about 16" away from the CO2 bottle.  Normal airline normally does the job though some people claim that it will leak co2 after a while.  I certainly don't want to lose 30-50% the CO2 over that distance just because I cheap out of the tubing.

[dan2x38]

I bought O2 airline at Cancus it cost peanuts. Why order it and pay more plus the shipping. I even saw a big bag full at the Valu Village on Merivale/Baseline. There is a rack where they hand plastic bags full of crap and one bag had a big batch of O2 line it sells for like $1.99 or whatever on those racks. Might still be there I almost bought just to have laying around.

[magnosis]

O2 and CO2 have different properties and requirements.

Silicon tubing is actually the worst. It's the most permeable to CO2 and loses resiliency over time.  Some report 20% to 30% loss of CO2.

Vinyl tubing is initially fairly permeable to CO2 but also loses resiliency over time.  The main disadvantage is that prolonged contact with CO2 will make it harden, which in turn is prone to leaks at the joints (just like the barbed end of a garden hose, the rubber loses flex over time, expands, and the joint becomes weak.

Polyethylene is reportedly a good choice.

Tygon (or Tygoprene) is pretty much the best for CO2 and is what is used in pharmaceutical & medical applications.

And of course PVC but it's not flexible and not commonly available in small diameters < 1/2".

Refer to this table, you will see that O2 and CO2 permeability is very different: http://www.coleparmer.com/techinfo/techinfo.asp?htmlfile=SelectingTubing.htm

Or google up "co2 tubing" you'll see swarms of articles reporting the same thing.  Normal airline is not appropriate for CO2 transport.

Though I guess if you use only a small length and replace it often you would not notice the difference.  Also some people don't care much if they lose 20% of their CO2.  They just fill up the bottle once it's empty and that's it ;-)

[dan2x38]

I've read that stuff when I first started with hi-tech tanks. The cheap line worked great never had any losses even after 1 year. That was longest I ever left a setup untouched... LOL I used CO2 ridged line and heated it! It was hard to conceal running over a distance. The O2 line I bought from Canus worked like a charm and never had any issues. Those losses are over time. You can buy like 50' of cheap stuff for under $5. Then just change it once a year. So over 5 years cost you less than $10 I bet... The cheap stuff is easy to bend and conceal. You know when it is getting worn because it gets harder and even starts to discolour a little.

[magnosis]

lol good point dan.  I haven't looked up the price of Tygon tubing yet, but I can easily be convinced that replacing a cheap 5$ airline once in a while is a good trade-off.  And just as you, I have never left a setup untouched for very long either ;-)