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CO2 bottle replacement while maintaining the exact same regulation

Joined
18 Nov 2020
Messages
42
Location
Lisbon, Portugal
I am looking for a simple procedure when replacing an empty CO2 bottle in order not to lose my CO2 regulation. How do you guys do it?
What I am thinking of is registering the working pressure before replacing the bottle and not touching the adjustment needle. After replacing the bottle, readjusting the working pressure to the previous reading and since the adjustment needle is untouched, the final regulation should be the same. Is this a common approach?

Thanks!
 
With most single stage regulators the working pressure is not adjustable, so just change the bottle, if you can adjust the working pressure just don't touch it or the needle value and you will be fine, My needle valves have locking nuts, if not locking nut just check the BPS and good to go, if you change or clean the atomizer the BPS and injection rate will change so check the pH drop/[CO2]
 
This is the million dollar question as it’s very difficult to remove the reg without disturbing anything, as it requires a bit of force with a spanner to remove it, then moving it, placing it down, and then putting the reg on a new bottle.

I don’t have the solution to this, but what works for me is taking a video of the bps, and then retuning it once installed on the new bottle with the bubble counter side by side with the video on my phone screen.
 
I don't ever touch the needle valve anymore, haven't done for over a year. I regulate CO2 by the working pressure to be honest. Once i attach a new CO2 bottle i re-confirm my CO2 is the "same" as before by PH reading during the photoperiod and drop checker colour.
 
PH reading during the photoperiod
Do you aim for a 1pH drop Sammy?

And what reference or starting point is that drop from in the way that you do it? E.g measure your drop from the starting PH of your water at the start of your photo period (without degassing the water fully) or measure your drop from the degassed PH of the water by leaving to stand?

I have always had trouble understanding best practice on this to be honest, as I have found that the starting ph of my water can vary quite a bit as the days between water change go on. I’m assuming that this is due to adding ferts daily, but never really fully put my finger firmly on the pH drop method.
 
Thanks you everyone for the feedback.
We need an electronic needle valve regulator, in order to be able to set the amount of CO2 being injected without relying on human interpretation of bubbles per second!
 
Do you aim for a 1pH drop Sammy?

And what reference or starting point is that drop from in the way that you do it? E.g measure your drop from the starting PH of your water at the start of your photo period (without degassing the water fully) or measure your drop from the degassed PH of the water by leaving to stand?

I have always had trouble understanding best practice on this to be honest, as I have found that the starting ph of my water can vary quite a bit as the days between water change go on. I’m assuming that this is due to adding ferts daily, but never really fully put my finger firmly on the pH drop method.
I don't aim for a 1.0 drop anymore because i think in very hard water with high KH (13kh) having "30ppm" of CO2 won't move the PH as much as it would in softer water like 4KH even though you have the same amount of dissolved CO2.

I currently aim for a 0.7 PH drop, my drop checker is very lime green at lights on and that seems to be working for me. I know my tap water degassed is 7.9/8.0 so as long as my PH reads 7.2 during the photoperiod i know my CO2 is the "same" as it was before i changed the CO2 bottle.
 
I know my tap water degassed is 7.9/8.0 so as long as my PH reads 7.2 during the photoperiod i know my CO2 is the "same" as it was before i changed the CO2 bottle.
Do you not find though, that the pH changes a bit throughout the week between water changes, due to fertilisers and any other additives you are putting in building up?
 
Do you not find though, that the pH changes a bit throughout the week between water changes, due to fertilisers and any other additives you are putting in building up?
Not really i don't think it changes, as i would have originally set up my CO2 routine & profile at the beginning of the week after a water change and minimal ferts.

Also i would say it would be dependant on KH, if you have a low KH, changes in PH are easy to influence from CO2 and maybe ferts like you are suggesting. But i assume in my high KH water (GH22 13KH) it's a lot harder to influence a PH change because of the high buffering capabilities from the high KH.

Someone like @dw1305 can advise further and correct me if i am wrong.
 
Hi all,
But i assume in my high KH water (GH22 13KH) it's a lot harder to influence a PH change because of the high buffering capabilities from the high KH.
Yes, you are right, pH is stable in carbonate rich (high dKH) water, because of the <"carbonate (HCO3- and CO3--) buffering">. Basically you have to add a lot of acid to before you get any <"change in pH">.

You can see buffering in action in @Zeus.'s video post in <"Guide to TDS"> and also in the <"shell beds of Lake Tanganyika">.

cheers Darrel
 
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