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Co2 newbie - diffuser and bottle related questions

mess17

New Member
Joined
24 Mar 2021
Messages
15
Location
London
Hey co2 experts!

I've recently joined the co2 injection hype and purchased a Colombo Co2 kit and for the money it seems pretty good however since setting it up I have notice the diffuser had a combination of large and small bubbles (see video link below). Obviously I would rather just the smaller bubbles as the but ones seem like a waste of gas. Is this a problem with the diffuser itself, seems like I could buy a similar one (tropica and Colombo 3 in 1 look exactly the same) for about £10.

However I'm wondering if maybe something like vaseline around the rim where the larger bubbles appear to be coming from would help form a seal and instead drive the gas through as smaller bubbles?


My other question would be that with the 95g gas container, how long could I expect this to last for a 34L tank running at about 1 bubble every two seconds, and what psi should I look out for to signal the end of the bottle? Want to avoid the end of bottle gas dump that I've heard about.

Thanks in advance,

Matt
 
Hey co2 experts!

I've recently joined the co2 injection hype and purchased a Colombo Co2 kit and for the money it seems pretty good however since setting it up I have notice the diffuser had a combination of large and small bubbles (see video link below). Obviously I would rather just the smaller bubbles as the but ones seem like a waste of gas. Is this a problem with the diffuser itself, seems like I could buy a similar one (tropica and Colombo 3 in 1 look exactly the same) for about £10.

However I'm wondering if maybe something like vaseline around the rim where the larger bubbles appear to be coming from would help form a seal and instead drive the gas through as smaller bubbles?

Try increasing the working pressure. Also check if there are no leaks between the diffuser's body and the ceramic membrane; check if the membrane is correctly fitted and that the diffuser is tight. You should also scrub and soak the membrane in water for 24h or so before using it.

My other question would be that with the 95g gas container, how long could I expect this to last for a 34L tank running at about 1 bubble every two seconds, and what psi should I look out for to signal the end of the bottle? Want to avoid the end of bottle gas dump that I've heard about.

The bubble count is not a good indicator because each system uses CO2 at different rates. The pressure should start dropping from the initial 800-900 psi when the cylinder becomes ~80% empty. When the pressure goes below ~600 psi there is a risk of a sudden CO2 discharge. But the actual pressure that will trigger a discharge depends on the regulator and valves of your system. So, to play it safe, swap the cylinder as soon as the pressure goes below ~800 psi. There will still be gas in the cylinder, but you will avoid a potentially deadly CO2 discharge into the tank and also avoid mechanically stressing the valves and the regulator. You can also use the weight of the cylinder as an indicator. The goal is to replace the cylinder when its weight has decreased 80%. For that, weigh the full cylinder and later the empty cylinder (weigh the cylinder with the regulator attached to it so that you can check the weight while the system is in use). After a few months you will be able to start estimating the refill frequency. If you want to avoid this issue altogether, then you can upgrade to a double chamber regulator that will keep the pressure stable until the cylinder is empty - but this adds costs and might be overkill for a nano tank.
 
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