• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Questions on My New Kit.

wordy

Seedling
Joined
22 Jan 2009
Messages
21
Location
Rotherham, South Yorkshire.
Got my D-D complete CO2 set delivered the other day, and the instructions are a little sparse to be honest, I’ve got it all connected up, checked for leaks etc, but there are no instructions for what to set it at as far as the pressure and valves go. Could anyone here with a set let me know what theirs are set to please?

Also it didn’t come with any phosphate remover, is this essential or will I be ok without using it?

Thanks.
 
Hi wordy

The output side to the tank is normally set between 1.5 and 2 bar.
The other guage just tells you the pressure in the cylinder.

wordy said:
Also it didn’t come with any phosphate remover, is this essential or will I be ok without using it?
Why would you want to remove phosphates if you have to put them in your tank to feed the plants? ;)
Phosphate remover is not required :D.
 
Thanks, I'm at work so can't look at my set now, but another question, the guage that comes with the set does that measure the pressure going into the tank? one valve is the course pressure and the other is for fine adjustments is that right?
 
Hi wordy

My regulator has the output pressure preset by the manufacturer (I think it can be adjusted but I have never felt the need :lol: )and they supply a fine tuning valve to set your bubble rate. Mine is a bit erratic so I have had to stick another needle valve in line and now open the valve on the regulator fully. This gives me more predictable results.
Hopefully, you have a good one and won't need to resort to that :D
 
Hi wordy
Obviously we can't adjust the pressure in the cylinder (without using it :lol: ) so that should read somewhere around the 60 bar mark (approx 870 psi, although some report higher on a new bottle).
So you only have to concern yourself with the output which should be set at 1.5 - 2 Bar (21 - 29 psi).
 
Hi wordy,

I have and use a D-D regulator set. You'll have no need for rowaphos if its a planted tank (its actually detrimental to use it on planted tanks anyhow) but it is a usefull product in non planted tanks.

Firstly how many dials did the set come with as I know they sell two different sets although the componant parts are the same. Has it got a solenoid control valve? and did it include a co2 diffuser?

Not long ago I was involved with a similar thread on these regulators so it may be worth reading this:-

http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=6208

I can't remember exactly whats in the above thread so will quickly run through setting up this reg for use. Assuming all the conections are made and good (check with a washing up liquid solution) and your diffuser is fitted and ready to go.

Set the needle valve aproximatly halfway between fully closed and fully open then turn on your co2 and set the dial pressure to about 1.5 bar. Its actually usefull if you pick a line on the dial and set the needle bang onto this line it doesn't really matter wether its 1, 1.5 or even 2 bar but you'll find a referance point is very helpfull later. Once the co2 is coming out of the diffuser you can set the required rate by using the needle valve. You'll find that after any adjustment it will take a while to settle down to its new rate so be patient whilst tweeking it. Thats pretty much it.

Its quite common for the output pressure of full canisters to fluctuate a bit when first used and again when nearing empty so moniter the situation closely at first but once you get used to using pressurised co2 it becomes a lot easier. To be honest I rarely change the setting these days on my needle valve even when swapping out canisters. Instead I tend to use the coarse valve on the reg and that mark I told you about on the dial, on the D-D set I find it to be very acurate and reliable.

Make sure though that you get and use a drop checker there is a very usefull tutorial on the subject here it really is your best friend when injecting co2.

http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=467

If your set only came with one dial it is the output pressure dial. The high pressure dial (or canister pressure) is available seperatly, if my memory serves me right I paid about £11 for one from the D-D spares dept. Its usefull to know when the output pressure starts to fall as this is an indication of the canister starting to empty. For reasons I can't explain (i'm sure someone on here could) when canisters become nearly empty they sometimes release all of the remaining co2 in a kind of final spurt as it were. This is commonly refered to as a bottle dump and can happen quite quickly and raise your disolved co2 up to levels that can kill your fish through gassing. I don't mean to be alarmist but its somthing that anyone using co2 injection really should be aware of.


Regards, Chris.
 
Hi Wordy, Chris makes a really good point about CO2 dump and the reason is cheap regulators which will give an outlet pressure that is inversely proportional to the inlet presssure. That means when the CO2 in the tank is out of liquid CO2, and the pressure starts dropping, the regulator output pressure starts rising. If you are running a bubble rate very close to the maximum allowed, this rise in output pressure can increase the bubble rate enough to harm the livestock. If you are already running a light green drop-checker this can be catastrophic. The best way to sort this out is with a 2 stage regulator, preferably a good quality one. I have a BOC lab grade reg that never dumps even to the last breath in the bottle. The moral of the story buy the best quality reg you can afford and look after it!
 
Hi,

That still went over my head on the first read through, don't doubt the info is correct just struggling with aging grey matter that was never that good in the first place. :lol: :lol:

Alternitivley source cheap co2 and don't worry about the dregs in the canister or how much your degassing from the water with surface turbulance / air pumps. I'm now paying just £5 for each 2kg co2 refill so I don't care if some gets wasted.


Regards, Chris.
 
Hi,

Surely Uxbridge isn't that far from you? Thats where Mr Fizz is as listed on the 'where to get co2 refills' sticky thread on the co2 board. I have aquired a dozen FE's (the most expensive one was £13.50) which when I have enough empties to make the trip worthwhile I'll take a number in to be refilled, thats the plan anyway. In fact I'm due to take my first batch into them next week, spoke to them on the phone at the beginning of this week and they are really helpfull and quite happy to do refills for that price. Hopefully it should work out ok.

Regards, Chris.
 
Back
Top