Space between tank and walls

[Phargon]

Thank you for the advice.

I’ll check with the person that built this for me how difficult it would be to move or remove the shelf as it looks like he’s built it in.

Thanks for suggesting to use a tray under the filter and/or to paint to protect the wood, I hadn’t thought about it. I never used a canister filter but thought that you need to take it out to a sink to clean it so I wasn’t worried about the tight fit.

For the CO2 I was hoping for a regulator and adaptor for soda stream cylinder as these are fairly easy to source and have a decent amount of CO2 (425g). I suppose that if I saw that didn’t last very long I could change adapter and go for the fire extinguisher route. The whole cabinet is 88cm tall. Approximately 78 inside.

Are the cheap eBay regulators reliable?

 

[dino21]

The shelf does look as it its in the way of the filter let alone anything else, nothing other than a bit of sawing to remove it.
You can easily add more shelves by using some of the many shelf support pins or blocks, they will not be taking any real weight as such, so can just slot in like most household cabinet shelves.

We have one of these simple single stage regulators from ebay and its worked perfectly for nearly 4 years, we weigh and record the co2 cylinder now and then to avoid the so called 'dumping' that folk say can happen with single stage regulators when they near empty.
Have a look at this popular regulator supplier and read up about them in the Co2 section, also try and find out how long a 425g cylinder is likely to last in your tank.
Don't mistake Dual Gauge for Dual Stage, two very different things.
You do not need Co2 straight away or even at all,, so no rush to get one until you have got the tank running and growing ok,

Pro Aquarium CO2 System for Planted Tank 20L - 500L+

 

[Phargon]

Thank you for the valuable advice. The regulator in the picture seems a good deal. Does it need any adapters for the fire extinguisher?

I wonder if it would work with the Sodastream adapter sold by CO2 supermarket? I do realise that it is less CO2 for more money but it is convenient to source. Do you refill or replace the fire extinguishers? Where does the empty go?

I’m almost convinced on removing the shelf, I just feel bad as I’ve asked for some shelving and didn’t want to remove it as soon as I got it, as a family member did it for me! Maybe I’ll try it for a bit to see how it affect maintenance of the filter.

 

[dino21]

Yes, you need a FE to Regulator brass threaded adapter, cannot remember its detail but you will find them in the Co2 section of the forum, its a popular conversion.
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/fire-extinguisher-co2.266/
Assume the co2 supermarket one has the same basic thread on their units, so with the matching adapters would think it would be usable with either bottle type, though again check in the co2 section or with Co2SM.
Note that most ebay ones have a mains voltage solenoid, the Co2SM seem to use 12v DC.

We buy new 2kg c02 FE online and when near empty take them to the local council who have a bin for them.
You can get them recharged, but with the travel and time etc is it worth it for the smaller tank ? plus as happened to us many years ago with our earlier co2 tank, we had a LFS recharge a 500g bottle for us, only for it to explode its contents while driving home, because they had overfilled it ! very, very dangerous !! -never again.

Just mention the shelf to your relative, sure they will appreciate its now in the way, bet they will offer to remove it for you, easier to do it now before you get the tank filled.
Also ask about a full width shelf to go in above the electrics so you have plenty of space for the bits and bobs,, its easy to make it adjustable like in the pic below.
You can always cut out a bit of such a new shelf in you wanted to use the taller FE and regulator.

 

[Phargon]

Thank you for all the advice- really appreciate it.

I will mention the shelf and see how it can be changed.


I will be doing some reading as you suggested for CO2 . I won’t need it for a while as I will probably do a dark start.

Maybe I’ll just start with a non pressurised system to see how I get on.

 

[Phargon]

Update with tank now in place albeit empty!

Might start new thread for suggestions on rock wood plants.

Thanks for all the suggestions on the cabinet.

 

[Bradders]

Fits like a glove!

 

[parking 10]

Hi (my first post on here)
Been reading your thread and saw the picture of the gas regulator and I have one of those
So been a classic car fan and home restorer I have a mig welder which requires a gas bottle to weld with
And I am familiar with the problem of getting hold of a gas bottle to weld with
So how about a bottle of co2 that you local pub uses to make your kids pop fizzy
Are you friendly with your landlord?
I'm not a drinker really so no chance for me really,I just saw which company supplies my local with gas and phone em up !
I've now got 2 bottles,one in the garage and one on the aquarium
I have the same Reg as the one in the picture it's cheap especially when Aquarium Gardens sells them for four times as much but then we gets what we pays for
Then again been a tight fisted Yorkshire man I took a chance and got myself one to try
It's been alright and I am sure the Aquarium Gardens one is much better quality but it seems to me to be a bit like buying a Rolls Royce to go to the ASDA in when a Fiesta will do the job too
I think that with a tank by a window co2 is a must to help the plants keep algae at bay, what does everyone else think about that?
I'll try and post up a picture of the bottle in use and one of the results in the tank