Co2 Tank Life

Hi all,

For x-mass I got a Co2 system and everything had been running fine. But I noticed today that the bubble rate had gone from 2 bubbles/sec to about 1 bubble/30 seconds.

So I wanted to find out from you, how long does a 2KG bottle of Co2 last? Because this has been running about 20 days and according to the gauges, almost empty.

 

A 5kg bottle at 2bps last a little over 2 months so if I estimate it I would say 20 days would be the life span of a 2kg at the same rate. HTH

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No way dude, 5 kg at 3-4 bps lasts me about 4months plus!

 

I only got 2 months and a week out of mine... Could be that it was underfilled perhaps?

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Depends on whether you running a solenoid and how many hours it's on.

 

Ja, I use a 2kg tank for about 4 - 6 months...

It could be that your regulator is leaking. Turn the bottle supply off, remove the regulator and use plumbing tape on the threads of the bottle. Then make sure you tighten the regulator properly in place.

Either it could be leaking or it was not filled properly.

 

When the system is running, using a paintbrush and some new cooking oil, brush the oil onto everything... solenoid, regulator, needle valves, check valves and anywhere where there is a joint. The oil will bubble if there is a leak. Careful about getting oil on the solenoid electrics, this part doesn't like getting wet. I used sunlight soap to originally test mine, but @Altum gave me a hard time because apparently sunlight soap does something bad... and he recommended oil.

To be honest, I'd probably do it with sunlight soap mixture again next time... can you imagine the mess of oil all over your equipment?

But yeah it does look like you have a leak somewhere. I'm getting about 4 months from a 2kg bottle on 2 bp's.

 

Ok so there were no leaks, so I took it back from where I bought it. And I was just so lucky that at that time sponsors from seachem where there doing inventory check and such, and I got talking to them about their products and what’s coming soon and so on. And eventually the owner of the store, the seachem people and me got talking about the Co2 issue and that the bottle must have been under filled, so the guys from seachem said they would send one down to me for free once they get to Johannesburg.

So all in all that’s pretty cool that I’m getting a free bottle at no charge, so one up to the seachem people!

 

Seachem does your CO2 ? Do you mean aquarium depot guys ... BTW what does a refill at your LFS cost ? i.e. a CO2 swop? Seems a bit silly to ship CO2 from JHB -> Western Cape

 

No they dont do Co2, but these where guys from seachem, in north america. they just offered to get me a new Co2 bottle, so i accepted. And i dont know how much it is to refill.
I'm getting it for free so why complain.

 

my 10kg runs 6 tanks from 1b/s to 4 b/s for my 1.2 lasts me just under a jear and refil at nova mirene is r110

 

Oh you mean Scott at Aquarium Depot - the Seachem agents