Yep, I second the "have just done the same dumb things for a long time." As nothing happens to the tanks unless I am setting up something new or simplifying maintenance in some incremental step. For example I only have 2 tanks on CO2 with the cheapest inline plastic valves you can find. Oh well. The trick is to maintain a 'high pressure' side after the regulator, before the needle so that changing the needle valve settings do not effect other tanks. I vote regulator, solenoid, needle valve, check valve, bubble counter, shortest run possible to the tank. This puts most of the components under low stress (5-10 psi?) and minimizes the impacts of leaks. Multiple solenoids would go after a splitter. If anyone finds a decent price on 4-6 way with metal needle valve I would like to hear more :) -Paul On Sat, 17 Oct 2009, Erik Olson wrote: > Kypros, do you have one solenoid for the entire rig, or do you run one per > needle valve? And if the latter, where do you place the solenoid in the > flow? (i.e. right at the needle valve, right near the tank, etc.) > > Also, where do you obtain your metal check valves? > > Remember that "super experienced" can also mean "have just done the same > dumb things for a long time." :) > > - Erik > > On Sat, 17 Oct 2009, Hostetter, Kypros wrote: > >> I agree you will have to have three needle valves. I have a Sumo regulator >> with a dual manifold and I have the solenoids. It felt better to me to give >> the co2 a break at, and they work fine for me, running about 25 feet for >> each line. But I know that many super experienced guys like Erik go without >> solenoids. Also it can kind of be annoying to run that many timers using >> the Solenoids. I got the swagelok needle valves, little cheaper than the >> Ideal valves, and they seem to work pretty well. Sumo could rig it all up >> for you, including the bubble counters-makes it easy, but not cheap. You'll >> love switching out from DIY, though. I too use the black drip line per >> Erik's suggestion, real cheap! If you dont like the black entering your >> tank, you can buy a small amount of flexible C02 line and just use it where >> it it visible, and connect it to your black cheap line via the check valve >> you will need anyway. By the way, get brass check valves. When I was doing >> DIY CO2 I got away with plastic check valves, but they quickly failed under >> the higher pressure CO2. As an alternative to the reactors you can use >> cheap glass ADA knockoff diffusers, they work pretty well too. * >> E.g., * >> http://cgi.ebay.com/Rhinox-5000-Glass-CO2-diffuser-Pollen-Aquarium-Beetle_W0QQitemZ250305228880QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3a475ab050 >> >> Finally, if you do get the JBJ bubble counters, dont make the mistake I did >> and let them run after the water evaporates, I cracked both of mine when >> they were dry and had to replace them. >> >> >> >> On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 7:42 PM, Erik Olson <erik@thekrib.com> wrote: >> >>> Hi John, >>> >>> I think you'll need to have three needle valves for this to work. You >>> cannot split the line downstream of the needle valve to two separate >>> reactors, unless each has significant back-pressure (such as a glass >>> diffusor). What generally happens is that one of the tanks gets all the >>> bubbles, and the second at best gets none, and at worst, acts as a siphon >>> from the first tank. >>> >>> I run five tanks off the same CO2 regulator, but I recently purchased a >>> hexo-manifold (see attached photo) for about the same price as a single >>> ideal valve. It does a decent enough job so far and it's stylish chrome >>> matches the overkill regulator I bought at the same time. >>> >>> In terms of tubing, straight vinyl airline should do the trick just fine. I >>> use black vinyl from Home Depot (for drip irrigation lines). It's the same >>> size as airline. >>> >>> Do not use silicone tubing. >>> >>> I'm one of those folks that don't use solenoids & never have -- I received >>> one recently & considered trying it, but am concerned about the effect of >>> shutting one off upstream of the needle valves on very long runs to multiple >>> tanks. I may try it on a different regulator that only has a single output. >>> >>> I really like the aluminum tanks. They weigh significantly less than the >>> steel, and have a nice handle. Get a 20# if you can afford it -- swap-out >>> cost is almost the same at Central, but it'll last longer (especially >>> feeding three aquariums!). >>> >>> Hope this helps! >>> >>> - Erik >>> >>> >>> On Sat, 17 Oct 2009, J Clouse wrote: >>> >>> I've been running three DIY CO2 setups for some time, and now I'm ready to >>>> step up to a pressurized system. My research to date has me leaning >>>> towards >>>> the following, but I wanted to check with the group before I make any >>>> investments. >>>> >>>> <http://sumoregulator.com/PremierLine.html>10 lb aluminum tank (Central >>>> Welding?) >>>> Sumo regulator <http://sumoregulator.com/PremierLine.html> >>>> (2) Ideal 52-1-12 metering valves >>>> (2) JBJ bubble counter >>>> (2) Red Sea CO2 500 reactor >>>> Flexible CO2 tubing (though I'm tempted to use something cheaper...) >>>> >>>> In looking at the options, it seems like running 24/7 without a solenoid >>>> and >>>> possibly running an airstone at night seems to be the simplest setup with >>>> the least risk to pH (just uses up more CO2). >>>> >>>> I would like to use this setup to run *three* tanks. Two tanks in the >>>> basement using the Red Sea reactors (running off of a the output of one of >>>> the metering valves. The third tank is on the floor directly above the >>>> basement setup. I would like to run the output of the second metering >>>> valve >>>> into a venturi on the intake of a Magnum 350 (currently doing this with >>>> (2) >>>> DIY bottles). >>>> >>>> Any mistakes you can help avoid? Any recommendations for a simpler setup? >>>> >>>> Cheers, >>>> John >>>> >>>> >>> -- >>> Erik Olson Sent from >>> my crusty old Linux box >>> erik at thekrib dot com >>> _______________________________________________ >>> GSAS-Member mailing list >>> GSAS-Member@thekrib.com >>> http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member >>> >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> GSAS-Member mailing list >> GSAS-Member@thekrib.com >> http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member >> > > -- > Erik Olson Sent from > my crusty old Linux box > erik at thekrib dot com > _______________________________________________ > GSAS-Member mailing list > GSAS-Member@thekrib.com > http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member > _______________________________________________ GSAS-Member mailing list GSAS-Member@thekrib.com http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/gsas-member