C02 regulator help

[elcapitan1993]

I need to buy a c02 regular for my calcium reactor and I can’t afford anything fancy like the carbon doser, what cheaper regulators would you guys recommend?
Does the output pressure have be be adjustable? I found one for 60$ but the output pressure is not adjustable and it’s at 20-35 is that to much or does it even matter? Please help

 

[jda]

I have a stainless Victor dual stage with oil filled guages that somebody spent like $1000 on (I got it used). I have had carbon dosers. In the end, I like my Tunze just as much and would buy one in a heartbeat over others if I needed one right now.

Pressure varies from unit to unit. These are not precision pieces. I have some where 11 PSI will get stable bubbles and some where it takes like 30. I suspect that it is all the same.

Whatever you pick, get a good check valve or saltwater can get into the guts of your new regulator and start to rust it out.

 

[elcapitan1993]

I have a stainless Victor dual stage with oil filled guages that somebody spent like $1000 on (I got it used). I have had carbon dosers. In the end, I like my Tunze just as much and would buy one in a heartbeat over others if I needed one right now.

Pressure varies from unit to unit. These are not precision pieces. I have some where 11 PSI will get stable bubbles and some where it takes like 30. I suspect that it is all the same.

Whatever you pick, get a good check valve or saltwater can get into the guts of your new regulator and start to rust it out.

I definitely bought a check valve don’t want to ruin my tank, so will this one work then?

 

[jda]

I have no idea about that one. Sorry. Tunze would be my choice. Tunze does not have a solenoid, but we have not hardly lost power here in a decade, so I don't really care. I don't think that an expensive regulator is necessary, but I would not get too cheap.

 

[elcapitan1993]

I have no idea about that one. Sorry. Tunze would be my choice. Tunze does not have a solenoid, but we have not hardly lost power here in a decade, so I don't really care. I don't think that an expensive regulator is necessary, but I would not get too cheap.

I’m just getting a cheap one until I can afford a better one, it doesn’t have to be built to last just has to work for a few months, I’m going to try and get the carbon doser but have to save up, I hear really bad things about the tunze one, you haven’t had any issues with it? To bad no solenoid though

 

[elcapitan1993]

I have no idea about that one. Sorry. Tunze would be my choice. Tunze does not have a solenoid, but we have not hardly lost power here in a decade, so I don't really care. I don't think that an expensive regulator is necessary, but I would not get too cheap.

This is what it says on the description “

• Output pressure pre-set to 20-35psi, not adjustable. “ I just want to make sure this won’t cause a problem because I don’t know and now it’s sitting in my room because it was delivered today, so I hope it dosent cause any problems, it just dosent have the knob on the front like the Milwaukee one does that make sense?

 

[Saltyanimals]

I definitely bought a check valve don’t want to ruin my tank, so will this one work then?

I have that one and just died this morning. At least that’s when I realized it’s dead. Either it died or leaked along the way, but either ways lasted 14 months based on my Amazon order history. Now in market for another one. Will be going maybe tunze this time give the recommendation on this thread.

Tunze CO2 Regulator 7077.3?​

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

go to your local gas supplier for welding gasses and co2 refills, my local place gave me a used regulator for free when i asked if they sell them. Its a part that gets used on soda machines often.

 

[elcapitan1993]

I have that one and just died this morning. At least that’s when I realized it’s dead. Either it died or leaked along the way, but either ways lasted 14 months based on my Amazon order history. Now in market for another one. Will be going maybe tunze this time give the recommendation on this thread.

Tunze CO2 Regulator 7077.3?​

Was it just the solenoid that went out? I currently have it set up on my tank I’m hoping it will keep working until I can save up for a better one

 

[elcapitan1993]

go to your local gas supplier for welding gasses and co2 refills, my local place gave me a used regulator for free when i asked if they sell them. Its a part that gets used on soda machines often.

The place I go to wanted 200$ for there cheapest one, if I wanted to spend that kind of money I would get the carbon doser and not a welding one

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

Then they are about 160 bucks too high, there is nothing special a pressure regular plenty online for $40. amazzon has plenty posed for beer and hydroponics

 

[Saltyanimals]

Was it just the solenoid that went out? I currently have it set up on my tank I’m hoping it will keep working until I can save up for a better one

Couldn’t tell you where the failure is. I still hear the clicking so solenoid prob okay. Leak somewhere that emptied the tank faster than usual. Guess is the cheap plastic housing of the bubble counter. Unlikely it has a good seal

 

[Bj’s Reef]

I bought a regulator from co2 art. I have used it since 2019 with out any issues. From what I remember they are $149 and they are stainless steel, they have a five year warranty.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

mines been working since the early 90s, it took the last 10 years off, and works fine now, just restarting my tanks.

i would check for a bad rubber o ring before buying a new unit, there is not much to a regulator.

 

[90's reefer]

Id get a Tunze if I needed one in a hurry. I run mostly Tunze equipment anyway.
I prefer a 2 stage quality unit but thats just me.
I would not buy the carbon doser but again its just me.
I run 20 psi as that what is needed on mine for a consistant bubble.

 

[Saltyanimals]

Agreed they shouldn’t be over complicated and simple designs have less opportunities to fail. The stupid built in clear acrylic bubble counter is where I see the most leaks. Cheap plastic just isn’t meant to be air tight. I have a bubble counter on my reactor but only really look at it to see bubbles. Never really count them. Just peg the pH and be done with it.

Which tunze?