I think there's something wrong with my CO2 Cylinder

[commandoz]

Whenever I turn on the valve to maybe 1 bubble per second, after some time, the flow will always slow down and eventually no more bubbles emerge... Anyone know wat happens?


The following is the CO2 setup

CO2 Cylinder---> Valve--->Bubble Counter ---> Some Valve thing that prevents water backflow--->CO2 Reactor

[Simon]

i believe u using a regulator without a solenoid? the constant reducing of Co2 is cause by yr regulator.. is there a needle valve/ fine tuner?

[commandoz]

wat's a solenoid? I don't think there's is a fine tuning thingy... Maybe I'll take a picture of the CO2 thingy and upload the picture for u to see.. :)

[commandoz]

Hi,

The photo of my CO2 cylinder is at http://www.comp.nus.edu.sg/~dcheong/CO2.jpg


Originally posted by "commandoz"

wat's a solenoid? I don't think there's is a fine tuning thingy... Maybe I'll take a picture of the CO2 thingy and upload the picture for u to see.. :)

[cloud79]

This is the normal regulator and i also have it. I do have the same prob as yours and hope to upgrade to a better one with solenoid soon. Maybe Simon can explain further how the solenoid regulator works. If u wan to see what it looks like, maybe u can go down to Nature to have a look. :)

[commandoz]

Thanks... I just got into the hobby... so kinda blur over a lot of things... I just setted up the tank on Saturday.. I'm kinda bored looking at the CO2 bubbles bubbling up to the top... Can I add 1 single fish (figure 8 puffer fish), to make it less boring to watch?? Or will I kill the puffer fish by introducing it in now??

[cloud79]

DId u put any yamatoes shrimp or otos into your tank to get rid of your algae? Seem like u have no fishes in your tank now? :)

[commandoz]

Nope.. there's no fishy in the tank yet. I was reading in the forum and read tat if I put in the fish too early, it will kill the fish.. so I dun dare to put any into it.....

The tank is only 3 days old.. so can I put in some fishes?? And by the way, wat's oto huh?? is it the orange looking sucker fish???

[cloud79]

I think what u refer to is chinese algae eater and they r a bit aggressive so not many pple recommend these fishes for planted tank. :)

[commandoz]

OMG!! The yellow sucker fish thingy is aggressive huh... but the one I had in my tank in school is so timid and shy, it never appears. Just go into hiding.... doesn't seem aggressive to me...

is the oto thingy the same as the siamese algae eater?

[cloud79]

They r totally different. I would recommend oto instead of SAE as the latters may get used to fish food if they happen to feed on it. Go for oto instead. :)

[DY]

Originally posted by "cloud79"

They r totally different. I would recommend oto instead of SAE as the latters may get used to fish food if they happen to feed on it. Go for oto instead. :)
Yes they r different, different fish eat different algae!

[fishgeek]

Agree wif u guys. SAE are lazy once they acquire a taste of dry food or BW. Otos don really fancy this but unforutnately they only like certain types of algaes. That is y we use different algae eaters in the group. As for the pressure of the Co2, I agree that the control valve might be the culprit. Maybe u try testing ur Co2 set for any leakage at the valve side. I once face this problem also until I upgraded to the solenoid type with proper Co2 tubings.