Old School CO2 Regulator
- Thread starter griss
- Start date
Thanks Mark. Now, we need to actually get together sometime
Markk96
Premium Member
Sure we need to figure it out.Thanks Mark. Now, we need to actually get together sometime
I'm old school and don't want to use a controller for the solenoid. I've run CA reactors in the past in this manner before regulators were available with solenoids.
Oh, I'm all for that. Adding electronics and pH probes to something that just freaking works, is foolish. Set the bubble rate, set the flow...done. I do have a solenoid on my co2 tank plugged into the wall. The reason is if power is lost, the co2 will shut off. Worst case, itdoesn't, which is the same as having no solenoid. I did get fancy and use a kamoer fx-stp to feed mine. Using crushed coral, I do have a ph probe in the reactor to be sure I don't go too low.
Idea being, let the reactor do its thing, but have redundancy.
I don't even trust ATOs. I use a kamoer fx-stp to dose kalk 24/7 at a set rate that replaces evaporation.
No reason to live in the dark ages while still maintaining old school mechanical reliability. Yes, I use halides and ozone too.
Ah, so maybe all these years I misunderstood the point of the solenoid. I thought you HAD to use a controller if you have a solenoid. If that's not the case, I completely see where you're coming from.Oh, I'm all for that. Adding electronics and pH probes to something that just freaking works, is foolish. Set the bubble rate, set the flow...done. I do have a solenoid on my co2 tank plugged into the wall. The reason is if power is lost, the co2 will shut off. Worst case, itdoesn't, which is the same as having no solenoid. I did get fancy and use a kamoer fx-stp to feed mine. Using crushed coral, I do have a ph probe in the reactor to be sure I don't go too low.
Idea being, let the reactor do its thing, but have redundancy.
I don't even trust ATOs. I use a kamoer fx-stp to dose kalk 24/7 at a set rate that replaces evaporation.
No reason to live in the dark ages while still maintaining old school mechanical reliability. Yes, I use halides and ozone too.
Yep. No need to add a controller. Just the solenoid in the wall socket to me is a must. If you're reactor melts down to mush during a power outage, once power is restored, it'll dump super saturated, and very low pH water into the tank. One of the few things I believe will truly save a tank. Most times a "controller saves a tank," the setup was poor in the first place. Loose flexible tubing, cheap heaters, low quality pumps failing, etc.
Why babysit cheap stuff when you can just buy reliable gear to begin with?
You could also add a ph controller to shut off the co2 if the reactor ph gets too low. In a heavy stocked tank, that could be an issue if you aren't there all the time to notice. There are 2 reasons the reactor ph would drop too low..clogged, or media is significantly depleted.
I'm not big on automation, but I do use light timers, a heater controller, and a standalone alkalinity MONITOR (kh guardian). I do not allow the monitor to control anything.
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