Building an Alanle style dual stage CO2 regulator

[Bluedore]

So shoot for 15 seconds per bubble set at around 10-15 psi. Sounds crazy, but those kind of precise bubble counts are totally doable with these low flow metering valves.

Will try to make the switch tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[Water Dog]

Let us now how it goes.

 

[Bluedore]

Will do. Thanks.

 

[Bluedore]

@Water Dog: Thanks for the recommendations! I setup according to your numbers at 15 psi and 15 second per bubble, but having difficulty setting 15 seconds per bubble as it releases tiny ones in between. But luckily I have a PH probe in the reactor, I just try to get it to the same ph level before the switch and the ALK numbers are pretty similar. So far no ALK spike issues. I do have a question thou, when I set it to 15 psi it keep drifting backwards. The first day drifted back to 13 psi from 15, today is better that it drifted half a point or less. Does this mean there is a internal leak on the low pressure chamber/gauge? Thanks.

 

[Water Dog]

Once it settles, does it stay there? Often once initially set, it will drift back for a bit as the internal diaphragm expands. But then, it should hold steady thereafter.

 

[Bluedore]

It’s drifting a lot less today, glad to know it’s kind of normal at the beginning. Thanks for all the help!!!

 

[Water Dog]

It should stop and settle though. If it continues to drop, let us know.

 

[tjstank]

What is the smallest pressure regulator can we use ? Can we use a 0 to 25 psi or is it better to have a 0 to 50 psi regulator ? Never ran a calcium reactor before. So all new to this.

 

[Water Dog]

0 - 25 psi on the working pressure side will work fine for CaRx use.

 

[tjstank]

Thank you very much. Time to start sourcing all the parts .

 

[Bluedore]

It should stop and settle though. If it continues to drop, let us know.

@Water Dog: it’s seems that the low gage keep losing around half a PSI point in a couple of days or so, and tested this a few times. Do you think the low pressure gage/chamber is leaking? And how would you check for this? Thanks.

 

[Water Dog]

That definitely sounds like a leak... give Alan a call and he’ll walk you through troubleshooting it.

 

[Bluedore]

Ok, will contact AlanLe. Thanks.

 

[tjstank]

Is it better to use 1/4 or 1/8 metering valve ? Also which is better medium or low flow metering valve ?

 

[Water Dog]

I prefer 1/4” as I feel the compression connection is stronger physically, though both will seal equally well. I’ll take low flow over medium flow all day as it allows more precise dialing in of bubble count, especially on the low end.

 

[bettatail]

built this one back in 2013, it is my personal co2 system, and Alanle got one follow, not sure which year, I was temperately out of building co2 system hobby at the time. Alan put a brooks NRS high precision metering valve on it.
Now for the same regulator, flowerfishes(ishop-365) recently acquired two, he will build and offer one of the two, and keep one as personal.

 

[bettatail]

What is the smallest pressure regulator can we use ? Can we use a 0 to 25 psi or is it better to have a 0 to 50 psi regulator ? Never ran a calcium reactor before. So all new to this.

There are several models of miniature double stage regulators, but the stainless steel model is matheson 3870, it is stainless steel double stage diaphragm, $900 a piece.

I am not a fan of the miniature regulator, because even they are double stage, the diaphragm is small, not as responsive as bigger size diaphragm, but I was lucky enough to own two of the matheson 3870 back in 2013, one of them sold to Tom Barr.
you can see it in the picture, with stainless steel burkert 24V DC, 2 watts multimedia solenoid, (model 2822, 0.5 watt power consumption with 12V DC input, about $300 retail price), and stainless steel parker hannifin HR metering valve(about $350 retail). They are all expensive industrial/lab parts, but I bought all parts at price far below the retail.

 

[Water Dog]

I’m extremely happy that @bettatail has joined our discussion over here. There are times when I have been stuck with an unforeseen issue during a build and I have been able to ask him for his knowledge and expertise over on the Alanle regulator build thread over on RC. He is a phenomenal resource.

 

[bettatail]

I’m extremely happy that @bettatail has joined our discussion over here. There are times when I have been stuck with an unforeseen issue during a build and I have been able to ask him for his knowledge and expertise over on the Alanle regulator build thread over on RC. He is a phenomenal resource.

Thank you.

the DIY pressurized co2 topic was originally started in freshwater planted aquarium forum back in 2005, and in around 2010 people start hunting down industrial/lab grade double stage regulators, low power consumption solenoids and extremely high precision metering valves for their builds. It became a hobby within hobby and there was a group of people getting really good at making pressurized co2 system with industrial parts, I was one of them. Alan started getting into this hobby at the time and I asked Alan to start a build thread in RC so there would be more fans and DIY their own high end co2 systems.
I stayed away from this topic after 2015 because of a personal issue, but getting back to the fish keeping hobby and building co2 systems again from early this year.

here is a thread of metering valves selection,
High precision metering valve for flow control.


and

something new that I have explored after I get back to the hobby.
high precision actual co2 flow rate monitor method, the flow meters.

 

[TX_Punisher]

Bringing this back up. I, like others, are ready to get rid of the carbondoser. Looking for a dual stage but it’s like paralysis by analysis looking at all the options.