Question: How much are you paying for CO2?

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I have 2 systems both are on CARX. I have 3 bottles, I really need to find a few more 20 pounders. I recently (45-60 days ago) filled my 5 pound bottle at Airgas. They won’t take a 10 pound bottle someone gave me. I found a place that sent it out and had it filled. Airgas also filled my 20 pound, but it has been like 7-8 months now:

5# - $55.00
10# - $137.00
20# $45.00

I nearly pooped myself when he told me how much the 5 was. He remembers me and said “they had the prices all wrong for a long time and are trying to work it out for the Co2”. I took the 10# to a fire sprinkler place that sent it out. I didn’t ask for a quote but wow. I’m guessing when it’s empty I am not going to send it out anymore.

What are you guys paying? I need to find at least 1 more 20. I can use the 5 as a 1-2 day stopgap until I get the 20 exchanged.

 

[UncommonSense]

What are you guys paying? I need to find at least 1 more 20. I can use the 5 as a 1-2 day stopgap until I get the 20 exchanged.

Back in my horticultural days, I’d get my CO2 by the 50# bottle, and use that as a “mother bottle” to fill smaller bottles!

This was like a decade ago, but I think I recall it being around $17 for a 50# bottle swap at the local welding gas supplier!

(they go through so much volume that most of their cost is labor, paying someone to fill all the tiny bottles from their main tank(s)… so, they offer a pricing incentive for bigger bottles!)

 

[nickm]

I get food grade co2 from a local co2 beverage supplier and I think I paid $50 for a 20# bottle. But I also get a military discount. They hooked it up with 2 5# filled for free.

 

[FMF0331]

20 # bottle $35.00

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Airgas, as with other large corporate suppliers make there money on the cylinder rental contracts not so much the actual gasses. They truly penalize those with customer owned cylinders they also can be really strict on cylinder certification. Unless you have a large volume commercial account, I would look for a local yocal welding supply.

For example, I had a commercial account with Airgas for years and had really good pricing with them. I kept my personal use cylinders as customer owned and the business use as rentals. All cyclinders, even the ones I owned, had the Airgas ring on them. My local Airgas never even kept blank cylinders but they knew me and everything was documented on my account. When I retired, I returned all the rentals but kept my personal use cylinders. Again, noted on my account. When I moved and needed a refill, the Airgas here refused to exchange my cylinders (as they had the Airgas ring), they could see my decades long account info noting how many bottles I owned, but still wouldn’t have it. I called my old branch and they tried to straighten them out but everything is up to each branch. So I was stuck with half a dozen 300cf cylinders with the Airgas ring. Only option through them was to trade the 300 for 120 (as the largest size blanks they carried were 120) and pay over $125 each for the gas (more than double my long standing rates for cylinders more than double the capacity!). That was the first, and last time I have used the Airgas here.

Anyway, found a local yocal welding supply. They could care less about rental agreements and truly are geared towards customer service. You can bring your own cylinder (that you’ll never see again), buy a cylinder from them at a very decent price. Refills (exchanges really) are very reasonable. 10# Co2 is $13, 20# Co2 is $22, 120cf Argon/Co2 is $40, 120cf Argon is $45.

As others mentioned, a beverage supplier is a good bet too. Try to find a beer brewers group online if there no reefers using Co2. They may have some local recs for you.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

I just googled and found a thread on Reddit from a home brewing sub (2years old) where someone was paying $15 for 20# exchange at Nexair in Memphis. Don’t know if that’s close to you or not….not stalking, just your info states Memphis

Edit. Also, some places hate the 5# cylinders and charge the efyou price.

 

[X-37B]

Recently filled 3 20's for just under $100.

 

[KrisReef]

I have two 20’’s &10 that I have not filled in a couple of years. This thread has me scared, but information is valuable

 

[PhishEDELIC]

You don’t need food grade for aquarium use. I would look for a fire suppressant company. They usually fill C02 tanks for cheap and they don’t usually trade out tanks. I have a nice shiny polished tank I’m not just giving away for a refill.

 

[KrisReef]

Mile Hydro
$11/20# exchange. Might go refill now.

https://milehydro.com/product/20-po...i2rqJW8YYsSrQvx6EbnHp-mRlQWZpmKxoCpwIQAvD_BwE

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Crazy good information. Thank you all.

I did got the fire suppression route and it was insanely expensive. But maybe cause it was a 10#.

Going to go dialing tomorrow based on this thread. I’ll report back this week.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

They clearly want to stop selling 5 pound bottles.

5# $55
50# $88