Installing Pressurized CO2 - how do I do it safely?

I have the FZone 1011 triple stage regulator with solenoid, all set up and ready to connect to my paintball canister. Now what? Do I screw it onto the canister before hooking up the CO2 tubing? Do I turn all the knobs to off first?

There's a brass bolt on the side of the paintball canister at the top, with a sticker that says "3k only". Do I ever touch that?

Will it run at all if the solenoid isn't plugged in?

 

I would start by closing all the valves, if you can, and then screw the regulator onto the tank. Hook up your tubing, and then turn on the working pressure to 30psi or so. No bubbles should be coming out. Plug in / turn on the solenoid and watch for gas / adjust needle valve to a decent flow.

 

I would start by closing all the valves, if you can, and then screw the regulator onto the tank. Hook up your tubing, and then turn on the working pressure to 30psi or so. No bubbles should be coming out. Plug in / turn on the solenoid and watch for gas / adjust needle valve to a decent flow.

Thank youuuuu this is what I needed to hear!

 

Usually it goes:
CO2 tank > Regulator > Working pressure gauge > solenoid > needle valve > bubble counter / flow meter > check valve > diffuser / reactor.

Follow the path from first to last.

 

Usually it goes:
CO2 tank > Regulator > Working pressure gauge > solenoid > needle valve > bubble counter / flow meter > check valve > diffuser / reactor.

Follow the path from first to last.

Okay, awesome. Done. New problem. The CO2 line is leaking on both sides of the check valve. Any idea how to fix that?

 

Okay, awesome. Done. New problem. The CO2 line is leaking on both sides of the check valve. Any idea how to fix that?

Make sure the check valve is pointed in the correct direction.
Make sure your tubing isn't too big for the check valve.
Make sure your tubing isn't damaged / stretched.

Try and cut off some tubing and insert the fresh, cut tubing over the check valve.
Try another check valve if possible.
Super tiny hose clamp??

 

Make sure the check valve is pointed in the correct direction.
Make sure your tubing isn't too big for the check valve.
Make sure your tubing isn't damaged / stretched.

Try and cut off some tubing and insert the fresh, cut tubing over the check valve.
Try another check valve if possible.
Super tiny hose clamp??

Is pointing in the right direction.
Is the correct size (check valve fits 4mm internal diameter, ID of Rhinox tube is .15"/3.8mm)
Stretched? In what way? I took it directly out of the package and put it on the setup, nothing got twisted or anything.

Have recut and inserted the tubing with no improvement.
Unfortunately I don't have another on hand right now, but it's also leaking at the connection point to the diffuser, so I think the check valve is a moot point.
Does a hose clamp that small exist???? I'd do that! I tried tiny zip ties but they still don't wrap all the way around flush against the hose and it didn't work.

It sounds like barring itty bitty hose clamps, I might need to get different CO2 tubing. Is there a brand you recommend (or anyone else who reads this)? I might go with Jardli's tubing, as it at least has to fit the Jardli diffuser I have, right??

 

Yea, more rigid tubing might be a wise choice... what working pressure are you at?

That's one of the reasons I don't like diffusers, they require higher working pressures, something I have not had success with in the past, moved to reactors and now I run 1/2 the working pressure I did when using diffusers.

 

Yea, more rigid tubing might be a wise choice... what working pressure are you at?

That's one of the reasons I don't like diffusers, they require higher working pressures, something I have not had success with in the past, moved to reactors and now I run 1/2 the working pressure I did when using diffusers.

Okay so I just went and tinkered with it again. I finally got bubbles out of the diffuser! (the leaks, however, are still there.) One part of my problem seems to be that it needed to saturate with water overnight.

I cranked it up to 18psi to get the CO2 through the diffuser initially, but after that dropping down to 16 or maybe 14-ish psi did the trick too. It looked like a lot of bubbles per second? But I'll take any progress I can get right now.

As far as a more rigid hose - the hose I have seems pretty rigid, and my completely inexperienced gut feeling is that it's actually too rigid to mold around the check valve and the diffuser to achieve an airtight seal. Is that possible? Why is more rigid preferable, and is there a way to measure rigidity so I know the next hose I buy fits the bill?

I found hose clamps that I can have here by Saturday that measure 6-12mm/0.24-0.47. The Rhinox hose has an OD of .24". Would that fit tightly enough? The hose is wider than the stated OD at the fittings, as it's stretched around the check valve and the diffuser.

 

Okay so I just went and tinkered with it again. I finally got bubbles out of the diffuser! (the leaks, however, are still there.) One part of my problem seems to be that it needed to saturate with water overnight.


As far as a more rigid hose - the hose I have seems pretty rigid, and my completely inexperienced gut feeling is that it's actually too rigid to mold around the check valve and the diffuser to achieve an airtight seal. Is that possible? Why is more rigid preferable, and is there a way to measure rigidity so I know the next hose I buy fits the bill?

I found hose clamps that I can have here by Saturday that measure 6-12mm/0.24-0.47. The Rhinox hose has an OD of .24". Would that fit tightly enough? The hose is wider than the stated OD at the fittings, as it's stretched around the check valve and the diffuser.

Metal or plastic check valve? Try using heat to seal the tubing to the valve maybe.

You can use a larger clamp, just cut a ziptie and wrap it around, then place the clamp over the zip tie. Basically you are using he zip tie as a spacer to allow a larger clamps.

 

Metal valve, glass diffuser. I did try softening the tube in boiling water for a tighter fit. Unless you mean somehow melting it to a plastic check valve?

Super! That's a great tip - I've got zip ties for days. I guess I'll keep the CO2 unplugged for a couple days until the clamps get here.

Thank you so much for all the help. I wasn't expecting this to be the point of failure at all! Feeling better about getting it all set up again.

 

FYI watch tightening the clamp on the diffuser too much....being that it is made of glass...

I know that may not necessarily need to be said, but enthusiasm can sometimes get into the way of logic and reason. Just try to remember before you get too ahead of yourself.

 

FYI watch tightening the clamp on the diffuser too much....being that it is made of glass...

I know that may not necessarily need to be said, but enthusiasm can sometimes get into the way of logic and reason. Just try to remember before you get too ahead of yourself.

haha thanks for the reminder! it was definitely taken into account. unfortunately, the clamps still didn't prevent leaks, even from the connections on the check valve, where I could really tighten it up. I'm getting insanely frustrated! I've gotten recommendations on good CO2 tube brands on another thread, so fingers crossed I'll order a new one and it will all go perfectly on the first try.

 

Fair warning, I am 3 months old into the hobby. Sharing my experience here as I went through the same problem. For me, Co2 was leaking at check valve and bubble counter intersections. Its was so irritating. So I took some aquarium glue and sealed it shut. Then checked it by dumping the connections into aquarium.
It looks ugly but you know what there is no leak and plastic check valves are not that costly. Also I think you can scrape away aquarium glue easily.

I will follow this thread to see if people have a better solutions to avoid these sort of leaks.

 

Fair warning, I am 3 months old into the hobby. Sharing my experience here as I went through the same problem. For me, Co2 was leaking at check valve and bubble counter intersections. Its was so irritating. So I took some aquarium glue and sealed it shut. Then checked it by dumping the connections into aquarium.
It looks ugly but you know what there is no leak and plastic check valves are not that costly. Also I think you can scrape away aquarium glue easily.

I will follow this thread to see if people have a better solutions to avoid these sort of leaks.

Thanks for the suggestion! This is exactly the kind of lowkey janky solution that I am forever inclined to and wanted to try to avoid lol. But if it works, it works! What brand of glue did you use?

 

Thanks for the suggestion! This is exactly the kind of lowkey janky solution that I am forever inclined to and wanted to try to avoid lol. But if it works, it works! What brand of glue did you use?

I used an aquarium friendly glue. Don't go this route.

My advice is to match the brand of tubing with check valve, diffuser etc. In my setup co2art tubing fits nicely with co2art bubble counter but not with aquario neo diffuser. Aquario diffuser is thinner than my tubing.

 

I used an aquarium friendly glue. Don't go this route.

My advice is to match the brand of tubing with check valve, diffuser etc. In my setup co2art tubing fits nicely with co2art bubble counter but not with aquario neo diffuser. Aquario diffuser is thinner than my tubing.

yeah, my concern is that this is exactly the problem. rhinox tube, off brand check valve, jardli diffuser. I think I'm going to buy jardli's CO2 hose. unfortunately they don't sell check valves.

My bubble counter does have a built in check valve, and it doesn't leak because there's a screw cap over the hose. I'm thinking about buying a second one to place down the CO2 line as a safety because I can't find a single check valve that isn't a bubble counter with that style of hose connection. Maybe someone knows if that would work well? Or will doubling up on bubble counters add too much resistance?

 

yeah, my concern is that this is exactly the problem. rhinox tube, off brand check valve, jardli diffuser. I think I'm going to buy jardli's CO2 hose. unfortunately they don't sell check valves.

Actually they do but its currently out of stock.

Amazon.com : JARDLI Glass CO2 Regulator Bubble Counter with Air Check Valve for Live Aquarium Plant Aquascaping : Pet Supplies

 

Actually they do but its currently out of stock.

Amazon.com : JARDLI Glass CO2 Regulator Bubble Counter with Air Check Valve for Live Aquarium Plant Aquascaping : Pet Supplies

Huh, it looks like I had initially passed that one over because it looked like just a bubble counter with built in check valve based on the name, but it's a glass bubble counter with a separate plastic check valve. Interesting. The problem is I already have a bubble counter/check on my regulator, so a second bubble counter feels crazy?

Now I'm torn. I did a little more digging and found this check valve from Dennerle, a brand I trust implicitly, that has exactly the connections I want and superb reviews. And it's strictly a check valve. But it's $30ead: However, the $10 copies have terrible reviews and people have explicitly called them poorly made knockoffs, so I guess I'm going with the Dennerle one. It's this guy: Dennerle CO2 Check Valve - Marine Depot

Hoping against all hope that this check valve and replacing the rhinox tube with jardli tubing will do the trick! Time to obsessively track some packages.