Getting co2 tank filled

[magsdez]

Hello. New to the forum and need some help. I live in Owings, Calvert County, and am trying to find someplace to fill a 5lbs CO2 canister. I've checked the only paintball site I know of and there was some difficulty in trying to fill it. I was wondering if anyone knows another location I might try. My bf and I have been trying to get this system set up for months, but between one thing and another, it's not been working out well. This is the last stage. Also, anyone know anything about running the co2 line through a filter? We have 2 fluval 205's for a 75gal tank and he read on another site that you get better saturation by running it through the filter. Any thoughts on that?

Thank you for all your advice and help and hope to be able to attend the June meeting (previous event scheduled for may)!

[krisw]

Welcome to the club Bridget! Robert's Oxygen in Annapolis should be able to fill your tank up. 5lbs on a 75G should last 6-12 months, so hopefully that would only need to be an occasional drive up that way.

I bubble my CO2 directly into the filter by running the CO2 line into the strainer on the intake of the filter. Some filters are better at handling this than others. Eheims are well-known for take a significant amount of CO2 without airlocking (that is when too much air goes in, and stalls the pump). Fluval's don't have the best reputation about airlocking, but it never hurts to try it.

If you can't bubble directly into the filter, you still have a number of options, with the easiest being a glass/ceramic diffuser that you would put in a well circulated area of your tank so that the tiny CO2 bubbles get blown around. Directly under and in front of your filter outtake would be a good place.

I hope this helps!

[magsdez]

Thank Krisw. I'm familar with Robert's from my yrs as a vet tech. I didn't know they had a walk in store! Nice. My bf has run the CO2 line just as you describe, so well see how it works.

Thank you again.

[krisw]

Glad to help! Be sure to report back how it works for you! Good luck!