Co2 - Help Needed

[Aviici]

Hello all, hopefully someone can share some valuable wisdom here regarding Co2, as I'm a complete novice with almost everything to do with it!
 
I went down to my LFS today to look at the Co2 systems they had, stood there for about 10 minutes pretending to know what I was looking for. I'm changing my tank to a low lit, densely planted species tank for the Channa I'll be getting in around 2-3 months. Before their arrival I'd like to have a healthy amount of plants in the tank, combining floating plants for shelter, and some dense plants for hiding.
 
What exactly do I need to buy? What brands should I look out for? What are some common mistakes that I can avoid when setting it up, and running it?
 
I've got some plants in there at the moment (Java Moss, Anubius, Swords, Crypts, vallis, Hygro, Cabomba, Hornwort, Elodea) and the tank was formerly a community set up and so the planting is low density, low-tech, with the standard T8 lights on my Fluval Roma 200. i dose ferts daily at the moment, and have the lights on for approx 7hours 30mins a day.
 
 

 

[SLIM]

Would you be interested building the kit yourself using a co2 fire extinguisher? You will save ££££ and to be honest its what most people do now days. If you are let me know and il talk you through the process stage by stage

 

[This Old Spouse]

Would you be interested building the kit yourself using a co2 fire extinguisher? You will save ££££ and to be honest its what most people do now days. If you are let me know and il talk you through the process stage by stage

 
I'd love to see you put this in a pinned thread! Everything I've read up until now scares the pants off me about using a fire extinguisher, but I know there's got to be a good way to do it. Right?

 

[Aviici]

I wouldn't feel confident constructing one myself, and I'd want to have complete control along with a manual to refer to if anything ever goes wrong with it. Thanks for the suggestion though, but I'd rather just have one of the "off the shelf" ones so to speak; what brands would you recomend? Also what components do I need? (basically the above questions). Sorry to be a pain.

 

[Zikofski]

okay i posted this post in another thread like this maybe it will be usefull i am using a Co2 FE

perfectly safe and simple to use, all you need is a
 
FE (Fire Extinguisher) Regulator with Solenoid
Tubing
Bubble Counter - to count the bubbles
Diffuser to get the bubbles into the tank water
Drop Checker - this is to check you are not putting to much or to little Co2 into the tank, Green is good, yellow is to much and Blue is to little co2 you will also need
 
4 dKH Solution & Bromo Blue to put into the Drop Checker need any more help just ask or PM i don't mind
 
hope this helps
 
see this post http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/416427-co2-system/
 
for the full run down
 
i would if money not a problem i would recommend not getting the soda bottle method and the co2 is gona be unstable and fluctuating which will cause lots of algae

 

[Aviici]

Would this be recommended? It's a full kit and the description seems convincing...even though I don't even know if it's good or bad LOL.
http/www.thegreenmachineonline.com/products/aquatics/co2-system/co2-kits-and-bottles/tgm-complete-co2-kithttp/www.thegreenmachineonline.com/products/aquatics/co2-system/co2-kits-and-bottles/tgm-complete-co2-kit

 

[SLIM]

Would you be interested building the kit yourself using a co2 fire extinguisher? You will save ££££ and to be honest its what most people do now days. If you are let me know and il talk you through the process stage by stage

 
I'd love to see you put this in a pinned thread! Everything I've read up until now scares the pants off me about using a fire extinguisher, but I know there's got to be a good way to do it. Right?

Definately! It is very safe to do. I was actually thinking about writing some kind of artical on the subject, breaking down each stage bit by bit to help people very new to plants and co2. I will put something together and shall let you know when im done

 

[Shelster]

Sounds good SLIM

 

[SLIM]

Sounds good SLIM

I shall let you know too

 

[irodri25]

arent regulators with solenoid really expensive??