Losing Bubble Count

[SLIM]

My bubble counter keeps dropping off/slowing down. Over the last few of days iv been constantly turning up my needle valve to achieve the bubble count I want, but then it just slowly slows down again over a period of a few hours. Iv checked for leaks and cant find none, gauge on reg is reading full, altho it prob doesnt have much more left. Could this be the end of the cylinder or would the gauge reflect this? I would of thought so.
Debaiting whether to change cylinders or whether its another underlined problem.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It sounds like a pressure issue... how long has this tank been used?
 
 
It could be a stuck gauge giving you a misreading.  Never trust instrumentation alone.  Do you have another gauge you could double check it with?

 

[SLIM]

The FE has been in use for 3 months, its a 5kg and has been running at approx 4-5bps.
Reg is only 3 months old too and dont have another gauge to check.
Il change the FE see if that makes a difference.

 

[levahe]

What diffuser are you using? Could be blocked and needs cleaning/replacing. Also could be a faulty check valve?

 

[SLIM]

Well changed the fe. The needle did drop when I took the reg off. However now the new fe is plumbed up the needle valve has become sensitive again. I guess time will tell if low pressure was the problem.

What diffuser are you using? Could be blocked and needs cleaning/replacing. Also could be a faulty check valve?

Inline atomizer. I did think of this but that doesnt explain why the pressure drops off over a matter of hours. If it was blocked I wouldnt be able to turn the bubble count up at all.
Iv check the check valves too

 

[Zikofski]

do you have two? gauge regulator? as when my last bottle ran out, the first gauge was empty, 0 pressure but my second gauge still had like 2 bar pressure, this confused me but i got my head around the reasoning behind this but makes sense to my now could this be the same?

 

[SLIM]

Yes I have 2 gauges but neither had moved. Strange. One was showing at 3bar, which is what I have my inline set at, and the second was the cylinder pressure which was showing as full. Time will tell.

 

[SLIM]

Maybe when your bps is as high as mine it becomes unstable when the clyinder is only 1/2 or 3/4 full.
Thats the only explination I can come up with.

 

[SLIM]

Well im happy to report that since changing my FE for a fresh full new one, my bubble count/pressure hasnt dropped off and has remain consistant once again. My theory above must be correct. Which means 5kg of co2 only lasts me 3 months
Oh well least its problem solved

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Ouch... that's going to be expensive.

 

[SLIM]

Ouch... that's going to be expensive.

I know tell me about it. Serves me right I suppose for having such a big tank with bright light lol

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Well, it's certainly a lovely tank though.

 

[KirkyArcher]

Hey SLIM did you ever read my thread about Fire equipment companies http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421463-co2-fire-extinguisher-decommissioning/ really worth a try I would say!

 

[SLIM]

Hey SLIM did you ever read my thread about Fire equipment companies http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/421463-co2-fire-extinguisher-decommissioning/ really worth a try I would say!

I did. Sounds very promising. I just wouldnt have a clue where to find my local "FE decommissioning centre"

 

[KirkyArcher]

There's a website called "Google" if you type in "fire and safety equipment" and then your hometown or county you'll get a list of local companies
Joking aside free or perhaps just considerably cheaper Co2 is worth the effort of looking up these companies and making a few calls, I think I'd still be mixing up yeast and sugar if I had to face paying full whack prices even with FE Co2 systems