Help Buying My CO2 Tank?

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

Steveo McNello

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Dec 30, 2010
2,009
2
53
SW Burbs of Chicago
I have a 125 gallon that I'm starting CO2 on. I have heard I need a 10 pound tank. I know they make 15's and 20's, so...

1) Does anyone else have an opinion on the tank size I need?

2) Where can I get it for the best price?

3) How many months do you think it will last?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Milwaukee-MA957...982?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45e705d6c6
4) ^^^Will this fit on most bottles?

5) Do I need to provide anything else?
 
1) As big as you can lift/fit/afford. I'd go no smaller than a 20lb for a tank that size.

2) craigslist. Buy used, no reason to get it new. Most places end up swapping them out anyways. So you buy a shiny new tank, and get an old rusted one in return.

3) Too diffcult to say. Depends on how much you inject, and how efficient your diffusor is. Should be several months, maybe even close to a year.

4) All standard co2 tanks and regulator use the CGA-320 thread, so yes it will fit, as long as as the tank was used for co2.
 
You never let me down Jose lol. There aren't any 20 pounders on craigslist currently, and the ones on Ebay are expensive before the 40+ in shipping.
 
check locally. i found a kitchen equipment supplier that also has keg supplies. they sell filled 5 and 10lb tanks that are the price of tanks on ebay that are empty and still have to add shipping charges
 
I checked my local fire department supply place and they only sell co2 extinguishers. I called some welding places and their prices are higher than ebay. Beverage places only sell 5 pounders... errghh. I'll check out the website though.

Anybody want to sell me one? lol
 
There's nothing wrong with buying a couple of 5#ers. You'll have a spare bottle to run on the tank after the first one runs dry. I started with a couple of 5#ers and worked my way up to a couple of 20#ers after a couple of years scouring yard sales, going out of business sales, ect.. A little patience is all it takes - when funds are low.
 
But the problem is, two 5 pounders is more than a 20 wherever I look. The prices get high and stay pretty narrow.
 
Steveo McNello;4873515; said:
But the problem is, two 5 pounders is more than a 20 wherever I look. The prices get high and stay pretty narrow.

Have you done a search for CO2 suppliers in you area? I've looked and there's a lot around Chicago. The price may seem steep for the initial purchase of the bottle but the money can be recouped when you upgrade to a larger bottle in the future. I started out with an old 5 pounder that I purchased for $10.00 at a garage sale. I exchanged the old empty + $16.00 at a local weld supply store for a filled bottle. I used that 1 bottle on my first setup while I was on the lookout for more cheap bottles. You gotta start somewhere.:D
 
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