Bits and pieces pressured co2

[lunch]

Did a bit of lfs stalking on the weekend searching for pressured co2 setups, wasn't very much tbh but the 2 I did find were an 'Aqua one nano' all in 1 kit at $100 average that included a regulator, a disposable 95g bottle with stand, defuser, co2 tester and some hose, now the replacement bottles were $35 on eBay so I imagine they would be around $50 in a store ( I prefer not to buy online ), the other option I found was an old manky kit for $260 that had been sitting so long the plastic packaging had turned yellow, had basically the same as the nano kit, just bigger and no bottle, lfs guy told me if I bought it and the solenoid ($45) hanging next to it, he'd sell me the kit for $200 bringing the total to $245, he then told me to go round the corner and speak to the guy in the home brew store regarding bottled co2, the cheapest option he gave me was $310 to buy my own bottle ( bout the size of a football ) and it would only cost me $30 to refill, giving the size of the bottle, I doubt I'd be refilling it very often..

So last night ( after setting up a diy co2 for the cost of the yeast ) I was looking at my options if I was to go pressurised
$100 for a nano kit with $50 probably pretty regular replacment bottles
$555 for a big kit with $30 probably every 2 years to refill
When I looked in the pantry and a possible answer was looking back at me in the form of a soda stream machine, powered by ( of corse ) a 600g co2 bottle that costs $19 to refill, surely all I need now is an adaptor, a regulator and a solenoid?

Is that as simple as it is?
Can it really be that cheap or am I missing something?

 

[Ruutah]

Look into a paintball Co2 tank. 20oz tank used will run you ~20 off of CL, or if you've got friends that used to play, they've probably got one hanging out in a closet somewhere. Even new, you're not talking much more. Heck for that matter, go post a WTB ad on somewhere like PBNation (younger crowd) or Mcarterbrown (older crowd of pump players), for a tank,and remote line. It would probably require a few paintball regulators to bring the pressure down to aquarium levels.

If you go the Paintball tank route, make sure the bottle stays vertical, or has an anti-siphon tube installed. If there is a field nearby you can probably get it filled for 5-10$. Less if they have a multi-fill option.

Hmmmm Now you've got me thinking about the next time I make a trip home.... Gee thanks.

 

[Ruutah]

And speak of the devil.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f25/20oz-co2-paintball-tank-with-on-off-switch-349401.html

25$ obo for a tank with an on/off from a fellow forum member.

 

[lunch]

Looks great, I'm in Australia though
I do have a paintball place about 20 minutes from me, might swing past this weekend and ask a few q's, thanks man

 

[Ruutah]

No worries sir!

If it's a place that's been up and running for awhile you might ask the field owner if they've got an old 20oz tank they'll sell you. They seem to multiply mysteriously, I didn't even use co2 in my markers (used nitrogen) yet I've got half a dozen in storage back home.