Super po'd NEVER buy an aquatek!!!!! also terrible BBA timing Need Help!!!

[Ryanman]

Hey all! SO this is the situation....... I have a 15 gallon bowfront lighted with a finnex led. I inject CO2 with an aquatek regulator I purchased about a year ago with a paintball canister adapter. About a month ago I purchased a second 24oz CO2 canister and filled them both (as my old one had gone empty). when I screwed in the canister (my old one so I know it worked) it shot CO2 out of the bottom seal (right above the part that screws) and gave me mild frostbite. I was angry at the time but I put a band aide on a gunshot wound and taped the whole regulator with Teflon (the outside NOT the threads). This slowed the leak to a trickle and the can lasted about a month, which is great. Tonight I noticed a couple spots of BBA, which I have never in 2 years even seen a spec of. To be clear the amount of CO2 in my system was still consistent, the lighting has not changed, ferts have not changed ect. This tank was balanced. THEN.... tonight I noticed my can was pretty much empty so I screwed in the second CO2 can and sure enough the next seal up from the original failure burst.... I taped it up and its still leaking a small amount but I figure it will last no more then a week. What should I do?
In the tank I have....
2 scarlet badis
5 neons
5 CPD
1 CPO
2 amano
3 Ottos
3 or so RCS
many many species of both common and rare plants.

If I take all of the plants out and start over the fish will likely stress out from the open space and either kill each other or just succumb. Not to mention I LOVE my plants. What should I do? I will post pics tomorrow as the timer for the CO2 and the lights has gone out for the night. I know I can treat with H2O2 as well but I'm concerned about my plants/shrimp.

Thanks in advance you guys rock. Sorry to vent but I'm very frustrated.

Ryan

 

[ImACoolguy]

Could it by chance be the O-ring causing a seal problem?

I've used one of these with a paintball adapter on and off since January. Only once have I had a spill problem like this, I forgot the O-Ring around the co2 bottle lip causing it to spray on me and everything else.


Caleb

 

[Ryanman]

Could it by chance be the O-ring causing a seal problem?

I've used one of these with a paintball adapter on and off since January. Only once have I had a spill problem like this, I forgot the O-Ring around the co2 bottle lip causing it to spray on me and everything else.


Caleb

Thanks! but yes I checked this =(. Actually I have a pack of them and replaced the o rings on both tanks. Also, both seals have blown. hard to explain without a pic. I will post one tomorrow but its the first gap that the nut spins on and the one right above that where the bottom of the solenoid is. I hope I just got a lemon and others don't have to deal with this BS because it is so expensive. Maybe if i call the company they will stand by their product and send me another....

Appreciate the idea!
Ryan

 

[Brookster123]

Sounds like operator error, o rings need to be replaced regularly. Did you screw the adapter on first than tank? There is a little piss valve on the adapter. You have to screw the tank in semi quickly. If it will not seal at all you may have cross threaded the adapter. Try buying a new one. As for the alage. Yah when co2 runs out and lighting stays the same it can spell trouble. Just leave the lights on a few hours til you get co2 squared and hit the bba with h202 a few days in a row.

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[Mebbid]

Need pics to really understand what happened.

 

[Ryanman]

Sounds like operator error, o rings need to be replaced regularly. Did you screw the adapter on first than tank? There is a little piss valve on the adapter. You have to screw the tank in semi quickly. If it will not seal at all you may have cross threaded the adapter. Try buying a new one. As for the alage. Yah when co2 runs out and lighting stays the same it can spell trouble. Just leave the lights on a few hours til you get co2 squared and hit the bba with h202 a few days in a row.

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If you read what I posted I said I replaced the o ring.. As a matter of fact my words were that I have a PACK of o rings. Thanks for the advise however I have been regularly replacing them. once again, the leak is from 2 seals that are not accessible. I will be posting pics in a couple of min to clarify but it is most def not user error. Also If you read up I am still injecting the same amount of CO2, its just leaking like mad from the regulator itself. The bubble counter on the line PAST the leak still reads about 3 to 4 per second. So that proves there is no correlation between the bba and faulty regulator, I was just looking for advise for both because of the terrible timing. I know with no CO2 the bba will go rampant. I will try buying another adapter, but please read before you blame the operator. thank you for your time though I really do appreciate the advise.
Ryan

 

[Ryanman]

Need pics to really understand what happened.

Understood, I don't want to take the roll of teflon and half roll of electrical tape that is sealing it right now off but here is a stock photo pointing to the leak locations. If you say it will help I will take a video of me unwrapping tape and pointing the exact leak locations but it will leave me **** outta luck for CO2 the next week or so. Thanks again
Ryan

EDIT: Tomorrow after work and school I will post a video if I have time. But I don't think there is anything I can do at this point besides buy another regulator anyway. Just to tired and frustrated to do it tonight.

 

[ImACoolguy]

Coming out up there sounds like a sealing problem in the regulator itself. Could just be you are the unlucky owner of a defective product.


Caleb

 

[Fresh2o]

The last time I changed a tank I experienced a leak. I am using an Aquatek Premium + PB adaptor + 24 oz PB tank. It was at the lower arrow in the "Here" area in the pic you provided. I removed the tank and tightened the adaptor. That did not help. I loosened the adaptor and tightened nut to the stem (the nut that connects to the adaptor). That did the trick. No Teflon tape involved. I am guessing that the few times I've changed tanks (~6 times) caused the parts to loosen.
Hope this helps.


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[Brookster123]

If you read what I posted I said I replaced the o ring.. As a matter of fact my words were that I have a PACK of o rings. Thanks for the advise however I have been regularly replacing them. once again, the leak is from 2 seals that are not accessible. I will be posting pics in a couple of min to clarify but it is most def not user error. Also If you read up I am still injecting the same amount of CO2, its just leaking like mad from the regulator itself. The bubble counter on the line PAST the leak still reads about 3 to 4 per second. So that proves there is no correlation between the bba and faulty regulator, I was just looking for advise for both because of the terrible timing. I know with no CO2 the bba will go rampant. I will try buying another adapter, but please read before you blame the operator. thank you for your time though I really do appreciate the advise.
Ryan

I did read you post. There are multiple o rings involved. Not sure if you changed all?? I've caused leaks in my aquatek too, whenever a tank is swapped it's best to replace orings, Teflon tape as well. I use medium (non permanent) thread lock. I had a reoccurring leak that was driving me mad. Seemed to be in the same region as yours. They're cheap regulators, kind of get what you pay for i guess. I use 2, have been for a while and they're working just fine. Need a little.extra attention is all. The bba... even a few days of flux in a well established system can send it completely out of whack.
Appologies if my post came off as harsh. I have little patience for people who fail a product and than claim in a public forum that the product failed them.. if something has been working just fine for a year and fails after human intervention chances are it's operator error, which is fine, I break crap all the time, just gotta take the time to fix it often time an email to the manufacturer will get you the help you need.

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