Pressurized CO2 Solenoid

[fisch]

For those of you with pressurized co2 systems; do you have your solenoid attached to a timer or pH meter?
I have not had a pressurized set up in a while. When I did I had my solenoid hooked up to a pH meter for shutoff at a set pH level. Doing some quick searches around the web it seems like a lot of people just have their solenoid on a timer to coincide with their lights.
Just curious as to how and why people have their setups.

 

[Ruadh]

I used to have mine set up on the timer, then the solenoid stuck open so I just left the co2 on all the time. Running about 3 years now, maintaining 30 ppm with no troubles and no more pH swing either.

 

[mgamer20o0]

no you dont have to run it on a timer or ph meter but you do have to have to plugged in. if power is getting to it co2 will be on.

 

[fisch]

no you dont have to run it on a timer or ph meter but you do have to have to plugged in. if power is getting to it co2 will be on.

Might as well not have a solenoid in that case.

Once I have my co2 flow rate set is there any risk of just keeping it on a timer with the lights?

 

[mgamer20o0]

no. i have one thats plugged in that stays on all the time and another one thats plug into the timer with the lights. some people say you should have it plugged into its own timer so it goes on and off a hour before the lights turn on and off. this way the co2 is up before the plants start to use it. i was just to lazy to deal with 2 timers.

 

[fisch]

no. i have one thats plugged in that stays on all the time and another one thats plug into the timer with the lights. some people say you should have it plugged into its own timer so it goes on and off a hour before the lights turn on and off. this way the co2 is up before the plants start to use it. i was just to lazy to deal with 2 timers.

Is there any noticeable difference in pH or plant growth rates between those two setups?

 

[mgamer20o0]

one is feeding 6 tanks the other just one tank. plants dont use co2 up at night. the difference is with it on 24/7 its used up in half the time. i have a 10 pound tank on the 120 so it doesnt bother me at all.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Keep in mind that though you CAN run CO2 24/7 with no ill effect, its a waste.

Personally, I hate having to disconnect the tank and lug it to the welding shop for a refill. For this reason, I have it on a PH controller for optimal efficiency.

 

[mgamer20o0]

Personally, I hate having to disconnect the tank and lug it to the welding shop for a refill. For this reason, I have it on a PH controller for optimal efficiency.

one of the reasons why i have extra tanks lol

 

[7Enigma]

I have a timer on a small powerstrip that has the CO2 solenoid, my tank lights, and my powerhead diffuser. They go off and come on together. When I first got the pressurized system I did all sorts of timing things so the CO2 would go on 30min before the lights, and 30min after lights out thinking it would help with plant growth and algae issues. After a while (and with the 2 timers slowly getting out of sync) I just connected them all on the same timer and have had no problems in the last year.

I do not use a pH controller.