8 Tips and “Must Knows” for your CO2 Regulator and Cylinder!

  1. Don’t just remove your CO2 regulator when it’s time to refill. Before you remove it from the cylinder, make sure that you relieve the working pressure from the low pressure gauge. This prevents future damage to the low pressure gauge when you re-install the regulator onto the cylinder.
  2. Vent your CO2 cylinder for 1 to 2 seconds after you fill or refill it, before installing any components to the cylinder. This removes any debris that may be lodged in the cylinder valve. Preventing debris from entering the solenoid of your CO2 regulator and prolonging the life of your CO2 equipment.
  3. After you fill or refill your CO2 cylinder, make sure the cylinder reaches ambient room temperature before re-installing your CO2 regulator. This ensures that the pressure in the cylinder has equalized so that your regulator can take accurate pressure readings.
  4. Don’t forget to put your seal between the cylinder valve and regulator. When using a permaseal, hand-tighten only, a wrench is usually not required and may damage the permaseal if used.
  5. When you are ready to install your regulator to the cylinder make the connection as tight as possible. Use a crescent wrench or CO2 wrench to ensure maximum tightness, so there are no leaks or loss of CO2.
  6. Never over-tighten the bubble counter on your CO2 regulator. Doing so may damage the components that protect your regulator from contamination, or cause the bubble counter to break off.
  7. Don’t forget to use a check valve. To protect your CO2 equipment, install a check valve in your CO2 tubing, close the the aquarium but not in it. This prevents water from creeping out of the aquarium through your tubing, and towards your regulator.
  8. Last of all, if you ever have any questions or problems with your CO2 regulator ALWAYS contact us. Never attempt to diagnose or repair your regulator without prior consultation.

Still a little fuzzy when it comes to the drop checker!?

When using a drop checker in your aquarium, you should know what the color of the indicator solution means for the CO2 levels in your aquarium. Accurate color observations can be made approximately 2 hours after initial placement of the drop checker in your tank.

BLUE —> too little CO2 or low CO2 levels —> increase the rate of CO2

GREEN —> proper CO2 levels —> no action needed

YELLOW —> too much CO2 or high CO2 levels —> decrease the rate of CO2

New Elos Test Kits – pH, GH, and KH

Check out our newest Elos Aqua Test kits, pH, GH, and KH, all made specifically for freshwater aquariums. For under $20, each kit offers more than 50+ precise tests, is batch validated using NSIT samples, and features aquarium “safe reagents”.

You should never have to guesstimate your water parameters. Regular use of pH and alkalinity test kits is the only way to spot trends and problems that need to be immediately addressed. Significant pH changes can be fatal, and can be prevented with stable alkalinity (also affected by GH & KH).

The Elos precise colorimetric pH kit measures a usable pH range of 5.8 – 8.3, specifically designed for freshwater aquariums. Additionally, the Elos pH kit features a color chart calibrated with RealColor technology for accuracy and ease of use.

GH (General Hardness) and KH (Carbonate Hardness)test kits measure dissolved mineral content in your water. Use GH and KH test kits to determine how hard your tap water is. Proper hardness creates the appropriate environment for your aquarium life, and affects pH stability.

Where do you get your aquarium Inspiration?

As planted tank hobbyists, we are always looking for aquascaping inspiration. Sometimes this inspiration comes when we are least expecting it, and sometimes it comes from the most obvious of sources, nature itself. During some of our most recent canoe trips in Florida, we found a wealth of natural inspiration. Excellent, vivid ideas and aquascapes for our planted tanks. We would like to share some of it with you.

In an effort to organize canoe trips with our friends and future friends, we occasionally post trip announcements on our forum (Aquatic Plant Enthusiasts). Please let us know if you are interested in joining or organizing an outdoor adventure, such as canoeing or kayaking. Wherever you may live, we would love to get to know you.

Help inspire other hobbyists by emailing us a photo and/or description of what inspired your planted aquarium. Also, make sure to include a pic of your aquarium too (if you want to, of course). Just reply to this email or send to news@greenleafaquariums.com. We will feature all of your inspirations and photos in one of our future newsletters.

Time for a Refill?

Don’t just remove your CO2 regulator when it’s time to refill. Be cautious, before you remove it from the cylinder, make sure that you relieve the working pressure from the low pressure guage. This measure prevents future damage to the low pressure guage when you reinstall the regulator onto the cylinder. Watch our video to help you learn how to properly remove your CO2 regulator.

Awesome Aquariums at a Lower Price

In an effort to meet our customer’s needs, we lowered the prices of all of our rimless aquariums. These aquariums are custom manufactured for GLA, featuring design simplicity, high glass clarity, and strength. Our rimless aquariums are built with a specially formulated German-made silicone that bonds the glass together with extreme durability and clarity. Our current aquarium selection features tanks of various shapes and sizes, from nano 7 gallon tanks to larger 48 gallon tanks. Coming soon, we will also have three new aquariums, including a stunning 60 gallon cube tank, dimensions 24x24x24 inches. We recently acquired a demo model, and it is awesome! In addition, we will have a 65 gallon / 48x18x18in tank and a 40 gallon / 30x18x18in tank. Check back with us soon to see when these tanks will be available for sale.

Everything Nano!

Visit our website to shop our newest selection of nano aquarium products. We have made things easier on the nano enthusiast by providing you with a dedicated selection of nano aquariums, glassware, tools to fit, CO2 equipment, and complete CO2 systems.

The newest nano product release is the Pierce CO2 System for $69.99, which includes a micro CO2 regulator, disposable CO2 cartridge with stand, bubble counter, check valve, and CO2 diffuser.

New BorneoWild Tools – Going Fast

We have increased our selection of BorneoWild aquascaping tools. This is very exciting. The BorneoWild tools are beautiful and carefully crafted to be a professional, long-lasting aquarium tool. Our complete selection of BorneoWild tools is made of high-quality, surgical grade stainless steel, perfect for planting and timming diverse aquatic plants.

Check out the newest BorneoWild wave cutters, spring cutters, razor, substrate flattener, scissors, and pincettes. Also, make sure to read our latest blog about trimming foreground plants with less effort with the new BorneoWild Wave Cutter.