HAGEN FL MINI PRESSURIZED 20G CO2 KIT

I bought this as an introduction to co2 tanks after doing a ton of research on more expensive options. Here's what I've noticed: - Like other reviewers have stated, a check valve is a nice thing to add into this kit, just in case. I had no issues with water backing up but I can see how it would easily happen! - Also like other reviewers have stated, definitely tip the diffuser on its side when you're putting it into the tank for the first time, so all of the air comes out easily - Make sure the regulator valve is tight on the co2 cartridge. I struggled when I was trying to fill up the reservoir tanks for the first time because the regulator hadn't actually pierced the co2 cartridge yet, even though I thought I had tightened it pretty well. - It's pretty easy to open the valve way too far, which isn't a huge deal but you'll get a ton of glugging/big bubbles in your reservoirs as the water goes out/co2 goes which will disturb your substrate or fish. When the instructions say "fill both tanks with co2" you can tell this by how little water is left at the bottom of each little tank. I found it hard to know what to expect with this step so hopefully that helps anyone else feeling the same :) - Definitely do not pay for Fluvals 20g replacement cartridges. Get a multi pack of brewers cartridges. 16 and 20g cartridges typically have the same size of threading and i found 16g to be way easier to find cheaply and in bulk, and they fit in the little holder just fine! Other than the quality issues others have mentioned (I had no issues like that) I think this is a great, affordable little setup for a small tank!

The kit is very good, especially if your getting into learning how to properly administer co2 to your aquarium. The kit is needing a check-valve to be included with it. I read my instructions & set up my system on my aquarium, the next day when I added some co2 into the aquarium it shot out a high-pressured burst of co2, I thought that was strange, & then I noticed water droplets in the tube about 3 inches from the co2 valve. (I don't think the water traveled all the way to the metal parts, because of where the water droplets were showing inside the tubing ) This really stressed me out, because this can ruin the unit if water gets to the metal valve for the co2 release. I rushed to my local pet store and grabbed a airline check valve; which I found out the next day was defective (glad I noticed the water went right through-it, yet, to my relief, it still didn't make it to the co2 unit ), so I returned that defective one - and then went to another pet store (to purchase a completely different brand) and this time the one I purchased works well-It stops the water at it. I have the mini co2 canister setup 2 inches above the water line but the water still travels up the line. I read my instructions, yet I didn't notice anywhere in the instructions a recommendation for the product user to purchase a check valve. I was going to give the product 4 stars - because if I had not owned fish tanks previously I would not have known that a check valve is critical for any tubing going into an aquarium to prevent back syphoning, otherwise other than that, its a 5star item for the price and what you get with the kit in my opinion. (I think the kit, either needs to say in the instructions that the user should purchase a check valve, or that should be included in the kit) Also If the manufacturer ever read this by chance, I would recommend that a slight modification to the design of the chambers would be helpful. The kit includes two chambers that came linked together, or use single. I am only using one, and It would make a better product if the chambers separately had two vertically placed suction cups on each (instead of one) for better stability in the water( because I am using just one); It would affix better to the glass and if one did not like the look of that ~ I noticed the suction cups can be easily removed or reattached anyways for user preference. Thank you I am very happy with my first go at a co2 aquarium setup! Very fun product, and a simple set-up!

I bought this CO2 setup for my 5 gallon fluval spec v tank. Overall this setup is a good value. I didn't care much for the stock diffuser though, for a smaller tank it's way way too big. At the same time it wasnt raising the CO2 in my tank to the levels I wanted for my plants. So I upgraded with a fluval ceramic diffuser and fluval bubble counter and a check valve. So it's similar to the fluval 88g setup but less expensive overall. I like this setup a little bit more than the larger fluval setup for the simple fact that refill co2 cartridges are very inexpensive on amazon. Instead of using the fluval brand replacement co2 cartridges you can use basic 16g threaded CO2 cartridges that are barely more than $1 each shipped. At about 1 bubble per second, 1 cartridge of CO2 has been lasting me about 1-2 weeks with me running the CO2 for about 2-3 hours a day while I have my tank lights on. I feel this setup is great for someone like myself who's newer to having a planted tank. I think once I get more into it like most... I'll want to move to something with a bigger tank with a regulator that has an electronic solenoid. But for the time being this is really working well on my smaller tank and allowed me to experimenter with a CO2 system for a lesser price than going all out right away on a bigger system. Overall I'm giving this a 4/5 star because the stock diffuser is really lack luster in my opinion which is why I upgraded. At the same time this setup should come with a check valve and it doesn't. Daily water backs it's way up the hose to the regulator. With out a check valve it could cause a disastrous siphon and drain the tank and kill your fish + ruin w/e the water gets on. A check valve is so inexpensive I'm astounded that this kit didn't come with one. So to anyone buying I would suggest buying a package of check valves on amazon and adding one as an upgrade. I'm also dinging it by one star because the valve on the regulator for the CO2 I think could be a little nicer. You really have to really crank it down hard to get the system to shut off fully. End result is once you turn it off you've cranked it down so hard that when you turn it back on you have to exert so much force that you don't always succeed in turning it on slowly. So sometimes when you go to turn it back on you end up with a large pressure spike. I've had the pressure spike blow the hose off the diffuser before because it released too much pressure at once. So the valve control on the regulator is anything but "precise". But keeping it in perspective... this is a cheap kit. And it does work, and it does work well. So overall I would recommend this product to others like myself who are starting out, or who just have a smaller planted tank who don't want a larger paintball tank setup.

Worked great,,at first, use caution! for a nano planted tank as long as your willing to modify it some. The diffuser is way to big for any tank smaller than 10 gallons. I added the fluval disc diffuser, co2 check valve, glass bubble counter and, a co2 needle valve . I buy the moss 16 gram threaded co2 cartridges in a 30 pack which last on average 9 days a cartridge at a rate of 1 bubble every 3-4 seconds. System worked great for 2 months. Here is the problem with the design it relies on a piercing needle to puncture the top of the threaded cartridges which are pressurized co2. After 2 months the puncture needle seems to have dulled or deformed and when I now try to change out the cartridge it violently releases the pressurized co2 freezing the valve and anything in contact ,,like my hand!! First time I received a a freeze burn!! I later tried again with gloves on same result blew off diffuser and check valve, positive malfunction of piercing needle,, no way to service it or replace it!!... time to look for a better way to dose co2!! ..save money buy a vertical mount co2 gauge like the ista with a pin valve pressure dial control and paintball co2 tank,, lasts about 4 months a fill. Works way better in long run way less expensive and safer!!

This product gets a lot of smack talk here and I'd like to clear the waters a little bit, so to speak. I got this product for a 6 gal Fluval Edge, which I have on the low side of heavily planted. The high side of lightly planted? Doesn't matter. I wanted to increase the growth rates of my plants and research says that CO2 is a great way to do so. This product has been working so nicely for me for a few reasons. I didn't want to allocate the funds for the full meal deal CO2 injection with solinoids, giant tank, ceramic diffuser, check valves, back scratcher etc etc etc. Thus, though in a six gallon tank real-estate is a commodity, I liked the idea of a bell diffuser. And I'll be a monkey's uncle if it hasn't worked nicely. My plants pearl away now, DHG is spreading like cheat grass across the American West, and I've gone weeks off the original 20g cartridge. Injection is easy, fill the bell once or twice a day. I am pretty sure I'd be impossible to gas my tank with this set up. Short story, way super not fancy. Not elegant. Not small. But, super efficient in that 100% of the CO2 is gonna make it into the water eventually, it's got nowhere else to go. Very affordable. Beginner friendly. Its function is well worth the 20 some dollars you stand to lose. Five stars for what it is. Tip: I bought a corner bell diffuser made by ISTA on ebay for 8 bucks. Slightly smaller, not by much but a bit shorter which allowed it to fit where the stock diffuser couldn't, It's made it fit in a corner. Ebay search: "CO2 Diffuser Corner"

I'm using this for my 15 gallon planted aquarium, I've had it in use for about a month now. For the most part, it's a nice set up, my plants have grown far more quicker since I installed it. The only problem I have with this, is the regulator valve. This hasn't started happening until recently, but sometimes it'll just stop randomly. I'm not sure what exactly the problem is, I'm assuming the valve is getting a bit worn out? Not sure, but I find myself adjusting it constantly. Which can be bad, seeming as CO2 levels are jumping up and down, meaning the pH is also unstable. Sometimes I'll try to close the valve just a little bit so only enough CO2 can go into the tank, and it'll usually just stop over an hour or so, I'll then turn it up slightly, and then a jet stream of bubbles coming from the diffuser will appear. This regulator valve isn't the most truthworthy. As for the CO2 cylinders, I've been replacing them every 2 weeks or so, with about half a bubble per second. I realize this set up should only be used for tanks that are 10 gallons or less. The bracket that carries the CO2 cylinder doesn't fit on the brace of my 15 gallon. Overall, good product. If you want to use CO2 for a 15 gallon tank or larger, buy the Fluval 88g CO2 set up. I'm not degrading this product because of my tank size, but I don't recommend this product for any tank larger than a 10 gallon. Even though it says it's for aquariums up to 15 gallons. This is an easy and cheap CO2 set up. I would say it's worth the price. If you do have a lot of money though, I'd say you're better off buying a big 5 lb. cylinder, and you won't have to refill it for a long time.

I bought this setup for a Fluval Spec 5, a five-gallon nano tank, to try my hand at using CO2 for plants. If you read and follow the directions, this product works exactly as expected. I use mine with a drop checker and fill the diffusers once or twice a day and the checker stays in the green range. I have been using the same 20g cartridge for over 2 months and it has only just run out. You do not need to purchase the expensive Fluval-brand 20g cartridges, you can use any generic one at around $2/each. I bought a six-pack of Genuine Innovations 20g cartridges and they fit perfectly. This product is not meant to bubble, or be used with a bubbling diffuser or a bubble counter. If it's "blurping" at you, check the seals. There are two little "nipples," one on the front of each section, that should be covered with silicone caps. You can also seal them permanently with a little aquarium sealant. The knob on the regulator requires a very gentle touch, so you might need to work on your technique a bit when you first open the valve. Yes, it's cheap. Yes, it can break. But what did you want for $15? Glue the plastic back together if it breaks and move on. If you want to dip your toes into using CO2 on your plants, this is a fantastic intro product.

I ordered three of these sets on sale here for under $13 a pop, and so far, I think that they work really well for what they are at an extraordinary price. This is not a pressurized system, it’s passive C02. A bubble counter and different diffuser won’t work well with it. Just fill the diffuser with aquarium water when you put it in, keep the provided diffuser low in your tank, fill the chambers once or twice a day when you have plenty of light and let the pressure of the water do its work dispersing it. Only attach one chamber for a five gallon, both chambers for anything up to a 15 gallon tank. No, the diffuser is not elegant, but I can already tell that my plants are responding after a couple of days of use. I’m guessing that the diffuser will soon be well-covered by plant growth, so I’m not concerned with its lack of beauty. In addition, I like the safety of this system. It’s a safe system of dispersal that won’t leave your fish gasping for oxygen. That makes it perfect for beginners who are willing to learn to use it as intended. I do recommend buying generic threaded replacement C02 cartridges for cheaper than what Fluval charges for their brand, but those are available all over Amazon. All in all, so far, so good.

A la premierebbe utilisation impossible de refermer la vanne sans un jeux de clefs. Les bouteilles se vident en deux temps trois mouvements!!! Heureusement pas trop onéreux. Mais mieux vaut garder sons argent.....

working awesome plants r growing so fast I just love this CO2

Ich hatte schon ein anderes Gerät einer anderen Firma und war für meine 10-20 l-Becken damit sehr zufrieden. Für ein 10 l-Becken reicht eine Blase pro Minute... im großen Becken habe ich natürlich etwas Professionelles mit Nachtabschaltung. Jedoch halte ich nichts von diesem Vorratsbehälter, ich habe also eine sog. Paffrathschale - nach demselben Prinzip - angeschlossen, die kann man sich leicht selber bauen, Anleitungen gibt es reichlich im Internet. Eine kleine Plastikdose aus der Apotheke, ein Plastik-Rücklaufventil, bisschen rechnen können und etwas Silikon. Gerne Email für konkretere Links. Die Kartuschen mit 16g bekommt man im Netz/hier bei Amazon unter 1 EUR/Stck. Der Vorratsbehälter hat jedoch den Vorteil, dass, wenn er tagsüber leer wird, nachts kein CO2 einspeist... Mit dieser Methode lässt sich das Produkt gut einstellen und ich bin sehr zufrieden. Außerdem sieht es stylish aus und kann es durchaus mit dem ähnlichen Dennerle-Produkt aufnehmen. (Das viel mehr kostet, die Kartuschen mit 80g sind unmöglich teuer, usw.) Für ein kleines Becken und für die, die die Bio-Methode scheuen: Absolut empfehlenswert! Werde gleich ein zweites bestellen - für ein Mini-Becken mit Mini-Seerose.

If used with the supplied diffuser it works really well, it is not designed to be used with a small bubble diffuser as it is difficult to control the output but it's around £20 so cannot expect this. The diffuser is quite large but mine is in 35ltr tank behind plants and I only fill once a day, my co2 levels are at optimum level and anubias are growing really well.Overall great for a small tank, if you want a bubble diffuser or have a larger tank I would go for the Fluval 88g.

The fluval mini co2 set works very well! I received it well before the expected date. Some people don't like the large diffuser that comes with it, but I don't mind it as i can partially hide it behind my plants. Seems to be working as expected. The only thing about this unit is that the Co2 cartridges can be costly in the long run but I don't plan on running it all the time. FYI it says it clips onto the side of your tank, I have a 20G tank and the clip for the co2 cartridge is for a small thin rimmed/rimless tank. other wise I hang it with a suction cup on the outside and it's perfectly fine. I would seriously recommend this for anyone with a 20G or smaller tank.