# CHEAPEST co2 paintball regulator ...



## Trickerie (May 10, 2012)

Are your tanks close to each other? You could use aquateks split reg and just frequently change out the paintball tank

http://www.amazon.com/AQUATEK-Regul...374&sr=1-3-catcorr&keywords=aquatek+regulator


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Get a really nice dual-stage regulator from here on TPT for $50, buy a $15 paintball adapter and you're all set.


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

somewhatshocked said:


> Get a really nice dual-stage regulator from here on TPT for $50, buy a $15 paintball adapter and you're all set.


do you have a link??

and i would love to use the above regulator but my tanks wont be close together for a while, not until i get a shrimp rack up and running so maybe in the future.... i just need something that is all in one i can just buy, screw on and go


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Yep. Hit up the Swap & Shop - the For Sale/Trade section. Or post a Want To Buy message in the WTB section. There are several sellers who can help you put together a great regulator for an affordable price.


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

ok sounds great, thanks for your help!


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

posted a thread in the WTB section, hopefully someone responds, i just dont have the cash flow to invest too much, ive managed to do my paintball setups for around 40$ but i just want an easier way.... its too risky and my on/off valves arent that great so far...


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## dubels (Jun 14, 2012)

I have seen people add paintball regulators to their DIY paintball setups. I was going to use a regulator from an autococker. Can be found cheap used.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

I would run lines from 1 or two regs to the other tanks. Buy a 5 or 10lb tank, reg, manifold and NV. Many people can help you get there. 

Paintball co2 is more expensive in many ways. It costs much more to fill paintball co2. A 5lb fill costs 12 dollars here and a 10lb was 16 last I filled. 

You don't need a dual stage reg, despite many many many people's constant insisting. Plenty of good single stage regs are out there. 

Getting the cheapest option often ends in frustration much like you have with these paintball setups. I really wish people would quit selling and recommending these "paintball ASA" setups.


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## oldpunk78 (Nov 1, 2008)

OverStocked said:


> Getting the cheapest option often ends in frustration much like you have with these paintball setups. I really wish people would quit selling and recommending these "paintball ASA" setups.


X2

They should be sold with a warning. Warning - Death or injury could result in improper or use or mishandling... (You are holding onto a small rocket with strip-able aluminum threads holding it together.)

You know what really gets me... The fact that those paintball adapters don't come with instructions. You could easily get frost bite from just had tightening the cga-320 side with out the washer installed.


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## idleivey (Feb 12, 2009)

I've been using an ASA and its a PITA to get it dialed in and can shift even after you do. Danger wise you should be fine as long as you don't use an atomizer or any type of diffusion that clamps down on the line. 

I've had mine blow three or so times (only while I've been messing with it) and worst case you lose your co2 and spray some water around. Now if I had an atomizer on there I would have cracked my tank easily.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

One doesn't _need_ a dual-stage regulator but it eliminates potential headaches like end of tank dump - which is very real. And for the price, I can't imagine not just getting dual-stage. The price difference is so minimal that it just makes sense. Kind of like spending a zillion bucks on a paintball system when you could get a 10lb system for a similar price.

For my last regulator purchase, I spent a whopping $102ish on the regulator, manifold, three needle valves, solenoid and shipping. 

Another thing about getting a full-size regulator… you won't have to buy a whole new rig when you decide to move up from a 20oz bottle to a 10lb cylinder.


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## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

somewhatshocked said:


> One doesn't _need_ a dual-stage regulator but it eliminates potential headaches like end of tank dump - which is very real.


I thought Paintball tanks didn't do that?


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

good information, thanks guys, i'm trying to vast my knowledge on bigger co2 setups, since i will one day have a larger fish room (already working my way up there with 9 tanks and 5 heavily planted setups) i need to learn rapidly.... i feel like i have a decent amount of knowledge but i need to learn all the details

as far as the paintball methods, i like to use them for smaller tanks, and it is cheap to build with a cylinder only about 50 ish bucks... but once i get a planted tank room setup i would like to get a regulator with a 6 way option to just have co2 tubing around the whole room hooked to maybe a 20lb tank..... where do you guys get your setups? is there a place that doesnt charge an arm and a leg for a complete all in one kit (minus the cylinder) ??


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

somewhatshocked said:


> For my last regulator purchase, I spent a whopping $102ish on the regulator, manifold, three needle valves, solenoid and shipping.


if i may ask, where did you find such a great buy?

i have searched and found a few good sources for cheaper larger co2 cylinders that are affordable but never have seen a complete package for this cheap, i would love more information since you seem quite experienced with pressurized setups...


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## freph (Apr 4, 2011)

oldpunk78 said:


> X2
> 
> They should be sold with a warning. Warning - Death or injury could result in improper or use or mishandling... (You are holding onto a small rocket with strip-able aluminum threads holding it together.)
> 
> You know what really gets me... The fact that those paintball adapters don't come with instructions. You could easily get frost bite from just had tightening the cga-320 side with out the washer installed.


X3...these things are seriously a concern.



ThatGuyWithTheFish said:


> I thought Paintball tanks didn't do that?


Not 100% sure on this. I run my paintball tanks all the way to 0 psi. Never had an issue with eotd. I do notice an increase in output pressure but it's only up to about +10 psi max. I just run my regs around 40-50 psi normally to compensate. Constant bubble rate throughout the life of the tank.


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

i do agree as well as far as concern, right on the 20 oz cylinder it says "this bottle can kill" there is enough pressure in these things that if something wrong happened to extent it would do some serious damage....


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Wasn't referencing paintball tanks since I'd already addressed why I thought it was a good idea to get a full scale regulator instead of something specifically for paintball.



ThatGuyWithTheFish said:


> I thought Paintball tanks didn't do that?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

Here on TPT. 

I already have CO2 cylinders. Just bought the regulator and post-body kit.



wetbizquit said:


> if i may ask, where did you find such a great buy?
> 
> i have searched and found a few good sources for cheaper larger co2 cylinders that are affordable but never have seen a complete package for this cheap, i would love more information since you seem quite experienced with pressurized setups...


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## oldpunk78 (Nov 1, 2008)

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=185676


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

thanks old punk, lol i was just looking at that setup.... mmmm but im also looking at aquatek since you can use that on regular cylinders as well as an adapter for co2 paintball tanks.. what do you guys think? i have 3 paintball setups already because my tanks are spread out all over the condo, but when i move in the next month or two i will have a primary location where most all my tanks will be and will want to use a large cylinder and splitter to supply 6 tanks or so with pressurized co2


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## oldpunk78 (Nov 1, 2008)

I don't know if the AquaTek will have enough psi to run that many tanks. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. (that was just a speculation...) 

I'm not going to tell you what to buy but I want to tell you probably the best way to do it. I would get a 20lb tank. Hook a regulator up to it that does roughly 50psi. Set up a manifold supplying each tank with an individual line. Place a needle valve and bubble counter at each tank. You might also want more than one solenoid but one is all you absolutely need. 

That's where things start to get expensive. Add up 6 needle valves to the tune of about $25 each for decent ones. Check valves, bubble counters for each tank... You're already at $200 and we haven't even added in the regulator, solenoid, manifold, tank, tubing...


At about $120, you can get a 6 needle valve AquaTek. (which is fine if you go glass/ceramic diffusion.)


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## wetbizquit (Jul 9, 2006)

oldpunk78 said:


> I don't know if the AquaTek will have enough psi to run that many tanks. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. (that was just a speculation...)
> 
> I'm not going to tell you what to buy but I want to tell you probably the best way to do it. I would get a 20lb tank. Hook a regulator up to it that does roughly 50psi. Set up a manifold supplying each tank with an individual line. Place a needle valve and bubble counter at each tank. You might also want more than one solenoid but one is all you absolutely need.
> 
> ...


yeah i was looking at the aquatek one buti thought you were saying not to get it??


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