7 Best Aquarium CO2 Regulators for CO2 System

If you own a fish tank, it’s important to always keep the CO2 levels in check, for your fish and most of all plants, to live a healthy life. This article will help you find out more about these devices, by listing the best products on the market.

Also, I cover other subjects, like how you can choose the best CO2 regulator; how you can install one in your fish tank; if it’s safe to use one and how do you know if a CO2 regulator works well.

Let’s start with the first item on our list called the Keg Regulator CO2:

1. Keg Regulator CO2

This being the first item on our list, we highly recommend it, for regulating your CO2 levels in the tank. What makes it a good choice?

First of all, it’s easy to install, which is always an aspect you need to consider, especially if you’re new to fish keeping. All you need to set it up, is an adjustable wrench. When installing it, place a washer between the lock-down nut and the aquarium. This will ensure a tight seal, and top notch performance.

You can adjust the pressure however you want, because the device is designed to offer a precise control over the output or working pressure. The lock ring that sits under the adjustment knob, can be locked quickly without the need to re-adjust anything, and will maintain a steady CO2 pressure in the process.

This device was manufactured from quality materials, to stand the toll of time and heavy use. It was constructed out of forged premium brass, together with all its connections. To ensure an even longer use, you should replace the washer from time to time.

2. Fzone Aquarium CO2 Regulator

The Fzone CO2 regulator is another great product, easily used by both beginner and experienced aquarium enthusiasts. It comes with a dual big gauge, making it easy to read your cylinder’s inner and working pressure.

Fzone Aquarium Co2 regulator has high precision at working at exact pressure levels, and it’s also simple to turn on and off the CO2 timer, because it works automatically as well. It comes with fine-tuning settings that allow an easy CO2 level set and timing.

A bubble counter is also added into the package. Using this and the regulator together, you can read the CO2 flow read easily. The bubble counter can also stop the water flow back into the bottle. Setting it up is quite simple, due to the whole set-up guide and tools included in the box.

Keep this in mind though: it only works with AC 11V power supply, and only with US standard side opening CGA320 interface bottles.

3. Aquarium CO2 Regulator with Solenoid 110V-Mini Dual Gauge

This is an all-in-one set-up, that will easily handle your fish tank. As you can see from its name, it comes with a dual gauge system, meaning that you can easily read the pressure levels and CO2 concentration.

It was designed with ease of use in mind. How? For instance, the pressure gate is easily adjustable, without the need of any technical knowledge. This way, you can ensure a steady and accurate CO2 flow inside your aquarium.

It was created to be long lasting, from durable materials and with quality craftsmanship. This is especially important, so the device can deliver precisely measured amounts of CO2 to your tank. It’s compatible with most types of high density tubes, used to inject your aquarium with CO2. Most CO2 atomizers and diffusers also work well with this product.

If you have a well-planted tank, you can be sure they will live longer, due to the effect of this CO2 regulator. Your plants metabolic rate will be increased, with the use of a good CO2 regulator.

4. Fzone Aquarium CO2 Regulator Mini

We already had another Fzone product on our list. Even so, we can’t leave this one out. Why? Simply because it stands among the best and most well-performing devices on the market.

As you can probably tell from its name, this Fzone regulator is a miniature version of the one that came before. That doesn’t mean however, that it’s any worse. Actually, if you possess a smaller tank, this one is even better to use alongside it.

Just like the bigger version, this one also comes with a high precision solenoid valve, that allows you to set exact CO2 levels in your tank. It also has a dual gauge, to help you see everything that goes around regarding pressure.

The materials used to manufacture this device are top quality, that will allow for a long period of use. I recommend this device, if you don’t have a huge tank, but you still need a CO2 regulator to use with it.

5. Fzone Aquarium CO2 Regulator Triple Stage

This is a triple stage Fzone CO2 regulator, designed for all sorts of personal aquariums. The size is considerably small, but still good for tanks of all sizes. It uses a 12V DC solenoid valve, that’s very silent and allows for a safe and more stable use of the device.

You get a bubble counter included in the box, with all the tools needed to set up the device. The bubble counter allows you to stop water backflow into the bottle. Reading the CO2 flow rate is directly done via the bubble counter.

What else do you get in the package? Besides the regulator itself, a paintball adapter and one seal ring will also be delivered. Basically, this is a whole package, that is ready for installation, as soon as it arrives.

Of course, the company adds a reliable warranty to the device as well, to make sure you as a client will get the needed help, if something goes sideways.

6. Aquatek CO2 Regulator Mini

Here’s another “pocket” device, useful for small fish tanks, and for those who only just started fish keeping. For beginner fish keepers, this device is a good choice. Why?

Mostly because of its set-up process. All you need to do to install it, is to connect the product to your tank with the paintball adapter. No other assembly is required on your part. Also, it’s compatible with most other CO2 atomizers and diffusers.

The CO2 paintball tank is added into the package, so you don’t have to buy it separately. This is a great bonus, because many products will leave the tank out, so you spend more on setting things up. The tank is shipped empty, due to safety concerns.

A dual gauge system is equipped onto the tank, to help you check pressure levels at all times. The left gauge measures the tank’s capacity, and the right gauge the output working pressure of the device. Because of its quality build, you can expect a long lived and efficient product, to help regulate CO2 levels in the tank.

7. Jardli Aquarium CO2 Regulator

The Jardli Aquarium CO2 Regulator is a great product, even if it’s the last item on our list. As I mentioned already, we’re talking about the 7 best CO2 regulators on the market, so be confident this is just as good as all the others that came before.

This is a mini CO2 regulator, designed for smaller fish tanks. It is made of pure aluminum and stainless steel, to ensure a durable and long-lasting use for it. It is fitted with a precision needle valve and locking mechanism, to adjust CO2 levels and output with maximum accuracy.

You can adjust the output or working pressure from 0 up to 70 psi to meet the needs of all types of fish tanks. It was mainly created for smaller tanks, but due to this feature, you can easily use it with big aquariums as well. It is compatible with full-sized CO2 tanks, disposable CO2 cartridges and paintball tanks.

Now that you know about these products, let’s see why you’d need a CO2 regulator in the first place.

Why You Need a CO2 Regulator?

The most important reason for installing a CO2 regulator, is to help out your plants that live inside the aquarium. As you probably already know, plants use CO2 for photosynthesize. This means that they have a dire need for CO2, which in most cases doesn’t appear too abundantly in a normal fish tank.

So, what can you do about this? A CO2 regulator can step in, and take care of the problem. However, keep in mind one thing: too much CO2 is bad for your tank. It can accelerate algae growth, and lead to other issues as well. Your fish could even die, because too much CO2 will displace the oxygen from the water, and leave your fish to suffocate. This is why a regulator is so important.

Of course, a regulator only makes sure your tank gets just the right amount of CO2. You also need an injector, which is included with many of the items I listed above in the article.

But knowing why a CO2 regulator is important is not enough. You should also have some knowledge about choosing the right one for your specific fish tank. After all, every aquarium is different. Something that might work with mine, might not work with yours. So, let’s see how you can choose the best regulator for your personal tank.

How to Choose a CO2 Regulator?

There are multiple factors that come into the choosing process. I’m going to tell you about some of these, to help you make the right decision in the end:

First of all, you need to think about your skills. Why? Are you a beginner or an experienced fish keeper? Based on your answer, choose a device that is easy to use in your personal situation. Otherwise, you might be stomped by how complex is the one you chose.

Another aspect you should consider, is how easy it is to read its stats. Can you easily read what levels of pressure it works with at a certain moment? Does it come with a nice gauge, or even a dual gauge? If yes, you will probably make easy use of it, without any headaches.

Something else to think about, is what type of CO2 cylinders is it compatible with. This is important, because you shouldn’t buy something that will ultimately not work in your personal case. There are many different versions, as you can see from above. Some work with paintball tanks, others with traditional CO2 tanks and others with disposable CO2 tanks. It depends on your personal need, which will work best with your aquarium.

Also, you should know what it’s made of. Go for something that will work for long periods of time, without interruptions. Luckily, all the items I listed for you, are made of quality durable materials. So, this aspect shouldn’t pose any issues.

In the end, check out what you get in the package. This is especially important, because if your chosen device won’t include the CO2 injector, you can’t install it yet. Basically, it will be useless, until you buy that part separately.

How to Install a CO2 Regulator?

Installing this device is actually not that complicated, once you understand exactly what you must do. Let me help you!

1. Connect the regulator to the CO2 bottle using a spanner
2. Attach the solenoid to the regulator
3. Next, attach the solenoid to the bubble counter, suing the tubing
4. Again, using the tubing, attach the bubble counter to the diffuser
5. Mount the diffuser close to the bottom of your tank, on the inside
6. Plug in the solenoid and set your timer to release the CO2 at precise times
7. Now, open the needle valve just a little bit, to prevent further components getting damaged
8. Switch on the main valve, and open the needle valve slowly, until you see bubbles coming through the counter. Aim to set it to release one or two bubbles per second.
9. For the first few hours of working, use the drop checker to measure the CO2 levels in your tank.

Are CO2 Regulators Safe?

This is a valid question, especially since you haven’t used such a device up until now. The answer is yes.

Most of the time a CO2 regulator is safe to use, even by non-experienced fish keepers. The important aspect to ensure a safe use of it, is to set it up properly. Above I listed the steps that are needed to set up such a device.

However, to be sure it’ll work safely, follow the instructions of your chosen item. That’s because certain items could have other steps that need to be completed, in order for the device to function safely.

How Do You Know if a CO2 Regulator Works Well?

1. To tell if you CO2 regulator works at its peak performance, you can tell by checking the CO2 levels in your tank, using the drop checker. If the CO2 level is maintained at a certain number, then you can be quite sure, the regulator does its job well.
2. Another way to tell if you regulator works well, is to look at your plants, some days later after you installed the device. If they look more healthy and beautiful, the regulator probably works and helps your plants live better in your aquarium.

However, the second method is more of an after-check. First, do the method I mentioned at number one. This is the most important check you must do from time to time. And additionally, the second one will also be useful.

Conclusion

This article aimed to help you better understand CO2 aquarium regulators. We started by talking about the 7 best products on the market, that were designed for this purpose.

Any of the ones I listed can prove to be a good choice. However, it’s important to think about your specific requirements. Take into consideration the factors I told you above. This way, you’ll choose a device that will work best in your personal tank.

Also, don’t forget to set it up as described above, and in the instructions manual you’ll receive with the regulator. This way, you’ll ensure a steady and peak performance from your new CO2 aquarium regulator.