Where can i get a CO2 tank?

[Tarolisol]

Anyone know a cheap place in calgary to get used or new tanks?

[Delphinus]

Short answer is there is none. Unless you want to enter into an arrangement where you rent a cylinder. There are some advantages to this, less initial cost up front; also when it comes time to fill you just swap the tank for a full one (instead of waiting a day to have it filled).

However I'm sure over the course of say 2-3 years it will eventually become cheaper to have just bought one outright. It's like cars. If you figure upon you'll never not have a car loan (ie. you'll never own the car outright, if you ever finish the payments you run out and buy a new car anyhow) then are you better off leasing or better off buying? It's really a personal choice and I'm not saying one way is better than another.

However if you want to buy a cylinder then you should look at places like OA, J&L, and SWC. OA might be able to set you up with a second-hand cylinder for less than a new cylinder would cost. I would still expect to pay about $80-100 though.

HTH

[Tarolisol]

Hum, very interesting, where would you rent one from?

[WWWD]

in vancouver you can buy them at just about any welding, dive, gas supply or fire extinguisher shop. in fact that’s where most aquarium shops end up getting them from. just make sure if you buy a used one it's date stamp is current. it should cost around 40 bucks to have it checked and redate stamped every 5 years and around 20 bucks to refill it. the refill place won't refill it if the date isn't current on the bottle.

[kari]

Crap, don't rent one!

MO a new tank or visit the local fire protection places and purchase a used newly certified 20lb steel tank. Some of the bottling companies may also be worthe investigating.

[Samw]

would something like these work for our application?

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/gas-cylinders-pid-430A-10E.html
http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-pid-342.html

Oh and what's the cage for?

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/regulators-pid-JE-742GCN.html

[monza]

Calgary Oxygen you can rent or buy.

Did you buy a CA reactor?

Dave

[Delphinus]

I dunno, things may have changed since I bought mine but I didn't have a lot of success finding something locally.

When I checked with Calgary Oxygen, the only thing they were willing to sell me was a 2lb cylinder. Now, I actually have and use a 2lb cylinder on one of my reactors but I have to say that refilling it every 3-4 months how do you say "sucks".

I didn't have any luck getting any of the fire supply stores to *sell* me a 20lb cylinder but maybe things have changed.

One guy at Liquid Air had the audacity to tell me that it is "illegal in Canada for individuals to own a CO2 cylinder" (I wish I was making this up). But he was tripping over himself to sign me up for a rental contract. That tells me there is a fair bit of margin in the rental business, and that should tell you it's better to own your own cylinder in the long run...

Beverage companies may be worth a go but all I got out of it was a runaround. Maybe if you knew someone in the biz they could set you up. My 20lb cylinder is fact a beverage cylinder...

Sam's link looks promising, I'd be looking at one of those maybe. Cylinder looks pretty much identical to this one:
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=RF-CO2-T10&Category_Code=co2units

And OA seems to have a bunch at reasonable prices. If I wanted another cylinder I'd just buy one of these:
https://www.oceanaquatics.com/index.php?cat_id=39

[BMW Rider]

I going to be in the same predicament soon as I am in the process of building my reactor. I know several years ago when I bought my welding gas tanks, I got them at Liquide Air. I bought all three outright, O2, acetylene and argon mix for my MIG. Anytime I have needed a refill, I just take in the tank and they exchange it for a full one. No rental, no retesting, just pay for the gas and go. Maybe I've just been lucky, but I was hoping to land the same deal with a CO2 tank for the reactor. The tanks do have their labels on them, so perhaps they have mistaken them as rented ones. I will have to see.

[Tarolisol]

Yeah im getting one of them coralife calcium reactors. So i guess ill be calling around and seeing were the best deal is.

[mr_alberta]

You should be able to purchase them from OxyPro or Praxair...

[Delphinus]

I tried those places too Harvey, and nope they wouldn't sell me a cylinder. Rent yes sell no.

Ok tell you what I feel like I'm flogging a dead horse here. No wants to believe me, fine. Go ahead and call all those places and try to buy a CO2 cylinder. Post back what you find out. I'll say it one last time, I think the best deals will be MO. But hey don't take my word for it, obviously my experiences don't count for anything.

I'll go so far as to provide you with numbers. Please, call them, ask to *buy* a CO2 cylinder.

Praxair - 236-6511
Liquid Air - 777-4700
Medigas - 236-2166
Oxypro - 279-5055
BOC - 279-7581
Sprouse Fire - 265-3891

There are a host of others too, but that should get you started.

And, let's assume I've been wrong all along. Let's say you do find, say, a 10lb cylinder somewhere that they will sell you. Please post this info and the price.

Just remember, there's a 10lb cylinder sitting at OA for $100. https://www.oceanaquatics.com/index.php?cat_id=39

Knock yerself out. :p

PS. FWIW, I use Sprouse for refilling my cylinders, and have also had them do two hydrostat tests too. I'm pretty happy with their service. I think I once also had Oxypro fill up my little cylinder, and they were good too, but their hours are a little less convenient for me (close at 4:00 or 4:30 IIRC).

[Tarolisol]

Ill call and see whats up, What is MO?

[christyf5]

mail order

[Ruth]

I bought my CO2 tanks from J&L but have them filled at a local safety shop here. I have never inquired if they actually sell them or not though so might be another option for one.

[kari]

Maybe there is some local DIY beer suppliers for aluminum tanks but could end up being expensive. Last year it was Sprouse that tried to sell me one of there 4 used tanks.
Myself, I just MO'd my tank.

[Pescador]

I bought my 20lb tank at OxyPro. I think it was about $100.00
Their ad in the yellow pages says all size cylinders for sale. They just trade me for a full one when it's empty.

[flim]

Big Al's in Calgary sells them. I"m not sure how much they want for it.
Give them a call.

Fred

[Delphinus]

Oxypro sold you a 20lb for $100? I stand corrected. I swear they wouldn't sell me one when I tried them. I would've happily bought one for that. Oh well.

Glad to be wrong. I had nothing but frustration when I first started up my calcium reactor; glad things have changed for the better since then.

[BMW Rider]

I ended up buying the aluminum tank from J&L. I called around and went to a few places locally, but couldn't beat the price. All were willing to sell tanks, but either they only had larger sizes or higher prices or both. I got it filled at Sprouse.

[gbeef]

have you tried a panintball CO2 tank? there about 60 bux for 20lb

[kari]

I realize I'm a little too late but if somebody else is looking for local used tanks I came across some at The Recharge Centre near the Blackfoot Inn. 10lb aluminum for a fair price and 20lb steel for much less. A very helpful bunch working there and quick co2 refill.

[Tarolisol]

Im still looking for a good deal, if you could PM me the price they have that would be great.

[Delphinus]

FWIW I stopped by Oxypro this morning to fill my smaller cylinder. Since it's a 2.5 lb'er and it costs about the same to fill as my 20 lb'er, I got to thinking I should ask if I could buy a bigger cylinder since this smaller one is cute and all but it's hardly cost-effective to fill it. (A fill costs almost as much as what I paid for the cylinder itself!)

From Oxypro a 5lb cylinder would cost $160 and a 20lb cylinder would cost $300. (Yikes)

So this Recharge Centre (#5, 5622 Burleigh Cres SE; 258-1141) seems like a pretty good lead. I called them and although they don't have any cylinders in "right this second" they said they sell them 10lb, 15lb, and 20lb cylinders (both steel and aluminium) for anywhere from $90 to $120.