Hydra Aquatic CO2 Paintball Adapter

This adapter works perfectly using the regulator that comes with the Fluval 88 gram system and a standard paintball canister. So far, we've had no issues with leaks and the CO2 has been delivered in a consistent manner. We refill the paintball canister from a larger, 10 lb. CO2 tank we have at the house and the savings have been fairly substantial. I should probably add that this is not a true CGA 320 adapter--it's far too small. It is meant for cartridge type CO2 regulators, such as Fluval.

Update: 3/21/2013 Things are still running smoothly and the adapter is working well--no problems (knock on wood).

Although the description does not say it, this product was made to work with the throw away type cartridges (Fluval 88g and Gulfstream 95g) it will not work for other reusable types. If you own a cartridge system and want to use a paint ball canister, this is your product.

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THIS IS NOT A CGA-320 ADAPTER!!! I have no idea what it fits (must be some proprietary solenoid).

AMAZON PLEASE TAKE NOTE!!!

To review...

I have a planted fish tank, which I assume you do too if you are looking at this item. Like me, you are probably interested in using a paintball CO2 tank to provide your CO2 (maybe it's a cheaper tank, maybe it's easier to refill, maybe the smaller CO2 tank fits your cabinet better all the reasons I need to ditch the huge 5lb CO2 tank). Here's the problem... the paintball tank has a needle valve, so you can't just screw on your usual regulator (the needle needs to be pushed in, which would have happened by squeezing the trigger on the paintball gun, for CO2 to be released typical regulators and CO2 tanks don't have any needle). Thus the need for an adapter, which screws onto the paintball tank, pushes in the pin, and then you hook up your regulator to the other end.

The problem... the standard size screw fitting in the US is CGA 320. Tanks have the male end, regulators have the female end, all fits together well. CGA 320 is just under an inch in diameter (sometime like 0.8). The description of this product says CGA 320. Sounds good right? WRONG the paintball side is CGA 320, but the regulator side is way smaller, something like 0.5 inch. Standard regulators wont fit. Maybe I got the wrong one, but do yourself a favor and buy the aquatek version (which is a few $$ more expensive... serves me right for trying to go for the cheapo version without ratings).

Otherwise, this thing looks pretty nice and seems sturdy. Might be useful if you actually have the appropriate regulator...

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Yes, it's supposed to be a paintball adaptor, which it is, it'll fit on a paintball tanks threads just fine.

But, when I purchased it, it was with the intention of using it with a CO2 regulator for my planted aquarium. No such luck. It didn't fit my regulator at all.

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I bought this thinking that it had the same threads as the disposable 88-gram CO2 cartridges. The threads are very close to the same, but not quite. Although it does work great if you just want to vent your reusable paintball-type CO2 tank (not recommended, it gets VERY cold).

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