Mitch?? Help!!!

[Delphinus]

Please impart upon me your wisdom as a Calgarian who has gone through this nightmare .... do you rent or own your cylinder and who do you deal with?

http://www.canreef.com/ubb6/cgi-bin/...c;f=1;t=000997

[MitchM]

Hi Tony!

I got mine from Liquid Air over off Barlow, just north of 16th ave. It's a 70 lb tank (about 3 1/2 feet high), but I don't remember what I paid for it a few years ago. I just got it refilled about a month ago, and it was about $33.00.
The regulator and valve/magnetic switch assembly I got from Danny.
I don't know where my touchier corals like my birdsnest would be without my CA reactor.

Mitch :D

[ 15 August 2002, 04:12: Message edited by: Carpentersreef ]

[Delphinus]

The north Air Liquide, eh? I've been calling the one in the south. Ok, I'll try calling the north one today. You, um, wouldn't happen to remember a name of a person I could ask for, could you? I really don't want to go through the same rigamarole/runaround at the order desk that I'm getting at the south outlet.. After the last phone conversation I had with these jokers I am really soured on them. (Apparently, if you own your cylinder then you must be breaking the law, if Air Liquide is to be beleived.)

[MitchM]

Nope, don't remember a name...there's basically 1 guy behind the desk.

Tell them you need a CO2 tank. That's it. They may ask what for, and they will probably just give you a disappointed look when you say for an aquarium. [img]tongue.gif[/img]
It basically means that you won't be back for a fillup for a while. :D

Mitch

[Delphinus]

I think I need to get somebody else to buy me a cylinder, and then buy that cylinder off that person.

I called the Air Liquide office, the one off Barlow, and lo-and-behold they said they could sell me a cylinder.

(Insert sounds of angels singing here .... ok ... and now, back to reality.)

Here's the catch. They won't sell me anything BUT a 10lb. cylinder. According to the guy "They do not sell anything larger than that."

.... sigh .....

Once I mentioned that it was for "carbonating beer" then things REALLY started going downhill. He said "Oh we have something way better than CO2 for you then. It's called Alagol (or something) and it's only 30% CO2, 70% N2, which produces a far better foam (or something)." Of course the fittings and whatnot are all different now because it's a different gas. So of course ... at that point I felt it would just look stooopid if I said "but I want the inferior foam from the extra CO2" ... so I pretty much admitted defeat.

Actually on the topic of admitting defeat I basically have admitted defeat. There's no way to get into this cylinder for less than $400. I mean, if that's what it costs then that's what it costs. I just wish someone would please confirm whether this is in the ballpark or not. I had a glimmer of hope with the fire extinguisher idea but I haven't been able to find any place in town willing to swap out the valve. There must be a pretty good reason for that.

You wouldn't want to find me a 20lb. cylinder for sale would you? Since most places get all hostile when I say I don't want to rent ...

Ah, I guess that's not true. The guys at "Airgas" were quite keen and interested to hear about calcium reactors and such and these were the guys who were willing to sell me a used 20lb. cylinder (and they just happen to have two, in case my "silent partner" out there ;) on this venture thinks that's a good idea). It's just that their used cylinders aren't a whole lot cheaper than say new cylinders from J&L. (I'd ask Jayson about cylinders too but he says he has none in stock and since he'd have to order a lot of 10 of them I'm not sure he's interested to bring in 10 just to sell one or two, they're probably not hot sellers. I can understand where he's coming from.)

So what's a person to do?? It's hopeless.

[MitchM]

I try to avoid the phone at all costs.... ;)

Go in and tell them you want a tank of CO2 and then hold your hand about 3 and a half feet off the floor and say - " you know, one of the tanks about this tall".

Mitch :D