CO2 security

[Godless]

I have trepidations about using CO2 tanks. It sounds like a welding supply shop is the best place to get them. If you are buying the tanks from them, I assume that they don't require ID right? I'd like to have a solid legit story - even if I never have to go into all the details, I'd be more comfortable if I had it. Of course I know nothing about welding so:

1. What kind of welder uses CO2?
2. How spendy are those welders?
3. What do people use these welders for?
4. How much welding do you have to do to down a 20lb tank?
5. Anything else I haven't thought of?

 

[R03]

Welding

I would give that a read, you might sound like you know what you're talking about. Although I really wouldn't worry about it.

 

[goodmangigabyte]

Just say your significant other's family owns a little hamburger joint, and they occasionally need refills on the CO2 for the soda machine.
Or just say it's for paintball: u have a group of friends who go paintballing on a regular basis, it's cheaper to get your own tank than pay for refills at the paintball place. If they ask you about the marker (paintball gun you have), say it's a Spyder that can shoot 7 balls per trigger pull.
But seriously, the guys at the air-gas store don't ask. But I understand why you're paranoid, it's like shopping at the hydro store, you don't know if the popo is snooping around...

 

[Godless]

Just say your significant other's family owns a little hamburger joint, and they occasionally need refills on the CO2 for the soda machine.

This sounds like a good option. So all soda machines use a CO2 tank? Is a 20lb bottle common for that application?

 

[goodmangigabyte]

Pretty much all soda machines use co2. The machine mixes water, syrup (comes in bags) and CO2 gas from a tank to make carbonated soda. Anything carbonated from a soda dispenser (like the ones in McDonalds) or soda gun (in a bar) needs to have co2 mixed in. But I think, and I'm not sure, they usually use 50lb bottles, tall ones, like 3 or 4 feet tall, and have several of them ready to go. So maybe you should get a 50lb bottle ;-)
J/K that would be too big and heavy, I think the 50lb bottle weight like close to a hundred when you factor in the weight of the tank, I'm guessing most people use a hand truck to move those suckers around.
But that's another idea, you can say you're getting the co2 for a bar (for the soda gun), that works just as well as saying it's for a hamburger joint.

 

[1love1earth]

the ones I've seen working at a restaurant are all about 2.5 ft tall, and aren't all that heavy.

 

[GrassRoots]

same here

 

[robbiedublu]

Tell them you're attempting to adopt an anaerobic lifestyle. Either that or just blow them off if they try to ask you why you need co2

 

[julsbagell]

they wont ask they refill those tanks all day long if they ask say you need it for your beer tap.last time I went to fill mine they had about forty or fifty co2 tanks for exchange ready to go there the cheapest also 18.00. hydro stores about 25.00.

 

[krys0513]

Well first off, if you tell them you are using it for beer or a soda machine they are going to get pretty nosey when you come in week after week to get another 50 lb tank, unless your doing nothing but being drunk all day long or hooking a hose to the soda machine and drinking enough soda to keep you up for days and days there is absoluetly NO way you would go thru that much CO2 in a week. The paint ball thing well that is just another bad idea if you do some research you will see that people who use Co2 for paint balls generally use those itty bitty little tanks that will maybe last you a day in a grow operatortion.

Welding is absoluetly the BEST way to go about this period, explains the high consumtion rate, and why your buying it in cash. Also grab some welding rods like once, twice a month or some glasses used for welding while your there. The question will stop about the 2nd or 3ard time they see you grabbing something else besides CO2. Tell them you are doing side jobs to make extra $$$$ in your spare time otherwise they will start trying to set up a business account for you and you will then have to dance around to explain things in order to avoid doing it. If you tell them it is completely a cash deal for you that you do on the side to avoid paying taxes on the $$$ you make they will just leave it alone, as most people all have the same feelings when it comes to taxes if they can avoid them they will. That will shut them up for good.

 

[goodmangigabyte]

Most growers aren't going through a 50 or even a 20 lb tank of co2 a week. And if you were, you'd just get a co2 generator that runs off propane. That would be much more economical and efficient.

But seriously, I think we're overdoing this people. Most guys who work at air gas stores don't even ask or care. It's like, does the clerk at the grocery store ask you why you're buying steaks? He may ask "Having a bbq?" and you can just nod your head, even though you may be using them to feed your illegal pet tiger. It's not like he's not going to believe you unless you're wearing an apron, a chef's hat, an oven mitt and a pair of tongs. It's not like you have to buy bbq sauce and chicken and hot dog buns in order to get him to believe you're actually having a bbq.
Walk in, pay, swap your empty for a full, and you're back on the street in five minutes. It's not rocket science people. If you do it once you'll see it's not that big a deal.

 

[ureapwhatusow]

home brewers use co2 as do professional brewers

they dont ask you dont tell .. pay with cash always wrap yoru tank in the grow witha garbage bag so it doesnt smell. never give your real info

 

[krys0513]

When I used Co2 that was not generated I was going thru a tank a week easy, although my room is 15 x 20. I had both actually I used the bottled CO2 when it got warmer like now (spring here) until I shut down for the summer usually about mid to end of June, then when fall and the cooler weather came back I went to NG Co2 generator. The problem with the generator in the warmer months is it just kicks out some much darn heat my exhaust fans were kickin on 30 seconds after the Co2 generator got it to 1500 PPMs.

When I did get bottled Co2 the guys at the counter always, ask me if I was having a party and could they come, that is where I came up with the welding idea, and that I was getting it for my husband. Who knows maybe it was because I was a women and they were flirting, no one else here seems to have problems.

 

[julsbagell]

the kind of welder they use co2 for is a mig welder I think.

 

[iluvtogrograss]

i go to my local coca cola place and get my tank refilled. they never ask any questions.

 

[goodmangigabyte]

When I used Co2 that was not generated I was going thru a tank a week easy, although my room is 15 x 20. I had both actually I used the bottled CO2 when it got warmer like now (spring here) until I shut down for the summer usually about mid to end of June, then when fall and the cooler weather came back I went to NG Co2 generator. The problem with the generator in the warmer months is it just kicks out some much darn heat my exhaust fans were kickin on 30 seconds after the Co2 generator got it to 1500 PPMs.

When I did get bottled Co2 the guys at the counter always, ask me if I was having a party and could they come, that is where I came up with the welding idea, and that I was getting it for my husband. Who knows maybe it was because I was a women and they were flirting, no one else here seems to have problems.

A tank a week, wow. Couldnt you have just gotten a recirculating a/c unit to use with your ng unit so you can keep your room cool in the summer?
I would definitely not be using bottled co2 if i had to refill once a week. That's way too many trips to the air gas place. After seeing you there so often, no wonder the clerk was making small talk.
For the OP, if you have to refill more than once every couple of months, i'd suggest a co2 generator. More economical: get a $15 tank of propane, the same one you use for gas grills, one propane tank will generate like 50 lbs of co2 (i think it's a 3 to 1 ratio of propane used to co2 generated but dont quote me on that, it could be even more).

 

[ncga]

A catering biz is a good cover . That way you can start with full tanks every weekend. Worked great. Put the purchase under a company name. Also have others use the same account.

nc

 

[Dr. G]

one of the places i go askes but i say paint ball you can go through 2 20 lbrs in one week end by yourself its only like 13 refills on a 20 oz pbtankone small tanklasts you 20 mins to 30 mins

 

[Dr. G]

ive filled 4 20 lb tanks at once with no prob also

 

[Daemon]

The paint ball thing well that is just another bad idea if you do some research you will see that people who use Co2 for paint balls generally use those itty bitty little tanks that will maybe last you a day in a grow operatortion.

You should look into something before you start spouting off about it.

I've played paintball for a long, long, time and it is EXTREMELY common for team managers to buy a few 50lb tanks, as well as field owners, shop owners, etc.