# Source for CO2 tubing and check valves



## jart (Jul 26, 2011)

Hi all,

Thanks to Anthony, I have this regulator/ needle valve assembly. It came complete with JBJ bubble counters. As per his CO2 write up, I am just using standard airline tubing. The issue with this airline tubing is that it doesn't seem to fit tightly over the barbs on my inline Clippard check valves. Big time leak.

So, I am wondering if someone could direct me to a source for tubing and good quality check valves that would work well together. Of course, the tubing would have to be compatible with the JBJ bubble counters. Thanks in advance.


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## Orville (Jan 13, 2014)

I use the blue silicon tubing.Big Als told me this was fine for co2. They had several check valves as well.


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## TorontoPlantMan (Aug 16, 2013)

jart said:


> Hi all,
> 
> Thanks to Anthony, I have this regulator/ needle valve assembly. It came complete with JBJ bubble counters. As per his CO2 write up, I am just using standard airline tubing. The issue with this airline tubing is that it doesn't seem to fit tightly over the barbs on my inline Clippard check valves. Big time leak.
> 
> So, I am wondering if someone could direct me to a source for tubing and good quality check valves that would work well together. Of course, the tubing would have to be compatible with the JBJ bubble counters. Thanks in advance.


Check valves can be purchased at any LFS and airline tubing you can get at any hardware store for under 20cents a foot, lowes has it cheap.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

There was a big discussion over appropriate air line tubing over on another forums that I am part of; in the end I think it was generally agreed that silicone tubing should be avoided. Using it is probably fine short term, but you might experience some gas loss compared to regular (cheap) polyvinyl tubing.

That being said, the cheapest place to get such kind of tubing is the hardware store. 

I am not sure what Clippard check valves you have; there is also a large discussion about appropriate check valves over on the aforementioned forums. There are various opinions (such as cheap check valves being sufficient, where as other people believe that $20 check valves are required, etc), so it is best to decide on your own, since everyone will have an opinion.


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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

Hey jart ,long time.
I went through this same issue, the resolve is going to the Hardware store ( Home depot etc) with the barb & finding a thick wall Poly tubing that fits probably, you will need to slightly heat up the end that goes to you bubble counter, no need to switch your check valve. The clippards have worked well for me.
Regards
P.S clippard also has some excellent tubing, Rex Grigg used them when he was around.
On another note the endless debates on permeability of one type of tubing to the other is true when compared to each other in the lab test, but I personally don`t think it matters in our application - most times the run of tubing is less that a few feet, the pressure is so minimal compared to the lab test under which each tubing is tested that the loss if any is very minimal.


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## JNSN (Nov 4, 2013)

Also, I have noticed both silicone or poly tubing becomes soft over time. Poly is much more rigid so it should last longer. It's cheap and effective but over a course of 6-8 months my tubing did in fact soften to the point it fell right off the barb (result; gas leak).


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## jart (Jul 26, 2011)

Thanks for all the replies; very helpful!
For the record, the Clippard check valves I am using were bought from Rex some time ago.

I ended up going to a local hardware store where there was a large variety of clear tubing. It looks like what I was previously using was 8 mm ID. I picked up some 6 mm ID tubing... really tight fit, but it did go on the bubble counters and the check valves. No leak as of yet. 

Cheers.


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