CO2 is surprisingly versatile with its presence in multiple industries. It’s seen its place in movie studios, music festivals, nightclubs, restaurants, research facilities, and the medical field. Our team consists of many entertainment experts, most of whom know of the multiple ways to use our CO2 tanks in tandem with different types of equipment in the industry. They’ve helped multiple people with questions regarding recommendations on what types of gas cylinders they should use for their special event. The questions we get are usually in regards to the type of gas cylinder they should get, its weight or size, the right amount, and even how long it should be used for.
In this post, we’ll help you get a good idea of the different aspects of a CO2 cylinder you’d want to pay attention to while deciding which one you’d want to rent. There are countless specific questions that might be necessary to consider, but this post will minimize the confusion by discussing the basic ones instead. The rest may just come to you as you learn more. At the same time, we’ll mention how this advice will help you order CO2 tanks with us.
Looking for the Proper Grades
A grade dictates the purpose of a gas cylinder. The grade will typically indicate the application, or what purpose the gas tank can serve. The four most common grade types are…
Medical
Research
Industrial
Food
Our CO2 services are mostly focused on the entertainment and event industries. On occasion, we’ll make CO2 deliveries to help restaurants and cafes. Therefore, we only carry industrial-grade and food-grade cylinders. As for medical-grade and research-grade cylinders, we are not involved in research or medical industries, therefore, we won’t have any for rent. We will sometimes pass on a fun fact mentioning how gases are used in industries outside of the ones we’re involved in, but you wouldn’t get actual research-grade or medical grade CO2, helium, propane, nitrogen, or dry ice from us.
Anyway, figuring out what grade is recommended for you is actually pretty easy. Just make sure you specify the correct grade when you place a gas order with us. Entertainment applications will require an industrial-grade cylinder. Food and drink preparation requires the food-grade cylinder. If you still need help, feel free to contact us and ask what we’d recommend.
Deciding To Use A Dip Tube Or Not
A dip tube, or a siphon as some call it, is a straw located inside the gas cylinder. It’s used specifically to get the gas to dispel in its liquid state.
If we’re to talk about how a CO2 tank’s dip tube is used in food and entertainment, there are a few specific cases where it would come in handy. In the food industry, it’s used to flash freeze food. It’s a great way to refrigerate food in an instant. In the entertainment field, most special effects equipment will use it. If you plan to make special effects for movie productions, music festivals, or theater performances, a CO2 siphon tank is exactly what'll get you the fog effect you're looking for. Without that siphon, you'll only get cold air expelling from the equipment. No fog effect.
As for other industries, a CO2 dip tube tank plays an integral role in the medical field, being used in some surgeries and treating respiratory problems. Although, as mentioned before, if you do order CO2 tanks from us, with or without a siphon, remember that we only carry industrial-grade and food-grade cylinders. They are never to be used in the medical field.
There are plenty of differences between siphoned and non-siphoned tanks, and it’s important to consider whether or not that dip tube will really be necessary. If you need a CO2 siphon tank, make sure you specify this in your gas order.
Deciding How Long You’ll Use It
This one doesn’t need much explanation. If you need it for a set amount of days, outline that in your order with us. On your last scheduled day, one of our truck drivers will head over to your location to pick up the gas tanks, so that you don’t have to drop it off yourself. Of course, if you prefer to actually make the drive to and from the gas supplier, you’re more than welcome to do so, as long as you select that option in the ordering page.
But hey, maybe you’re not asking about length in days, but rather about how long the gas cylinder should be used for. That question could arise due to it being your first time using a CO2 tank, or using one in a different way than what you’re used to. Usually, if it’s to be used in tandem with equipment you’ve never used before, that equipment will typically come with a manual. There’s a good chance it’ll outline the recommended amount of CO2 pressure you should use with it. It may be different with each company and the type of technology they implement into their products. You’ll learn how to safely control the amount of carbon dioxide expelling from the tank too.
Knowing how to control the gas itself is pretty important. You won’t necessarily have to worry about running out of CO2 as long as you know how to control it. With the right CO2 regulator and safe industrial gas handling, you’ll have no problem using your cylinders conservatively and with enough still left in the tank. Though, maybe now you’re wondering about the amount of CO2 tanks you’ll need.
Looking for the Right Amount And Sizes
You’ll want to look into the different sizes we have to offer, especially if you’re interested in buying multiple CO2 tanks. Cylinder sizes are based on their weight. We carry two gas cylinder sizes: 50lb and 20lb. The weight will always dictate the physical size of any industrial gas tank, regardless of the type of gas. When choosing what CO2 tank size you should get, there can be a ton of variables to consider, depending on what you plan to use it for. If we’re talking about general food and drink uses however, there may not necessarily be a lot to think about.
There’s a chance you’re interested in renting CO2 to make DIY sodas or sparkling water, right? If it’s for a big party, a single 10 pound cylinder should be more than enough. There’s also homebrewing. Some do it as a hobby, some as a career. Carbon dioxide plays a role in the beer’s fermentation process and adds a hint of tartness to its taste. Oh, and there’s CO2 in its solid form, known as dry ice. That stuff is perfect for long-term food refrigeration, especially when you’re transporting the food over long distances. Some culinary artists use it to make instantly frozen snacks and drinks. Doing that gives it a chill, foggy effect, adding extra pizzazz to the dish.
As for the entertainment field, we’ve been installing our CO2 cylinders to multiple different types of special effects equipment for years. The music, theatre, and movie industries mainly use it for equipment capable of producing live special effects. Most of those effects come from stationary CO2 powered cannons, while others are in the form of guns. Some of those guns come equipped with a backpack meant to hold a CO2 cylinder. For the handheld special fx guns, you can get away with one small cylinder per gun. The cannons will probably need larger sized gas cylinders. The visual effect that dry ice produces is also used in special events and movie studios.
There are more variables to consider with CO2 in the entertainment field. Your choice depends on the type of event, how long it's in session, the type of special effects equipment involved, and how long and how often those effects will be… well, be in effect. If you’re still on the fence about how many CO2 tanks would be best for your circumstances, you can always ask us what about the tank sizes and amount recommended for you to rent. We just might be able to get you a good number.
How Can I Rent My CO2 Tanks?
Make sure you know what you want. You can use this post as a reference anytime you need to decide what should be taken into account when you’re ordering CO2 gas cylinders. Consult your equipment’s manual too. It may just answer what CO2 cylinder you should rent. And of course, if you’re still unsure of anything, we might be able to answer any questions you have. We offer a top-notch CO2 rental and delivery service, with a team of drivers and installers specializing in food, industrial, and entertainment uses. The latter is what we especially excel in!
The CO2 tanks will be delivered to your location as soon as possible and then picked up when the rental period is over. And if you’re involved with entertainment, our installation team will help you set up the tanks to any equipment you’re working with, quickly and safely. This is all for your convenience, so that you don’t have to deal with any hassles of complicated installations and making trips to and from the shops yourself.
Now as for actually placing an order for gas, there are two ways to go about this. You can call us or stay on our site and order from there. Either way, we’ll be able to get your request to rent a CO2 tank. Although, if you’ve never rented gas tanks from us, there’s just one you’ll need to do before placing your order, even over the phone.
For Our First-Time Customers…
First-time customers of CO2 Masters must make an account through our New Customer Application. This can only be done online and is only necessary if you’ve never rented gas tanks from us before.
Once That’s Done…
Complete that application, and you’re ready to rent your CO2 tanks from us! Get your delivery address and onsite contact info ready. Prepare any specific delivery instructions if necessary. You can choose between our delivery service or choice of local branches to arrive and pick up and/or drop off your CO2 tanks at. If you're interested in a siphon tank, or nitrogen or propane tanks, we've got options for those too.
Head over to our ordering page to get that rental started. To make a phone call instead, our number is 877-280-5321. We’ll be ready and waiting to take your CO2 rental order.