What are you paying to refill/exchange 10# co2 tanks?

[Wayne1]

@apache_brew
Where did you hear this rumor?
My local hydroponics store is part of a small chain that has five locations.
The CO2 is bought in bulk from a local gas supplier.
It is stored in a bulk tank made of stainless steel.
It is then filled in Luxor aluminum 20 lb tanks and sent to the stores.
The CO2 is food grade at 99.9%. The same as beverage grade.

When I was brewing professionally, we bought beverage grade CO2 in bulk at a cost of $0.20 a pound.

 

[apache_brew]

@apache_brew
Where did you hear this rumor?
My local hydroponics store is part of a small chain that has five locations.
The CO2 is bought in bulk from a local gas supplier.
It is stored in a bulk tank made of stainless steel.
It is then filled in Luxor aluminum 20 lb tanks and sent to the stores.
The CO2 is food grade at 99.9%. The same as beverage grade.

When I was brewing professionally, we bought beverage grade CO2 in bulk at a cost of $0.20 a pound.

I didn't claim any rumor specific to hydroponics store CO2 change outs or even bash the quality of the gas that I obtained for 10 change outs at my hydro store. I simply lumped them in with everything else not classified as "food grade". Unlike you, I didn't know the backstory of where my store was getting it's gas or how close to food grade it was. Hence I simply made the decision to instead of pay $25 at the hydro store to swap out a tank, drive to the gas supplier and pay $40 for a food grade tank for piece of mind.

 

[theglobalguy]

Just paid the equivalent of $116.00 for a 20 pound tank refill in Libreville, Gabon from Air Liquide. They didn't want to refill my aluminum tank, and I had to argue for a while about that, plus it took 3 weeks because they were waiting for a shipment of CO2 to arrive from their plant in the next country over. I'm looking at starting to carbonate my kegs with priming sugar just to save on gas; if all I need to do is push the beer, I'm hopeful the one tank can last my remaining 18 months here.

 

[franknbeans]

I went to a welding supply shop in Stockton (Barnes Welding Supply) the other day that also supplies a lot of bars/restaurants. I brought my own tanks to have filled, and the costs were $22.50 for a 20lb and $11.40 for a 5lb.

 

[doogie]

I have a 2.5# bottle that isn't up to date. I was looking around beer stores that would do an exchange. I asked at one yesterday and to my surprise they said they filled them. I said great, let me grab it (didn't mention that '13 was the latest hydro test on my bottle). They filled it, and when I looked at my receipt I was pleasantly surprised. $3.92

 

[IslandLizard]

I have a 2.5# bottle that isn't up to date. I was looking around beer stores that would do an exchange. I asked at one yesterday and to my surprise they said they filled them. I said great, let me grab it (didn't mention that '13 was the latest hydro test on my bottle). They filled it, and when I looked at my receipt I was pleasantly surprised. $3.92

Great deal!
One of our local LHBS' used to charge $3.60 a pound, and didn't blink an eye saying it.

Mind, this was the price per pound regardless of fill volume!
OK for 2.5#, I guess, but not so for 15 or 20#.
That was a 5-some years ago, and has since changed ownership.

The other LHBS refers you a local refiller, one of a very few left, and only a few miles away.