Do You Need a Dip Tube Tank for a CO2 Cannon?

Why CO2 jets and cannons need a siphon (dip tube) cylinder, what a standard tank does instead, and exactly what to ask your gas supplier for.

By SurgeFX
4 min read
Crowd seen from behind at a night concert as tall white CO2 plumes rise above a stage under magenta and blue beams

If you have just bought a CO2 jet or handheld cannon, the tank is the part most likely to trip you up. A gas supplier will happily fill a cylinder for you, but if it is the wrong kind of cylinder, the machine will not make the white plume you paid for. Here is what to know before you call.

Short answer: yes, you need a siphon (dip tube) cylinder

Every CO2 jet and cannon in our CO2 Cannons & Jets range requires a siphon-tube CO2 tank, also called a dip tube tank. A standard CO2 tank will not work. This applies to stage-mounted DMX jets and to handheld manual-trigger cannons alike.

What a dip tube does

A siphon tank has an internal tube that reaches to the bottom of the cylinder. With the tank standing upright, valve up, that tube draws liquid CO2 from the bottom and sends it up through the valve, into the hose and out of the machine. The liquid is what produces the dense white cryo plume when it leaves the nozzle.

What happens with a standard CO2 cylinder

A standard CO2 tank has no dip tube, so it only releases CO2 gas from the top of the cylinder. Connected to a jet or cannon, it will not produce the cryo effect: you get gas, not the dense white fog.

How to tell which cylinder you have

The dip tube is inside the cylinder, so you cannot see it. The practical approach:

  • Ask before you buy or rent. Confirm with your gas supplier that the tank has an internal siphon tube.
  • Test the whole setup before the event. Connect tank, hose and machine and fire a short burst ahead of time. If you only get gas and no white plume, the tank is the first thing to check.

What to ask the gas supplier for

Tank type

Ask specifically for a "siphon tube" or "dip tube" CO2 tank. Industrial gas suppliers and welding supply shops know these terms and generally carry them.

Tank size

Size depends on how you will use the machine. Our product pages give these starting points:

  • Handheld cannons: 20 lb or 50 lb siphon tanks are recommended.
  • Backpack use: 10–20 lb tanks. The Portable CO2 Backpack Harness supports tanks up to 20 lb. A full 20 lb tank weighs about 40 lb (tank plus CO2), and 50 lb tanks are too heavy for comfortable mobile use, so keep those for fixed setups.
  • Mounted jets: use the largest tank practical for your setup. Bigger tanks mean more blasts per fill.

For rough planning, each pound of CO2 gives about 1.5–2 seconds of spray, so a 20 lb siphon tank gives roughly 30–40 seconds of total blast time. Twin-pipe jets use CO2 faster than single-pipe units, so size up accordingly. For how that translates into bursts during a set, see How CO2 Jets Work: Setup, Output, and What to Expect at Your First Show.

Gas grade

When you have the tank filled, specify that you want it filled with food-grade CO2.

Connection

Ask the supplier what valve type the tank has, and compare it with the hose or fitting that comes with your machine:

  • The Frost Blaster Glow ships with a 3/8″ brass tank fitting (CGA-320).
  • The Vortex LED ships with a 20 ft (6 m) high-pressure hose with a CGA320 adapter and quick connector.
  • The Vortex Single Side Pipe and Vortex² Twin Side Pipe ship with a 6 ft high-pressure hose with a quick-connect fitting that attaches to the siphon tank and locks with a wrench.
  • For the Frost Blaster Helix, if your tank doesn't match the hose fitting, you may need a CGA-320 tank adapter. Check the tank's valve type before your event.

Where to get siphon tanks filled

Siphon CO2 tanks are available, and refilled, at:

  • Welding supply shops
  • Industrial gas distributors
  • Beverage CO2 suppliers
  • Some fire extinguisher companies (refills)

Whoever you use, repeat the two key words when you order: siphon tube, food-grade CO2.

Which machines this applies to

All of these require a siphon-tube tank:

  • Vortex Single Side Pipe and Vortex² Twin Side Pipe: mounted DMX jets rated up to 33 ft vertical.
  • Vortex LED: mounted DMX jet with RGB lighting. It has dual 3/8″ quick-connect ports, so you can connect two siphon tanks at once for switchovers without downtime.
  • Frost Blaster Glow and Frost Blaster Helix: handheld manual-trigger cannons with 20–26 ft spray, which can be paired with the backpack harness and a siphon tank of up to 20 lb.

Questions and answers

What is a dip tube on a CO2 cylinder?

It is an internal tube that runs to the bottom of the cylinder. With the tank upright, valve up, it draws liquid CO2 from the bottom instead of gas from the top. Tanks with one are called siphon tube or dip tube tanks.

Does a CO2 jet need a siphon cylinder?

Yes. Our mounted jets and handheld cannons all require a siphon-tube tank. A standard CO2 tank only releases gas and will not produce the white cryo plume.

How do I tell which cylinder I have?

The tube is inside the tank, so confirm with your gas supplier that the tank has an internal siphon tube. Then test the full setup before the event: if the machine releases only gas and no white plume, check the tank type first.

What should I ask the gas supplier for?

Ask for a siphon tube (dip tube) CO2 tank in the size you need, filled with food-grade CO2. Also ask what valve type the tank has so you can check it against the fitting or adapter that came with your machine.

What size siphon tank should I get?

For handheld cannons, 20 lb or 50 lb is recommended; for backpack use, 10–20 lb. For mounted jets, use the largest tank practical. Each pound gives about 1.5–2 seconds of spray, so a 20 lb tank gives roughly 30–40 seconds total.