Trying to set up CO2 equipment...what an adventure

I was excited to get my CO2 equipment in the mail today finally. It
was harder to set up than I would have expected. I got all the stuff
connected, but then I was having trouble keeping a steady stream of
bubbles flowing...it would get going at a decent clip, about one per
second, then I'd check it a few minutes later and it would barely be
moving! I kept tinkering, and later heard all this hissing...CO2 was
blowing out all around the connection to the main tank, where the
regulator attaches to the CO2 tank stem.

The problem was, I didn't have a monkey wrench big enough to fit
around the nut, so I had to tighten it as best I could using a big
pair of pliers...guess it still wasn't tight enough! I had to shut
the whole contraption off and will take another shot at it
tomorrow....disappointing, but at least it didn't happen while I was
at work and empty the whole damn cannister!