The size of the cylinder required depends on the flow rate and how long the gas flow is required. To determine how long the gas will continue to flow, divide the actual uncompressed volume of gas in the cylinder by the flow rate, making sure the units are consistent. For instance, a "20 cu. ft." cylinder having a physical internal volume of 3.5 litres, pressurized to 2000 psi (138 bar), actually contains 477 litres (16.8 cu. ft.) of uncompressed gas. Then divide 477 l. by the flow rate, for instance 15 l/min., to get 31.8 min. Consult the references (PPeH, etc.) to decide if that is long enough.
IMO, it is important to use a flowmeter regulator that is calibrated for the gas being used to make sure the flow rate is accurate, especially if the cylinder is not overly large.
Here's an explanation of how to calculate the uncompressed volume in a cylinder of compressed gas.