Ozone?

[pnikiel]

Is it a "must have," "nice add-on" or a waste of money?

The systems are not cheap. So if it improves skimming, does it improve it enough to justify the expense?

 

[DonW]

Is it a "must have," "nice add-on" or a waste of money?

The systems are not cheap. So if it improves skimming, does it improve it enough to justify the expense?

IMO yes a nice add on. Not a must have.

Don

 

[LakeEd]

pnikiel,

Definitely one of those "add-on" thangs... not a must.

As for if it improves skimming. Not really! What I have seen on those tanks running Ozone (into their skimmer), is actually LESS skimmate. What Ozone is doing mostly, is breaking apart (chemically???) the parts of water that retain color or pigmentation... so your water looks cleaner. This cleaner water also allows better light penetration.

Boomer posted some excellent reading on another thread here about Ozone… that will help in your learning.

Since your are getting started it is time for you reading lesson

Ozone
Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 1: Chemistry and Biochemistry
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-03/rhf/index.php

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 2: Equipment and Safety
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-04/rhf/index.php

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 3: Changes in a Reef Aquarium upon Initiating Ozone
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-05/rhf/index.php

 

[Boomer]

A-tah boy Ed

 

[Paul B]

I have only been running ozone since about 1975 or so so I can't really tell if it is beneficial or not. A few more decades and I will know for sure.
Do you need one? No.
Paul

 

[class clown]

Boomer posted some excellent reading on another thread here about Ozone… that will help in your learning.

Those were good reads- thanks for sharing! It answered a lot of questions I had. I could never figure out the Ozone thing or the UV sterilizer thing. that article helped a lot on the ozone thing. Now I need to figure out what a UV sterilizer does.

 

[LakeEd]

If you go to the "Advanced Search"... type in UV Sterilizer, then under User Name... type in Boomer... I think you may find the answer to your question about exactly what a UV sterilizer can do.

Here is a quick quote from the thread that will lead you too, that can help;

The UV sterilizer is a tool used by many marine aquarists to combat and kill harmful, waterborne bacteria, viruses, fungi, and small protozoans, which may turn a beautiful and peaceful aquarium into a deadly nightmare. The UV unit also helps control algae blooms by killing waterborne algae.

Just be aware, this only happens to the water that passes through the UV unit... and it is verry dependant on contact time, distance, wattage... and several other factors that Boomer also mentiones in that thread.

Hope that helps.

P.S. Here is a link to that thread for you, but the search feature works wonderfully!!!
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6435&highlight=UV+sterilizer

 

[Ed Hahn]

Boomer,
Are there any benefits of running Ozone unit and UV together in your oppinion or would use just one at a time for safety purposes? I like having single cell algae for my clams and corals to eat. I recently purchased a High dollar Ozone unit. I was considering plugging it into my inlets of my skimmers.

 

[Boomer]

Ed I do not think the O3 will do anything to your algae but the UV will kill them for sure.


I not to keen on running both but you can as long as you keep the ozonated water away from the UV input line. Meaning, don't run the ozone discharge right into the UV, this UV is the wrong wavelength. If one had the right wl, such as in UV ozone destruct units, it would be just ducky But these wl's are not for sterilization.

The UV will kill almost all the plankton that runs through it. So, I'm not a big fan of UV unless you have "green water". For FOT they are a better deal.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Boomer,
I was doing some talking about UV tonight with a friend. I will run this by you and see what you think. I heard most pathezoa are close to the bottom of a tank or in sand. Now if a UV sterilizer is only as effective as the water and contact time flown through it, A UV will not be as effective as it would be in a Bare bottom tank or tank where things are flushed considerably? Does that make sense or not?

 

[Boomer]

Yes Ed that is correct. The only things that die are those that go through the unit. If they never make there, they are still just a alive as if there was no UV unit.

 

[Ed Hahn]

oops, but thanks for being cool

Yes Ed that is correct. The only things that die are those that go through the unit. If they never make there, they are still just a alive as if there was no UV unit.

Boomer,
In the above statement I made. I meant to say protazoa. I am sorry for any confusion I may have caused anyone. I have a blood born pathegeons test at work, can you tell I do not multitask very well. Boomer, you could have hammered me there, thanks for freebie.

 

[Boomer]

OK :lol:. I knew what you meant. I often make typo's.

But I'll hammer you this time

It is protozoa, with an "o" not protazoa with an "a"

Bommer's Rule

If you are not sure on spelling, type in word in Googles and hit enter. If you misspelled the word 99% of the time it will say "Don you mean___________"

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=protazoa&btnG=Search

 

[Ed Hahn]

I had that coming..Thanks..:lol: