Ozone

[DonW]

Since the use of ozone seems to making a come back in the hobby, I though it would make a good topic.

Who's using it?
Why?
How are you using it?
What equipment are you using?
What are the pro's and con's?

Don

 

[dgasmd]

Who's using it?
Don

I am

Why?
Don

Helps break down bigger molecules and makes the skimmer much more efficient. Also, it clarifies the water and kills some organisms in the water too. Have you ever looked at aquarium water vs seawater under the microscope?

How are you using it?
Don

T the ozone generator output to the intake of the skimmer's air port. I will run a carbon reactor in addition and have a little carbon on the collection cup of the skimmer.

What equipment are you using?
Don

ozotech generator

What are the pro's and con's?
Don

Pro= see reason above
Con= if used wrong, it can burn the gills of fish and harm corals. You would have to literally bubble this right into the aquarium for it to happen. It could leave a funny smell in your house if the area where the equipment is placed is not well vented and excess ozone accumulates there. Also, too much and you actually make the skimmer inefficient.

 

[flamehawk7]

i would say use it with alot of caution. according to OSHA if you can smell it , it can do harm to humans. that being said i use it from time to time. i run mine maybe 6-7 days a month . i have the aquazone 100 plus that i run into my evs 240 skimmer. it dose keep the water clear and i havent had any fish get sick. my orp stays between 380 and 410

 

[NaH2O]

Ozone concerns me. It might be because I don't understand how the equipment works to make it safe. For those that are unaware of what it is, ozone is a molecule with 3 oxygen atoms (O3) = unstable. As we know O2 is what we all breathe, and the 3rd atom can detach and reatach to other molecules altering their composition. It has a high oxidation potential, so is great for applications when you are trying to oxidize something. I read that temperature and pH also affect the reaction mechanism and rates, so not only following your ORP is important, but also pH and temperature....not sure if controllers utilize all of this info?? The potential of ozone becoming a high enough concentration to effect people, may be minimal when using a high quality Ozone generator - I'm unsure. However, in my home, I don't think I would take the risk of something going wrong and causing problems for my family (allowing me to play with water lately is risk enough ). The same properties that make ozone so great in an aquarium, are the same properties that will react with organic matter outside the aquarium....like breathing human lungs. I don't have a problem with people using ozone, I would spend money on an excellent quality UV sterilizer before I would try ozone. I don't feel like ozone is something people should jump right into without taking the time to research, and understand its functionality. Maybe I would feel differently if the ozone generator was located out of the home (i.e. in the garage, or outside room). I'm also not sure of 24/7 use....is it necessary to run it all the time?

 

[Scooterman]

I think I agree with Nikki, you need be well experienced for this one, & slow going when using such a system. I've read lots about them but maybe I need to borrow a microscope lol, I believe it can be very helpful if properly set-up & maintained as with any equipment but you may want to weigh the actual value of pros vs. cons to determine if this is for you.

 

[aquariumdebacle]

Ozone before U.V.

Ozone is not at all neccessary but like UV can be used effectively under the right cirumstance. I think that it's most effective in a system heavily loaded with fish. The higher metabolisms and biomass require more intense filtration at the higher stocking densities. It should be used in conjuction with a skimmer and the effluent air from the system should be filtered with coconut based carbon. If the maximum utilization is required, then a controller is a must: when the oxidation-reduction potential gets too high (anything above 500mV) the generator must have an automatic shut-off. If a little boost to the protein skimmer is all that is needed, an under-sized unit (25mg) can be safely used. Make sure that all platics that the ozone will come into contact with are "ozone-safe." I would recomend ozone over UV because I think that it is easier to apply to a system and requires less maintenance with the lack of cleaning, replacing bulbs. Do not over size ozone: if more is needed later a second unit can be easily added. Just the opposite for UV; oversize and repalce(clean ) bulbs regularly.

 

[o2manyfish]

I have been using Ozone for decades. I currently have a 500mg/hr ozonizer on my 225 Fish only tank, and on my 1500g SPS system.

I run ozone 24/7 without a controller.

I have run ozone directly into a fish only aquarium using an airstone.

It keeps water crystal clear, and keeps the fish clean. Since the majority of the fish in my FO tank are over 6 years old and I have several of the original fish I cycled the tank with 10 years ago.

The downside to ozone is that it can be detrimental to plastic and rubber pieces in close proximity to its use.

Ozone is an extremely unstable compound. To break to O3 apart all it has to do is bump into something and it happily becomes O2. This can be done by running your skimmer effluent through something as simple as a sock of carbon.

If you system is well oxygenated you should have no issues with Ozone use. However, if you pump a couple of 100mg/hr into your tank without a good gas exchange you can burn the lungs out of your fish.

Dave B

 

[The R/C Man]

Good timing Don!

I am going to run ozone on my new tank and was wondering if anyone uses this model... OZS12 If so do you like it? Thanks!

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/7948/cid/1979

 

[o2manyfish]

Okay since AES is not a sponsor here ... Take a look at Sunshinepools.com

They make a smaller unit, that runs silent, produces more ozone, and leaves your credit card with room for a couple of pretty new frags.

Dave B

 

[The R/C Man]

o2manyfish,

I tried the link and it didn't work..

 

[FinsReef]

What alot of people do not realize is that if small bubbles pass over your uv, it creates ozone. Get a test, put bubbles through and test the o3 content. This is not a controlled way to dose ozone, and should not be used to ozonate a tank, but most people already are using ozone to some degree. I always advise to run the output of an uv over carbon. I have seen some units burn fins off of fish.

 

[DonW]

o2manyfish,

I tried the link and it didn't work..

You can also save a few bucks and buy a Enaly unit on ebay. Good product and service for 300mg/h $40.

Don

 

[o2manyfish]

My typo -- Sorry - Try Sunshinepool.com

Sorry

Dave B

 

[Scooterman]

Good information, seems like water clairity improves greatly when using O3. The lung burning part isn't so inviting though, lol.

 

[DonW]

Good information, seems like water clairity improves greatly when using O3. The lung burning part isn't so inviting though, lol.

I dont really think that is a real issue. The hobby units dont put out that much ozone.
I'm on the fence as wether or not to remove mine just to simplify the mess under the tank.

Don

 

[mojoreef]

I also use ozone and have the 500 mg unit. I think ozone can be a great additions to ones filtration. I dont know if I would run it with out controls however, that could get out of hand. The use of carbon on the output of the effluent is a big key though, the carbon will lock up excess ozone and stop it from entering the tank. My unit really only comes on once in a blue moon as my orp stays pretty high naturally.

good thread and good info.


Mike

 

[o2manyfish]

The lung burning is not really an issue....

a) If you can smell the ozone, then you are not using the ozone, so you need to figure out how so much excess is escaping your skimmer.

b) You can smell ozone - Smells like lightning. If your ozone is high enough to smell, then you will get a headache.

c) If you are an old lazy Reefer running ozone, and you do your skimmer venturi maintenance by yanking the air line and blowing into it to try break the salt blocking it free, you can numb your lips and tongue with ozone.

The numbing can last up to a week ---- It seems the older I get, and the more ozone I inhale the numbing lasts less and less each time. You know you can't teach an old dog new tricks.... You can teach a fat old reefer crap !!!

I have been running ozone for almost 20 years continuously on my tanks. Being asthmatic, if the lungs were an issue, I am sure it would have showed up at some point in time.

The nice thing about the occassionaly whiff of ozone is it reminds you that it may be time to clean the skimmer.

Dave B

 

[NaH2O]

I am not an expert on ozone generators, so I really don't know how safety is taken into account. It is quite evident on this thread, that there are some extremely experienced reefers using ozone. That's great, but I also don't feel ozone is right for everyone. Especially those that don't care to learn what they are doing. I have a daughter with asthma, so her health is always at the top of my list. This is a quote from the EPA (Ozone and Your Health - ground level ozone). Yes, I'm aware that this is in referece to ozone in the air, and not the small quantity that you will see out of the generator, but it still concerns me...

Ozone may also worsen chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and compromise the ability of the body to fight respiratory infections. People vary widely in their susceptibility to ozone. Healthy people, as well as those with respiratory difficulty, can experience breathing problems when exposed to ozone. Exercise during exposure to ozone causes a greater amount of ozone to be inhaled, and increases the risk of harmful respiratory effects. Recovery from the harmful effects can occur following short-term exposure to low levels of ozone, but health effects may become more damaging and recovery less certain at higher levels or from longer exposures (US EPA, 1996a, 1996b).

Also:

Repeated short-term ozone damage to children's developing lungs may lead to reduced lung function in adulthood. In adults, ozone exposure may accelerate the natural decline in lung function that occurs as part of the normal aging process.

I may be taking this to the extreme, but hey - I'm a woman . I don't want to take the chance of me messing something up, and exposing my daughter, myself, or anyone else in my house to ozone. I understand that there are a lot of dangerous items in the hobby (UV being one), but currently, I choose not to use ozone. Running with scissors is dangerous, and I don't do that either.....alright, well sometimes I do - just when no one is home