should I get an ozonizer?

[Gools]

Debating whether to get one or not, heard they work wonders on tanks, but also heard they are over kill, and over rated. Just looking for some feedback.
Thanks

[WWWD]

are you having orp issues with your tank?

[Gools]

no just looking to add another toy to my setup. I don't have any water quality problems, but have heard alot about it, and just wondering if I should invest in one.

[reeferaddict]

I'm thinking of adding one too... I already have a UV sterilizer but that only treats water that passes through it... Ozone will travel to all the reaches of the system and kill and sterilize bacteria and DOC....

Let me know how you decide to go... :biggrin:

[Psyire]

Ozone will travel to all the reaches of the system and kill and sterilize bacteria and DOC....


This statement is most definately wrong. Ozone will only kill what it comes in contact with, and it's only in the water in your skimmer (where it's injected) and for a very very short period of time as it exits the skimmer. Most people run carbon downstream of their skimmer to remove any ozone that might not have dissapated yet. If pure ozone travelled through your tank, you wouldn't have much of anything left.

[Nemo]

ozone and plastics do not mix.. You better have some new seals for your pumps ozone eats Orings unless they are viton

Ozone is also not a good thing to be around, I would pass. I had a large ozone system at my last job and there are some definate health isues around ozone

[Gools]

I use to work at a bottled water company, and the ozone was strong, even with large fans for ventilation. It use to give me really bad headaches. But I didn't think a small system for a tank, could put out enough to affect us.

[Skimmerking]

Nigel lots of people use it for cleaning there tanks ,or hooking it up with a skimmer. Some people i know do it with there smaller skimmer cant afford a big skimmer in your case you are good to go.

how's it going any ways man havent talk to you in a bit,Hows the tank coming.

mike

[Gizmo]

The only place I use an ozone generator is on my hot tub. I've seen what it does to that plumbing I would hate to see what it does to a soft plastic skimmer. It won’t wreak your system over night, but within a year I guarantee it will be deteriorating. Sucks but true. Now would you want that stuff in the water where your fish breathe and eat?

[mr_alberta]

What did you want to accomplish with ozone? Are you looking at just taking out the yellow tinge to the water or actually using it to control your ORP?

[Gools]

alot of people run them and say what a big difference they make on water quality. I don't need one, but was thinking if adding another toy, to the system to improve things. Some people swear they are the best things, and some people hate them. So just debating.

Mike you still out East. Tank is doing good, but have no more room, have to start chopping stuff up.

[Psyire]

Many Skimmers are Ozone safe, you just want to make sure yours is before injecting ozone into it.

[StirCrazy]

Many Skimmers are Ozone safe, you just want to make sure yours is before injecting ozone into it.

and what is the deciding factor for "Ozone safe"? when you inject Ozone you only inject enuf to treat the water going through the skimmer or what ever you are using as an injection point. Skimmers are a good place as you can "off gas" any excess inside the skimmer. I was going to try Ozone but for me it is to risky as if it screws up while I am gone I will come home to a sterile take devoid of life.
O3 is a super oxidizer so basically it will attach to organics and nuke them, so to much will kill anything in your tank so you have to have a way of monitoring it or get a unit that is slightly under sized for your water volume so you get some benefit with out the risk.

Steve

[Gools]

Can ozone be used by putting an air stone in your sump, and pumping the air through that?

I know there are Ozone reactors, and skimmer to inject ozone, but what if you have neither, how do you add it?

[Skimmerking]

yes nigel im back on nov 4 and let me know what you are going to get rif off ok...

[Veng68]

Can ozone be used by putting an air stone in your sump, and pumping the air through that?

I know there are Ozone reactors, and skimmer to inject ozone, but what if you have neither, how do you add it?

Do not inject ozone directly into your system. That is very dangerous. Ozone should always be injected into a skimmer then into a carbon chamber.

Cheers,
Vic[veng68]

[Skimmerking]

Nigel you may want to check on a dryer that hooks up to your skimmer to dry the ozone before having it go into the skimmer.

Talk to Quinn he sells them and has a friend that is making the dryer for them to dry out the ozone before hitting the water.
it suppose to be dry first they say. The ozone is wet there for its not allowing the material to stick to the water cells ,so it has to be dried first for the water to stick to it.. and but remember that if you use Ozone have it vented out outside if you can.

That's what i'm going to do. I'll have the fresh air coming in from outside to the ozone and then to the skimmer and the air from the waste collector will be vented out.

[mr_alberta]

I thought dryers were used to take out any moisture in the air before it gets to the ozone generator. :confused:

At any rate you should do a quick search here on the board as I recall there being a nice thread about the pros and cons of ozone.

I use a small 50mg/hr Sanders unit injected into my beckett skimmer's air intake. I run very low doses as I use it only to polish the water and take out the yellow tinge to it. If you wanted to start using ozone to control your ORP, then I would suggest a unit with a controller (though I've read somewhere that those probes need to be replaced often).

[Skimmerking]

Harvey hat is kinda what i was trying to say. you know me .

mike

[Psyire]

and what is the deciding factor for "Ozone safe"?

For one, I would talk to the manufacturer of the skimmer and make sure they warranty it against the use of Ozone. For example, my skimmer has a built in Ozone injection port right from the factory.

You are definately right about running ozone blind, I would never use it without an ORP controller. Also, running alittle ozone all the time is better than alot of ozone, on/off. It's definately something that you need to research a lot before just sticking a unit onto your tank.

[littlesilvermax]

I use a 200 mg/hr RedSea unit on my 250 tank going through my beckett skimmer and love it! :biggrin:

I have an ORP controller but I would go w/o it if it broke down. I don't think you need one if you inject the appropriate amount into your tank.

I don't use carbon (many do and it is not for excess ozone, but for the by-products of ozone in the system; chlorimine and bromine).

My tank has never looked better, and takes less maintenanced with ozone. In the long run saves money because I no longer buy carbon.

I say go for it, you will love it.


BTW I do recommend venting the skimer outside, it tends to really stink with O3.

[seashells]

Well ozone can be produced by either corona discharge or uv bulb. Most systems uses corona discharge. Ozone has a short 15 second lifespan. Depending on plumbing or filtering none should reach the main body of water.

doug

[Veng68]

any idea on the useful life (ie. when one would have to replace) the corona or uv bulb?

CHeers,
Vic [veng68]

[mr_alberta]

Corona discharge works just like a spark plug, and from my understanding, should last quite a while. The UV ones, from my understanding, should be replaced annually.