Adding ozone
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reefkeeper
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I have aqua metics ozone 300 that's feeding into a little cheapo Maxi-Skimmer with wooden airstone. It's presently on my 220 with lots of fishies and softies. My water is crystal clear. I do however have the ozone level very low. It's been on the tank now for 8 months with zero problems.
reefkeeper
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Hey Bill, how are you? You need to stop by one day. The poker offer is still on. We've been playing every month and your welcome to join us.
I've used carbon for more than four years, and have never run carbon (either in air or in water), and have never had a problem. Some people seem to be more sensitive to it, but no one has ever mentioned it when in my sump room, either.
If you use it, run only as much as necessary. I have a 100mg/hr unit for my 800g, and it's more than sufficient. Using a white bucket, remove some water from your tank, and when the tinge is gone, you know you have the needed level. Just keep adjusting up or down until you find the amount you need.
I'd recommend *against* one with an ORP controller. ORP probes are unreliable, and you could nuke your tank. The above method ensures you get what you need with the ozone, but won't be enough to over oxidize everything.
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Chris, do you use an air dryer?
You won't really know until you get it on your system... I'd say that 100mg/hr is sufficient for most systems. I have 800g of water and a moderate bioload, and that's all I need. Someone with more bioload may need more.
I use a Red Sea Aquazone, 200mg/hr (although only need 100mg/hr). They do fail after a couple years - when my current one fails, I'll likely find something else.
I did for about the first month. Then it got saturated, and I tried drying the beads out in the oven, and the house went from PG to R rated for an afternoon from the cussing...
I've been running it without an air dryer ever since. Not having an air dryer does make it less efficient - by about 20-30%, but if you're adjusting it similar to the method above, it doesn't really matter.
Also- depending on how the ozonizer makes the ozone, be careful on where you mount the unit. Units that generate using corona discharge can create nitric acid (I believe - check me), which will eat through just about anything. I've never seen it, but have read about it. Just don't put it on top of your tank or anything sensitive.
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Good information. Nice to have some firsthand experience. Most research online says it's not worth the risk and it's so dangerous...never mind I have 600w of lights hanging a few inches about a giant tank of SW.
There are risks when using ozone but, as with many things, if used in moderation, you should be able to avoid many of the issues. Where people get into trouble with ozone is either getting a unit that is oversized for their setup or trying to chase ORP (as Chris mentioned above).
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