Ozone Generator

[asonitez]

I have been thinking of getting an OZONE Generator off of ebay for a little less than 80 bucks including UPS ground shipping. A gentlemen at my LFS whom I trust a lot reccomended one to me because it clears the water so perfectly and it helps to keep algae and MO's down. He also told me that it would help with ammonia and nitrite while making my water very clear and healthy. I haven not heard or seen anyone here on the forums really make use of one? I was wondering if any of you currently use a Ozone Generator.


Aso

 

[Anonymous]

You'd need to buy an ORP controller as well, both for your safety and that of your tank. I don't know that I've ever heard of an ozone generator for quite so cheap, and frankly I'd be suspicious of its quality. They are typically used only in very large scale tanks. An ozone molecule is highly reactive; it works by breaking down large organic molecules into smaller segments and generally killing any cells it comes in contact with. It is critical that the ozone is injected at a rate such that it does not get into your main tank (or into your lungs). I can tell you that they do keep the water quite clear and they do improve the performance of your skimmer. Beyond that I don't know that it is worth the trouble and expense on a small home tank.

 

[Anonymous]

I run ozone on my system, but the it is injected into the skimmer under my house, so the ozone danger is minimal to non existent to me and my family. If my sump was in the house, I wouldn't run ozone.
I would only use one as a final touch on a system that is already working well, but not as a way to try to fix a system.
There are a bunch of ins and outs to dosing ozone - how much to dose, where to dose, how to air dry your air, if a controller is really necessary (Hi Matt! ). Like Matt says besides human safety, making sure ozone doesn't get in your main tank is really really important. You can do a search and read peoples opinions, or The Reef Aquarium vol 1 has a very nice section about ozone.

 

[Anonymous]

if a controller is really necessary

Ooooh. Tell me more.

 

[Anonymous]

There is evidence that a low level of ozone, 10 per hour, is better than larger amounts for a reef tank. If you are running that low a level, and are running your ozone reactor effluent through carbon and that effluent isn't going right back into your tank, you should be fine. The same may be the case for larger doses as well. Plus, keeping an ORP probe clean and in calibration is tricky - I gave up!

 

[Anonymous]

Of course you need an adjustable ozone generator for that, the cheap Enaly ones that you can buy on ebay I believe are not adjustable.

 

[Anonymous]

You betcha. I have a non adjustable one in a box, won't use it.

 

[Anonymous]

There is evidence that a low level of ozone, 10 per hour, is better than larger amounts for a reef tank. If you are running that low a level, and are running your ozone reactor effluent through carbon and that effluent isn't going right back into your tank, you should be fine. The same may be the case for larger doses as well. Plus, keeping an ORP probe clean and in calibration is tricky - I gave up!

Ah, gotcha. So you basically just err on the underdosing side? Makes sense.

 

[Anonymous]

Plus, keeping an ORP probe clean and in calibration is tricky - I gave up!

That's why you have lab people do it once a week for you. :roll: :lol:

 

[Entacmaea]

What Matt means to point out, is that he has "people" in his nice cushy job! Ozone scares me, I leave it to the more experienced and brave!

 

[Anonymous]

Ozone shouldn't scare you any more than electricity near saltwater