THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND THE USE OF ANY OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE IS STRICKLY AT YOUR OWN RISK. IT IS RECOMMENDED YOU READ MORE ON OZONE AND DO NOT ATEMPT TO USE IT UNTIL YOU HAVE A FIRM UNDERSTANDING OF ITS USE.
Excert from the book The Marine Aquarium Reference
Martin A. Moe JR.
Ozone
Ozone clarifies water by oxidizing dissolved organic, small organic particles, and also reduces bacteria populations. It greatly helps wound repair in aquatic animals because of the effective reduction of water borne bacteria. It does not significantly increase the amount of dissoved oxygen in the water, but it does increase redox potential. Ozone changes some complex organics into more surface active compounds, which increases the organic content of the foam. Protein skimmers produce a more stable foam when ozone is added to the air released in the skimmer, increasing the efficiency of operation.
On the negative side however, ozone reacts with chloride and bromide ions, and hypochlorite and hypobromite may be formed. The residual oxidants are persistent and can extend oxidative effects into areas where oxidizers can damage delicate organisms, particularly fish and invertebrate gill tissue. (the use of ozone must be used properly with caution and with a controller).
A faint smell of ozone in the filter cabinet or under the tank hood is normal. Too much ozone however, to the point that it can be smelled throughout the room most of the time is not good for humans and should be avoided.Rubber items are especially suseptible to deterioration from ozone and plastic dosnt fair much better. Avoid rubber washers or O rings in equipment where ozonated water flows, or be prepared to change them often. Excessive use of ozone shortens the life of plastic skimmers and other plastic items in the system. It is wise to pass the flow from an ozone contact chamber through an activated carbon filter before returning it to the display tank. This will remove excess ozone and other oxidants from the water. The air discharged from the protein skimmer or chamber can also be directed through a carbon chamber to revove excess ozone from air release if needed. ( Note PASSING DRY OZONATED AIR THROUGH DRY ACTIVATED CARBON MAY CREATE A FIRE HAZARD.)
According to Stopka, six out of tem aquarists in western Europe used ozone in their systemts in the 1970's. Some depend completely on the oxidizing action of ozone and removal of protein foam to control organic accumulation in the system. This requries precise control and careful observation, and constant testing of the system. Few american aquarists use ozone, although with careful application it is a very beneficial addition to the typcial filtration of standard systems and also greatly imporves the environment of reef systems.
Most modern ozonizers use the silent electric discharge method of ozone production. Production of ozone is dependent on the structure and design of the ozonator, regulation of the charge on the electrodes, the amount of oxygen and humidity in the air, and the rate of air flow. It is important to pass the air through an air drying chamber before passing it through the ozonizer.
Salt water inside the ozonizer is bad news. When ever possible mount the ozonizer above the water level of the tank and if not possible be sure to use a one way check valve to prevent water from siphoning back into the ozonizer and be sure the check valve does not have a rubber seal, silicone is safer with ozone. The maximum amount of ozone produced by small units designed for home use range from 25 to 250 mg/hr. Most systems under 100 gallons can get by very well with a unit capable of 50 mg/hr. Some systems with a heavy biological load or more than 100 gal may need a unit capable of 100mg/hr.
The amount of ozone a system requries increases with the total gallons of water in the system and varies with the condition of the water, the type of filtration on the system, and most important the concentration of dissoved organics (DOC). As ozone strips the water of dissoved organic, less ozone is used for DOC destruction, and more free ozone is present in the sytem water.
Residual ozone in marine system water should not be more than 0.5 ppm for fish treatment and less on a continuous basis. Residual levels 0.01 to 0.3 are said to prevent growth of virus and bacteria but do not affect most invertebrates. Since such low levels have a great bactericidal effect, it is important not to add so much ozone that biological filtration is affected. Ammonia and nitrite levels should remain at or near zero.
Redox potential is a good guide to ozone use. Use of ozone increases redox potential, and constant use can elevate a low redox potential of 22 mv to high levels of 300 to 325 mv. Levels can also be raised too high so it is important to use a redox controller as a way to manage the ozone dispensing.
The range of recommended ozone production varies from 0.1 to 1.0 mg/hr/gal (0.03 to 0.26 mg/l/hr) depending on system condition and biological load. For a 75 gallon system this is 7.5 to 75 mg/hr, a rather broad range. Systems with old water should be started on a constant rate of about 0.8 to 1.0 mg/gal/hr (0.21 to 0.26 mg/l/hr) and cut back within a few days or a week to 0.5 mg/gal/hr (0.13 mg/l/hr). If the system contains a high biological load of mostly fish, 0.5 mg/ga/hr maybe the best continuous rate of ozone production. This can be increased to 0.8 or 1.0 mg/gal/hr for a couple of hours after feeding, or if the ozonizer is only turned on during night hours. If few fish and many invertebrates are maintained in the system then lower concentrations of ozone are desirable. levels of ozone production as low as 0.05 mg/gal/hr (0.013 mg/l/hr)can maintain good water quality in small well filter sytems.
Generally ozone production of 0.5 to 1.0 mg/gal/hr is adequate for systems in the 40 to 75 gallon range. Because of the presistence of ozone and ozone generated oxidants in system water, the trend is for large volume sytems to requrie a little less ozone on a per gallon basis than small systems. Remember each system is different, and ozonation requries the attention and regulation of the aquarist to find the optimum level of ozone production for each individual system.
END.
Excert from the book The Marine Aquarium Reference
Martin A. Moe JR.
Ozone
Ozone clarifies water by oxidizing dissolved organic, small organic particles, and also reduces bacteria populations. It greatly helps wound repair in aquatic animals because of the effective reduction of water borne bacteria. It does not significantly increase the amount of dissoved oxygen in the water, but it does increase redox potential. Ozone changes some complex organics into more surface active compounds, which increases the organic content of the foam. Protein skimmers produce a more stable foam when ozone is added to the air released in the skimmer, increasing the efficiency of operation.
On the negative side however, ozone reacts with chloride and bromide ions, and hypochlorite and hypobromite may be formed. The residual oxidants are persistent and can extend oxidative effects into areas where oxidizers can damage delicate organisms, particularly fish and invertebrate gill tissue. (the use of ozone must be used properly with caution and with a controller).
A faint smell of ozone in the filter cabinet or under the tank hood is normal. Too much ozone however, to the point that it can be smelled throughout the room most of the time is not good for humans and should be avoided.Rubber items are especially suseptible to deterioration from ozone and plastic dosnt fair much better. Avoid rubber washers or O rings in equipment where ozonated water flows, or be prepared to change them often. Excessive use of ozone shortens the life of plastic skimmers and other plastic items in the system. It is wise to pass the flow from an ozone contact chamber through an activated carbon filter before returning it to the display tank. This will remove excess ozone and other oxidants from the water. The air discharged from the protein skimmer or chamber can also be directed through a carbon chamber to revove excess ozone from air release if needed. ( Note PASSING DRY OZONATED AIR THROUGH DRY ACTIVATED CARBON MAY CREATE A FIRE HAZARD.)
According to Stopka, six out of tem aquarists in western Europe used ozone in their systemts in the 1970's. Some depend completely on the oxidizing action of ozone and removal of protein foam to control organic accumulation in the system. This requries precise control and careful observation, and constant testing of the system. Few american aquarists use ozone, although with careful application it is a very beneficial addition to the typcial filtration of standard systems and also greatly imporves the environment of reef systems.
Most modern ozonizers use the silent electric discharge method of ozone production. Production of ozone is dependent on the structure and design of the ozonator, regulation of the charge on the electrodes, the amount of oxygen and humidity in the air, and the rate of air flow. It is important to pass the air through an air drying chamber before passing it through the ozonizer.
Salt water inside the ozonizer is bad news. When ever possible mount the ozonizer above the water level of the tank and if not possible be sure to use a one way check valve to prevent water from siphoning back into the ozonizer and be sure the check valve does not have a rubber seal, silicone is safer with ozone. The maximum amount of ozone produced by small units designed for home use range from 25 to 250 mg/hr. Most systems under 100 gallons can get by very well with a unit capable of 50 mg/hr. Some systems with a heavy biological load or more than 100 gal may need a unit capable of 100mg/hr.
The amount of ozone a system requries increases with the total gallons of water in the system and varies with the condition of the water, the type of filtration on the system, and most important the concentration of dissoved organics (DOC). As ozone strips the water of dissoved organic, less ozone is used for DOC destruction, and more free ozone is present in the sytem water.
Residual ozone in marine system water should not be more than 0.5 ppm for fish treatment and less on a continuous basis. Residual levels 0.01 to 0.3 are said to prevent growth of virus and bacteria but do not affect most invertebrates. Since such low levels have a great bactericidal effect, it is important not to add so much ozone that biological filtration is affected. Ammonia and nitrite levels should remain at or near zero.
Redox potential is a good guide to ozone use. Use of ozone increases redox potential, and constant use can elevate a low redox potential of 22 mv to high levels of 300 to 325 mv. Levels can also be raised too high so it is important to use a redox controller as a way to manage the ozone dispensing.
The range of recommended ozone production varies from 0.1 to 1.0 mg/hr/gal (0.03 to 0.26 mg/l/hr) depending on system condition and biological load. For a 75 gallon system this is 7.5 to 75 mg/hr, a rather broad range. Systems with old water should be started on a constant rate of about 0.8 to 1.0 mg/gal/hr (0.21 to 0.26 mg/l/hr) and cut back within a few days or a week to 0.5 mg/gal/hr (0.13 mg/l/hr). If the system contains a high biological load of mostly fish, 0.5 mg/ga/hr maybe the best continuous rate of ozone production. This can be increased to 0.8 or 1.0 mg/gal/hr for a couple of hours after feeding, or if the ozonizer is only turned on during night hours. If few fish and many invertebrates are maintained in the system then lower concentrations of ozone are desirable. levels of ozone production as low as 0.05 mg/gal/hr (0.013 mg/l/hr)can maintain good water quality in small well filter sytems.
Generally ozone production of 0.5 to 1.0 mg/gal/hr is adequate for systems in the 40 to 75 gallon range. Because of the presistence of ozone and ozone generated oxidants in system water, the trend is for large volume sytems to requrie a little less ozone on a per gallon basis than small systems. Remember each system is different, and ozonation requries the attention and regulation of the aquarist to find the optimum level of ozone production for each individual system.
END.
