Ozone review.

[iReefer12]

I set up an ozotech Poseidon 200… the first few days I felt like it knocked the ORP up as expected. I started off slow, just 5 mins a night, then 15, then 30, then 1 hour, then 2 hours a day. Now I just left it on for most of the last 24 hrs. ORP doesn’t seem to jump up while the Ozone generator is on, I feel like shortly after it switches off it rises (see graph).

Just checking to make sure this is normal, or I need to check things. The Ozotech is set at 5, and is being mixed inside a protein skimmer. System volume is about 900 gallons. I don’t feel like I’ve noticed that much difference in water clarity, which was the main reason for setting ozone up.

I bought an EcoSensors Ozone sensor, and in the room there is no ozone detected, when I press it up to the skimmer cap it detects ozone, but as soon as the sensor is 2” away, the reading is 0 again. The skimmer cup vents into a carbon filter.

Here’s my graph, I know we’re not supposed to chase ORP but would like to see it improve with Ozone… right?

 

[CNDReef]

Might want to bump it up a bit at night , more power on the reactor for less time. I say at night because you and your family won’t be near it that way. Ozone beats carbon for clarity 1000%.

 

[am3gross]

I have been wanting to set up ozone also to my system, which is 700 gallons so this is of interest to me.

I notice your ORP number and when I look at mine it is higher, and I am not using ozone. I have never calibrated mine, have you calibrated yours? Just as a reference i have added a screen shot of mine.

 

[iReefer12]

I’ve tested with a Hanna ORP checker, and the checker actually reads even lower, ~200.

The tank is fairly new, but with established rock.

 

[am3gross]

I’ve tested with a Hanna ORP checker, and the checker actually reads even lower, ~200.

The tank is fairly new, but with established rock.

Do you have the ozone ran off an air pump or is it just sucking air from the environment?

 

[iReefer12]

Just sucking air from the fish room, about 45% humidity

 

[am3gross]

I watched a video it was today or yesterday, cant remember which one, but he had a air pump hooked up to his. Let me check and see if I can find the video again.

I remember him saying he wasnt getting good results with just letting it grab its own air.

 

[am3gross]

Found it, its around the 14:30-14:50 mark

 

[am3gross]

He is using a different ozone then you, dont know if that would make a difference

 

[iReefer12]

I’ll check it out. I actually tried using an air pump on the injection side of the generator earlier and didn’t see any change in ORP… it’s hooked up to an RK2 5AC skimmer, it’s a Venturi skimmer, so it should be pulling in plenty of air and therefor Ozone. I would think anyway at least.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Just bear in mind that the goal of ozone is water clarity, not raising ORP. It’s a false myth that higher ORP itself is an improvement.

 

[am3gross]

Just bear in mind that the goal of ozone is water clarity, not raising ORP. It’s a false myth that higher ORP itself is an improvement.

I have always heard that 375 is the highest you should go with ozone. Is that not a true statement? Should you just crank the ozone till you achieve the water clarity that you desire?

 

[djkms]

Here has been my experience so far with ozone.

600 Gallon display - 100 gallon sump probably 650 total water volume with rock displacement

Tank was setup a little over 6 weeks ago and using ozone from day 1. Absolute necessity is a flowmeter.

Per the instructions it states Ideal airflow rate 2-10 Standard Cubic Feet per Hour (SCFH). I split the difference at 3LPM (conversion calculator here).

First I tried to just use the second input from my silencer on my skimmer and having the other line go through my CO2 scrubber. This registered 0 on the flowmeter. I then just tried to run all air through the ozone generator but this restricted too much flow and didn't allow enough air into the skimmer. Skimmer is a Reef Octopus 300-Int. I now have the intake line split near the ozone generator so most the air pulls through my CO2 reactor and the other line goes through the flowmeter which can adjust the air input with the dial on bottom. Pushing the air through the line is a Whisper air pump that turns on when the Ozone generator turns on and turns off 1 minute after the generator shuts off so the line gets cleared from ozone. Moral of the story, I have a beast skimmer and it was not able to pull enough air through the ozone generator without an air pump. I will say though that my air input lines to my skimmer are long and go through a CO2 reactor and pull fresh air from outside. It may work if your ozone generator is right next to the air input of the skimmer but in my system its not. Air pump was needed.

Now on to usage.
I watched a ton of videos on ozone and the common theme of those who ran it on multiple systems with hundreds if not thousands of gallons was this - less is more. They were running it anywhere from 10 minutes a day to 1 hour a day. The videos I saw where it nuked tanks, smaller systems, running it too long. Like RHF said the whole point is water clarity. I only use ORP as my safety net, not my control point. If my ORP gets above 350 the ozone does not run. If my skimmer is off my ozone does not run. I also run all my return water from the sump through a UV sterilizer and from what I read UV breaks down ozone so it never makes it to my display. If the UV is not on the ozone doesn't run.

Here is my APEX code for the generator:

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 00:00 to 01:00 Then ON
If Time 04:00 to 04:10 Then ON
If Time 08:00 to 08:10 Then ON
If Time 12:00 to 12:10 Then ON
If Time 16:00 to 16:10 Then ON
If Time 20:00 to 20:10 Then ON
If Output Skimmer = OFF Then OFF
If ORP > 350 Then OFF
If Output UV = OFF Then OFF
If Output StopOzone = ON Then OFF
If Output PowerOut = ON Then OFF
When On > 065:00 Then OFF
Defer 000:30 Then ON
Min Time 060:00 Then OFF

For my system my water is crystal clear running it 1 hour at night. I started out 10 minutes, then 20, etc until I got to 1 hour making sure everything is safe. I am also starting to run it for 10min every 4 hours to stop the "fishy" or ocean smell in my room.
I have the air pump pushing air through a BRS air dryer with desiccant (I live in FL, humid), through the flow meter into the ozone reactor into the skimmer and the skimmer has a recirculating lid with the output going into another reactor full of carbon to filter out the ozone.

ORP
Here is what I noticed. The first couple of days the ORP shot up 15 points or so when running the ozone then it gradually went back down. For about 3 weeks it did nothing when the ozone was on. Now that the ORP probe is "broke in" (from my research) the ORP goes up 15-20 points when it runs at night and it has been steadily climbing the last couple of weeks. Like I said though, IMO I don't think its a good idea to control ozone with ORP, just use it as a safety net. I use my eyeballs to control it. I have my pool cage viewable from the long side of my tank which has white beams. If the white beams dont look white when looking through my tank I will turn up the ozone, if they stay white I turn it down until they start to not look as white. I aim to decrease usage not increase it. Tank is clear at 2 on the dial and 1 hour at night for me. You can also take 2 5 gallon buckets. Put a gallon or 2 of freshly mixed saltwater into 1 bucket and take a gallon or 2 of tank water and place it in the other bucket. If they dont look the same then you need to increase ozone.

Hope this helps!

Kris

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have always heard that 375 is the highest you should go with ozone. Is that not a true statement? Should you just crank the ozone till you achieve the water clarity that you desire?

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 1: Chemistry and Biochemistry by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 2: Equipment and Safety by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Ozone and the Reef Aquarium, Part 3: Changes in a Reef Aquarium upon Initiating Ozone by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

So with all that background discussion behind us, here are my recommendations for ORP monitoring and ozone control in reef aquaria using a properly sized ozone generator that appears to be working, and a properly calibrated ORP meter:

If the ORP never seems to rise above 375 mV after initiating ozone, do not worry about controlling the ozone or the ORP. Just let it run full out. Also, do not worry about needing a larger generator, assuming it has driven up the ORP by at least 25 mV above where it was before adding ozone. It is likely accomplishing the necessary tasks (such as making the water clearer). Only if some other aspect of ozone use is unsatisfying (e.g., lack of water clarity) would I look for other options such as a larger ozone generator or a better contact chamber.

2. If the ORP starts above 375 mV, or rises there during ozone use, using an ORP controller would be valuable to prevent the ORP from rising too high. Use the controller to shut off the ozone when the ORP rises too high. Another option would be to shut off the air flow to save the dryer's media, but be sure that water cannot flow back into the ozone generator if the air stops. I would set the ORP target somewhat above the baseline ORP in the absence of ozone - at least 350 mV, maybe 400 mV, but never above 450 mV.

 

[iReefer12]

Thanks for the input everyone.

I’m gonna read the articles posted, and then come back with any questions.

I’ve since turned my ozone generator to only come on for 6 hours at night 11pm to 5am, and to also turn off if ORP gets above 300. Going to leave it there for a few weeks and monitor, if you think I should lessen that even more, then let me know. Right, some reading to do.

 

[iReefer12]

Here has been my experience so far with ozone.

600 Gallon display - 100 gallon sump probably 650 total water volume with rock displacement

Tank was setup a little over 6 weeks ago and using ozone from day 1. Absolute necessity is a flowmeter.

Per the instructions it states Ideal airflow rate 2-10 Standard Cubic Feet per Hour (SCFH). I split the difference at 3LPM (conversion calculator here).

First I tried to just use the second input from my silencer on my skimmer and having the other line go through my CO2 scrubber. This registered 0 on the flowmeter. I then just tried to run all air through the ozone generator but this restricted too much flow and didn't allow enough air into the skimmer. Skimmer is a Reef Octopus 300-Int. I now have the intake line split near the ozone generator so most the air pulls through my CO2 reactor and the other line goes through the flowmeter which can adjust the air input with the dial on bottom. Pushing the air through the line is a Whisper air pump that turns on when the Ozone generator turns on and turns off 1 minute after the generator shuts off so the line gets cleared from ozone. Moral of the story, I have a beast skimmer and it was not able to pull enough air through the ozone generator without an air pump. I will say though that my air input lines to my skimmer are long and go through a CO2 reactor and pull fresh air from outside. It may work if your ozone generator is right next to the air input of the skimmer but in my system its not. Air pump was needed.

Now on to usage.
I watched a ton of videos on ozone and the common theme of those who ran it on multiple systems with hundreds if not thousands of gallons was this - less is more. They were running it anywhere from 10 minutes a day to 1 hour a day. The videos I saw where it nuked tanks, smaller systems, running it too long. Like RHF said the whole point is water clarity. I only use ORP as my safety net, not my control point. If my ORP gets above 350 the ozone does not run. If my skimmer is off my ozone does not run. I also run all my return water from the sump through a UV sterilizer and from what I read UV breaks down ozone so it never makes it to my display. If the UV is not on the ozone doesn't run.

Here is my APEX code for the generator:


For my system my water is crystal clear running it 1 hour at night. I started out 10 minutes, then 20, etc until I got to 1 hour making sure everything is safe. I am also starting to run it for 10min every 4 hours to stop the "fishy" or ocean smell in my room.
I have the air pump pushing air through a BRS air dryer with desiccant (I live in FL, humid), through the flow meter into the ozone reactor into the skimmer and the skimmer has a recirculating lid with the output going into another reactor full of carbon to filter out the ozone.

ORP
Here is what I noticed. The first couple of days the ORP shot up 15 points or so when running the ozone then it gradually went back down. For about 3 weeks it did nothing when the ozone was on. Now that the ORP probe is "broke in" (from my research) the ORP goes up 15-20 points when it runs at night and it has been steadily climbing the last couple of weeks. Like I said though, IMO I don't think its a good idea to control ozone with ORP, just use it as a safety net. I use my eyeballs to control it. I have my pool cage viewable from the long side of my tank which has white beams. If the white beams dont look white when looking through my tank I will turn up the ozone, if they stay white I turn it down until they start to not look as white. I aim to decrease usage not increase it. Tank is clear at 2 on the dial and 1 hour at night for me. You can also take 2 5 gallon buckets. Put a gallon or 2 of freshly mixed saltwater into 1 bucket and take a gallon or 2 of tank water and place it in the other bucket. If they dont look the same then you need to increase ozone.

Hope this helps!

Kris

Hey Kris,

My skimmer has a flow meter on the air input side. The skimmer recommends 20-30 scfh of air flow, so it was was running in the 20-30 level. This is total air volume, so it doesn’t pick up solely the flow through the ozone Gen. Could it be an issue if it’s sucking more than 10 scfh through the ozone generator?

There’s about 6ft of tubing between the generator and the injection port on the skimmer.


(I’ve now just turned the skimmer flow down to be right on 10 scfh and turned the ozone on to see how things go.)


Distance between the ozotech and the skimmer injection port.


And

 

[tmo65]

Just sucking air from the fish room, about 45% humidity

Need to get an air dryer to dry out the air. It will make the device work less for better results