Ozone. Why don't we use it anymore?

[saltyfilmfolks]

Title says it all. Why isn't ozone use prevalent in more modern Reefing setups?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Never used ozone, but curious as to what people say. Following along

 

[reefwiser]

Ozone requires attention to it for it to work well and properly. One must check the equipment on a regular basis. As ozone breaks down plastic as well as the electrical parts must be watched as they deteriorate too. Most hobbyist don’t monitor their equipment closely enough which leads to failure. We have other less maintenance intense methods now days that will provide similar results.

 

[Big E]

It currently isn't the flavor of the day........that's all. Plenty of people still use them but they aren't hyped.......it's a proven product with nothing to be gained as "new".

 

[smoothmove]

I used ozone in the 90's hooked up to skimmer. Neither for nor against- just another tool to use for certain purposes. I no longer use ozone. You had to use a lot more carbon for the skimmer drain and skimmer cup as to not have ozone leakage into the room. Benefits- Water was crystal clear. Downside- water was too clean for corals imo and worrying about ozone leakage

 

[Fishhands]

What does ozone do? Im sure most of the people that don't use it are like me. It seems complicated and mysterious. I know we have an ozone layer around our planet, but im sure thats not what you're talking about.

 

[SuperDragon]

Its more complicated for the average reefer and more feasible for large tanks 300 gal and over that can't do large water changes. There are safety issues with it as well as health issues for humans and livestock if not implemented properly with a ozone reactor not just a skimmer. Its its used to basically "bleach" the water and can sterilize at higher orp.
Not a necessity but a adjunct. There are many other options like UV sterilizers, carbon dosing, biopellets, and biomedia to delay a water change.
Overall is more costly to implement. Nothing against it, I would like to use it and have one in the garage, but my wife threatened when the house stank ozone because of a leak. She felt nauseous when I first set it up. I didn't want wife and kids to get sick if anything went wrong.
More costly, more components, and maintenance (air dryer, carbon, feed, orp controller, lift pump, pressurized ozone reactor)

 

[Breadman03]

Most of my concerns have been stated already. Its something that I was interested in, but I don't feel like mitigating the risks at this time.

 

[landlubber]

its complicated, possibly dangerous, has a destructive effect on rubber parts, requires more than one piece of equipment, requires attention, adjustment and much of its desired effect can be replicated by running UV.

 

[smoothmove]

It oxidizes- sterilizes everything it comes in contact with. You hook it up to your skimmer to dissipate some of it, to have the skimmer water sterilized and the carbon gets the rest of the ozone that escapes. It super cleans your water. Not for everyone.

The ozone unit is a little bigger than an air pump for aquariums. It uses a light off some kind to create ozone from room air. It is a slow flow.

 

[Ento-Reefer]

I have used ozone in the past and I plan on using it again on my new 180g. I am old school. When I first starting reefing I had Albert Thiel's book Advanced Reef Keeping and he described how to use ozone. I have used it hooked to a protein skimmer, but the best way to use it is in a separate reactor so it does not directly effect your skimmers performance. I think it benefits a tank though my observations are not very scientific. If it is set up correctly there is no danger to anyone in the house or the tank. It is just another tool that can be used to produce ultra clear water and boost ORP levels. IMHO you cannot achieve the same clarity with carbon alone. You certainly don't need to use it to have a great reef tank, but I like the look of my tanks better when I have used it, and I believe it does reduce nuisance algae and certainly helps break down organics.

 

[Want2BS8ed]

I really like using ozone and have used it since the 90's in every tank up until moving to Triton a little over a year ago. Using small amounts in a skimmer works well, but a dedicated reactor is much more efficient and allows you to really drive ORP levels up. Avast Marine's dual Ozone/carbon burp reactor is probably the easiest implementation I have used (outside of running it through a skimmer).

Pros: skimmer efficiency is vastly improved and water clarity is phenomenal. It's hard to describe until you actually see a tank running Ozone how much clearer it is and colors just pop. Breaking down all of those organics and running higher levels of carbon also removes any (and I mean any!) yellowing.

Cons: more expense (both upfront for equipment and ongoing for carbon). For safeties sake a controller is really needed, adding to the upfront cost. Extra maintenance can be a hassle, but the biggest con (and the reason I'm not using it with Triton) as mentioned above it's a bit too efficient for a natural system. Think of a super efficient UV light destroying any and all micro-flora and fauna that it comes into contact with.

In a Berlin/Triton style system, I'm not sure there is a place for Ozone.

M

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Interesting conversation for sure! I've never used ozone, but I've looked into it a few times. I'm just lazy, so I've never gone through with it. It also seems to require a significant investment up front (and I'm also poor).

 

[Paul B]

I have used it continually from about 1980 or so till today and I still use it. I forgot about it as I never do anything to it, there is no maintenance, no trouble, no rusting, no controlling, no mitigating risks, no complicated mysteries, no wife feeling nauseous, No air drier, no carbon, no controller, no costly components, and cheaper than a few test kits, which I also don't have.
The people with all those problems and concerns don't use it correctly.

If it was that bad, me and my family would have croaked and my reef would not be 46 years old with no problems at all. I have so few problems that I can't even make up problems. I run the thing at full power 24/7. But you have to know how to do it or you will disintegrate pictures of your Mother N Law.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I have used it continually from about 1980 or so till today and I still use it. I forgot about it as I never do anything to it, there is no maintenance, no trouble, no rusting, no controlling, no mitigating risks, no complicated mysteries, no wife feeling nauseous, No air drier, no controller, no costly components, and cheaper than a few test kits, which I also don't have.
The people with all those problems and concerns don't use it correctly.

If it was that bad, me and my family would have croaked and my reef would not be 46 years old with no problems at all. I have so few problems that I can't even make up problems. I run the thing at full power 24/7. But you have to know how to do it or you will disintegrate pictures of your Mother N Law.

This is good info, Paul. Thanks for sharing. I think many of us non-ozone users may complicate it in our minds more than is necessary.

 

[five.five-six]

I’ve used it and will again if I find a genorator for the right price. The safety concerns are prety negligible if using a smaller unit of 100mg or less. the real PITA is the air dryer, the beads have to be baked or replaced weekly or so. Last time I used O3, i had 3 sets of dryer beads and I’d bake them all at once. O3 genorators are rather ineffective and short lived with any moisture in their air.

 

[Tom Blevins]

Our Tank spotlight this month Rob's 300 uses Ozone maybe he can chime in to us green horns?

 

[CNDReef]

I’ve used in the past with awesome results. The concerns people have about it might be viable but it also means you’re dumping too much of it into your system. Take it slow and you’ll see a little does in fact go a long way.

 

[Paul B]

This is good info, Paul. Thanks for sharing. I think many of us non-ozone users may complicate it in our minds more than is necessary.

An air drier is recommended but not needed. It just cuts down a little on the effectiveness. But even without an air drier, If I put a piece of iron near the output of my ozonizer for a day, it would rust. That means it is working. Now you could call a lab to come over and test it or buy an ORP meter, ask Oprah Winfrey, hire a chemist or do any number of other expensive things. But if you stick the air hose up your nose, you will know immediately if it is working or not. Trust me.
I also don't use carbon because I don't like carbon. There are a lot of things I don't like but I will limit this to carbon for now. Too many people talk to old wifes because almost all the information in this hobby comes from Old Wife tales.
If Ozone is escaping into your house, you will smell it immediately. And if you do, it is not nerve gas or Anthrax. It won't kill you or turn your kids into tree frogs, those nice orange ones.

I have a 5' trough that runs the length of my tank just above the water that the skimmer empties into. Any residual ozone, which there never is, will be disapated in there. But if your skimmer is big enough, the ozone will be used up way before it enters your house. If you have one of those little Sissy Mary skimmers, don't use Ozone. Forget about it and go out to dinner.
If an air drier is needed because the little moisture in the air it will degrade ozone, wouldn't it get degraded in a skimmer that is full of water. Come on, think about that.

Ozone is a fantastic piece of machinery that oxidizes organics like food, fish pee, fish poop, fish saliva etc. And it leaves nothing in the water. In the 40 years I have been using it I am on my third one. They cost about $100.00 but I get them used here because people that listen to old wifes, think they are dangerous and their wife makes them sell it so she can buy new high heels which she doesn't really need.
Everybody with a tank older than mine who does not use Ozone, raise your hand.....Higher.

 

[five.five-six]

lol ^