basically I am trying to decide to either use a large uv or go with ozone on my shark/ray system, just kinda curious what you guys are using on your systems. I have never ran ozone before so I am basically just beginning to research it. Any information is appreciated. thanks
using a ozonizer?
- Thread starter cohl120
- Start date
I use both. Ozone makes the water very clear (I thought my water was clear before I started using ozone but the clarity is amazing now), and UV is better for sterilization in aquariums at the levels most aquarist run ozone.
Ozone > UV.
UV is good to keep clean systems clean. But if you ever actually need to sterilize something (like a parasite outbreak), all UV does is give it a good tan.
Ozone will keep your water clear AND be able to knock out any parasites you might run into (keeps them from reproducing). Ozone is also great as burning off any free particulate that cloud up the water. I'd suggest running it into your pt skimmer - it will actually work double by improving the fractionation of the skimmer.
UV is good to keep clean systems clean. But if you ever actually need to sterilize something (like a parasite outbreak), all UV does is give it a good tan.
Ozone will keep your water clear AND be able to knock out any parasites you might run into (keeps them from reproducing). Ozone is also great as burning off any free particulate that cloud up the water. I'd suggest running it into your pt skimmer - it will actually work double by improving the fractionation of the skimmer.
Zoodiver;4304158; said:
I had planned on running it in the skimmer but I have heard that the acylic used in etss skimmers is not able to with stand the ozone for long periods of time. This is just what I have heard I haven't contacted etss yet to confirm it. If the skimmer is unable to handle it I will have to add a reactor.
Matt,
I would like to start this off by saying that I am not a biologist, and you seem to be the one of, if not the most knowledgeable person on this forum, to include much more knowledgeable then I when it come to aquariums and cars. But I could not disagree with your statement more. I work with drinking water treatment centers that use UV to sterilize water for parasitic, bacterial and viral contaminates every day. UVs are used for sterilization for everything from major metropolitan drinking water facilities to single family home owners. I my self had a Trojan UV Max ultraviolet running in my house strictly for sterilization when I had well water. My UV took my waters bacteria levels to zero(from a very high level that I don’t remember off hand). I would think with a strong enough light, and the proper contact time most marine parasitic organisms would have to be affected UV.
Now I would agree that almost no aquarist run the water trough there UVs at a pace slow enough to allow contact time enough for complete sterilization. From the research I have done aquarist have the same issue with ozone. In drinking waterplants they run ozone at concentrations levels for sterilization over 20 mins. I would be shocked if any aquarist on earth is doing that in there aquarium. Now another disclaimer I am also not a chemist, and I do recognize that ozone reacts completely different in seawater then fresh water in treatment plants due to iodide and other things. But to me those issues would make it harder to run ozone at levels that could achieve sterilization in marine water.
Matt,
When you say “UV is good to keep clean systems clean” what does this mean?
Cohl120
If you have not already read Randy Holmes-Farley articles on ozone http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1527478
I found these extremely informative. I don’t have any for UV but I am definitely going to do some looking in to it. I run an Ozotech OZ8PC20 with an IQ 40 dryer. I don’t know how hard it is to clean because I have only run it for two months.
I would like to start this off by saying that I am not a biologist, and you seem to be the one of, if not the most knowledgeable person on this forum, to include much more knowledgeable then I when it come to aquariums and cars. But I could not disagree with your statement more. I work with drinking water treatment centers that use UV to sterilize water for parasitic, bacterial and viral contaminates every day. UVs are used for sterilization for everything from major metropolitan drinking water facilities to single family home owners. I my self had a Trojan UV Max ultraviolet running in my house strictly for sterilization when I had well water. My UV took my waters bacteria levels to zero(from a very high level that I don’t remember off hand). I would think with a strong enough light, and the proper contact time most marine parasitic organisms would have to be affected UV.
Now I would agree that almost no aquarist run the water trough there UVs at a pace slow enough to allow contact time enough for complete sterilization. From the research I have done aquarist have the same issue with ozone. In drinking waterplants they run ozone at concentrations levels for sterilization over 20 mins. I would be shocked if any aquarist on earth is doing that in there aquarium. Now another disclaimer I am also not a chemist, and I do recognize that ozone reacts completely different in seawater then fresh water in treatment plants due to iodide and other things. But to me those issues would make it harder to run ozone at levels that could achieve sterilization in marine water.
Matt,
When you say “UV is good to keep clean systems clean” what does this mean?
Cohl120
If you have not already read Randy Holmes-Farley articles on ozone http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1527478
I found these extremely informative. I don’t have any for UV but I am definitely going to do some looking in to it. I run an Ozotech OZ8PC20 with an IQ 40 dryer. I don’t know how hard it is to clean because I have only run it for two months.
Jayfb thanks that is very helpful
I called custom aquatic tonight and they are trying to put together a system from rk2 for me, they are gonna call me back with the details tomorrow. Custom aquatic suggested I run around 600 to 700 mg hr rate, whats your guys opinion on this? It will be used on a 1400 gallon system.
I called custom aquatic tonight and they are trying to put together a system from rk2 for me, they are gonna call me back with the details tomorrow. Custom aquatic suggested I run around 600 to 700 mg hr rate, whats your guys opinion on this? It will be used on a 1400 gallon system.