Ozone use

[TippyToeX]

Roland, ever walk into Kinko'd or a print shop and smell a jet printer? That inky smell is very similar to what ozone smells like IMO.

[jbphoenix]

Originally posted by wld1783
Old Yeller Tang

Be careful. I had a leak in my MR6 skimmer due to ozone. After a year the rubber seal degraded. If it has rubber it will be affected by ozone. I also have a CS12-3 and keep ozone away from it. The uniseals on the pumps may not be ozone safe.

Ozone is great I still use it in MyReef skimmer but now its sealed with Plumbers Goop. PITA to clean now but no worries.

Bill

That is one of the reasons I use an old Red Sea Berlin for ozone instead of my fairly new AquaC EV-120. If the old Berlin falls apart from ozone use then I have not lost much.

[golfish]

Hey guys,
I just picked up the Red Sea AquaZone 100 Delux. The directions say I need an air pump...Is that the case even if you use a venturi skimmer?

[golfish]

Man! I hate sound like a dummy I also hooked up the probe and started up the unit. I turned the set point and mg\hr to zero. I figured since I'm not ready to use the unit I'd "condition" the probe..I'm getting 000 readings. I knew low numbers were normal but 000?

[Old Yeller Tang]

Originally posted by TippyToeX
Roland, ever walk into Kinko'd or a print shop and smell a jet printer? That inky smell is very similar to what ozone smells like IMO.

Thanks Amy.

It's been a long time since I've been to a Kinko's but I still remember the smell. Kinda liked it!

Roland

[Anthony Calfo]

you need an air pump to push ozone most always... and most controllers (or at least their propes) state in the instructions that there is a several day (to week +) period of adjustment for ORP readings to be correct. Do reread your instructions and chat with others that have used ORP meters... you will hear/read the same experience. No worries.

[quaz]

Yeah, I've noticed that it'll take our 200mg red sea ozone about a day to two to read accurately.

So don't go pumping up the ozone because your orp starts reading low.

[golfish]

I was just little shocked to see it reading 000..Last night it started to raise a little. It read 009 before bed and its about 120 right now.

[golfish]

Ok guys, The meters been running for 3+ days now and the ORP reached 185 before the lights came on, once the lights come on the ORP slowly goes down. I started Ozone at 25% yesterday and set the ORP set point at 250 just to go slow.

I'm guessing I want to raise it slowly?

[Puffer Queen]

Yes raise it slowly and make sure you are changing the carbon weekly on the air as well as the effluent water side.

You will also notice a drop in ORP after you feed.

Best of luck.
Kelly

[bergzy]

my milwaukee opr controller took about a week to stabilize. i called the manafactuer and the tech guy said it can take up to two weeks for the probe to 'settle' down. hey just like my cat if i step on his tail by accident! sheesh!

[golfish]

Well, it seems like the probe and controller are working fine. I setup and old Berlin skimmer using a GenX 4100 pump a few days ago. It seems to work just as good as using my big Geo skimmer. I managed to get the ORP up to 350 (from 185) running the generator at 70-80%. I did a 20 gal water change last night and the OPR dropped down to 250, its up to 260 now (about 20hrs later) does that sound right?

[Puffer Queen]

Fluctuations in the ORP will occur with feedings, water changes, hands in tank, etc.

Hope this helps.
Kelly

[johnnstacy]

Originally posted by Anthony Calfo
electronic, self-recharging dryers are the way to go Well worth the investment. Your time saved is worth more than the few hundreds of dollars. Especially on a reef system as large as yours with the price tag it carries

Where is this available? I couldn't find it at aquatic eco.

One other question. When do you know it's time to change your ORP probe? I have been using mine for about 1 year. Lately though I have been getting readings of over 300 without the unit on. I clean the probe and it drops a little but goes back up. My probe is used with the aquacontroller

[Anthony Calfo]

you need to check the mfg specs on your probe for its lifespan... they run the gamut. But few are truly accurate after a 1-2 years

As for the electronic air dryer... did you try calling the toll free number and asking a tech/agent for advice?

If so and still not... do simpy ferret out Ozotech online and ask their sales folks for dealers they can refer you too. I recall Custom Aquatic is one of them.

[kinerson]

Anthony-
I'm afraid you may miss my follow post from a previous thread so I wanted to ask you here since it relates to the topic.

I have a Millwaukee probe and controller in my system that's been there for close to 2 months. The ORP value started off at around 250 and steadily climed slowly for a couple weeks until it peaked at 470! On my previous thread I had told you it peaked at 370 (uhh, opps). I breifly mentioned I thought the reason why the value was so high was due to a decent amount of green hair algae that I've been doing battle with for a while. Actually my refugium which is close to 25% of my total system volume is LOADED with the stuff which is helping to slow the growth in the display. So my question is if the orp value of 470 seems possible or even likely and if so is dosing small amounts of ozone a bad idea with orp at 470?

Greg

[Anthony Calfo]

470 seems very unlikely frankly. Very.

You can calibrate your meter though. Some of the Milwauke's dont have an exterior set screw, but if you open it up you will see a calibration screw inside (very tiny).

Get some ORP calibration solution and recalibrate it.

I frankly don't see how its possible to get to 470 in a typical aquarium even with safe ozone amounts. A rather unlikely reading here.

[golfish]

whats a good number to shoot for, for an sps tank, 400?

[Anthony Calfo]

golfish... we work very hard to build thorough and useful threads/content - especially the stickied ones - so that we can use out time helping new folks/new questions rather than answer the same ones over agin

I have answered your very question for another posting member if you'll kindly look back.

With nearly 4K posts to your credit... I trust you really don't want to be enabled, right?

Anth-

[johnnstacy]

I found a product made my Ozotech called a DG Air Dryer. I have no seen a picture of it yet but it is described as:

"Ozotech DG Air Dryer. Calcium chloride media which turns to liquid."

Anyone ever heard of it? I have yet to find an electronic one unless that is the one Anthony is referring to. Sells for about $55. Sure would like to know how it works though and if it has an airline tubing connection.

[kinerson]

hehe, yeah Anthony, that's what I figured. I'm good but not that good

Greg

[Tony B (UK)]

Anthony,

I've got an Aquamedic Ozone & ORP unit.

My tank has only been up since end of June 2005.

When I first started using ozone about a month ago my MV was just 230mv. It now reads about 440mv and my ozone unit is not even plugged in... The Ozone unit has been unpluged for about a week now...

I've tested the ORP meter in the AM test fluid and it reads fine, at 239mv.

Questions:

Do you think this ORP reading is normal/right, considering my tank is not even 6 months old? (although there's lots of mature LR).

Would you advise using ozone in small amounts, for about 15mins at night?

Why the jump in ORP from about 230mv a month ago, to 440mv now?

Tony B

[Anthony Calfo]

Hmmm... lemme check on exact model/part numbers for Ozotech/other brands... but Clearwater Tech LLC has one (model AD-40 is their version of an automatic, heat-regenerative desiccant air dryer)

Tony B... I'd like to help you my friend... but you just haven/t given enough info, mate. I'm not sure I really coud say remotely regardless (without a look and a lot more info).

Imagine if you will that you had a very heavy bioload with no effective skimming, sparse water changes and daily feeding of the fishes/corals. In that case... you have my personal guarantee that your ORP reading of 440mv without is dead wrong

But if your tank is an 800 liter display with 2 pseudochromids and one coral, two massive skimmers that work fabulously, and a weekly 25% water change... then the reading might be correct

And assuming your tank bioload is somewhere between these two examples, I cannot fairly say if your probe is accurate, my friend.

You/we must simply check our probes and readings against known standard solutions! Thats what they exist for, my friends. Buy a bottle or a bunch of single-use RedOx calibration solutions and periodically test your meter and probe to see if they are reading true or straying. This is standard lab work/procedure when you own/use such equipment.

[johnnstacy]

Originally posted by Anthony Calfo
Hmmm... lemme check on exact model/part numbers for Ozotech/other brands... but Clearwater Tech LLC has one (model AD-40 is their version of an automatic, heat-regenerative desiccant air dryer)

You weren't kidding that these are an investment. I found the unit above for $742! Just about had a heart attack!....lol. Anyways, Ozotech does have a couple of other units that do the same thing. Lowest price was about $622 I think. I like the idea of this Ozotech DG Dryer which is $54! I wrote to Ozotech asking about the this dryer. Here is what they said,

"Our DG Dryer uses a dissolving desiccant media, which means as is absorbs moisture it will actually dissolve. This dissolved media will drip from the bottom of the unit and is caustic, so we don't advise using it if there is the possibility of human or animal contact with the excreted liquid. You would not need to dry anything, and it will last quite a while depending on the amount of moisture in the area. When the desiccant media is depleted, simply refill the container with more desiccant media."

This seems to me to be a very cost effective alternative to the dessicant beads that I have to cook in the oven every 2 days. I wrote him back about the media that it uses. They said they sell it for $2.60 lb. I think they said the unit will hold .7 lbs. When they say that, "it will last quite a while" I'm not sure how much time that is. I guess until I try it, I won't know. I am getting ordering info from him now on the media.

[Tony B (UK)]

Anthony,

Thank you for your reply.

I appreciate it is very hard for you to comment without seeing the system. If you're ever in England you can pop in for a beer or a cup of tea!

I have an Aqua Medic 300 Ozone generator. I have an Aqua Medic ORP meter.

I have tested the ORP meter with the Aqua Medic test fluid, which should read 230mv (depends on temperature) and I get 239mv, so I'd say this is ok.

My tank holds about 100 UK gals. It has lots of live rock and 24 corals, 3 of which are SPS, two LPS and there's one bubble tip nem.

I have detailed my equipment (skimmer, filter etc), live stock/corals in my signature. I feed 3 to 4 times a day with flake. I feed the tangs Nori once a day. My inverts get food added to the system 3 times a week, which is a liquid feed.

My skimmer needs to be cleaned out each week as the cup fills up with very dark smelly fluid.

My main concern is the jump from 230mv, to 440mv over just a 4 week period. The MV reading was always charging ahead of the set point. The MV value has remained constant at 440mv despite the Ozone unit being removed from the system for about a week now.

As aforementioned....The Ozone unit has been removed for about a week, just before it was removed the ORP reading was about 330mv. Over just seven days this has gone up to 440mv with no O3 being added?

My stock has remained the same, my feeding is the same, my filtration is the same, everything has remained constant.

With this additional information, I would welcome any further comments you may have.

Thank you for your time.

Tony B