Ozone & Reef Tanks: Its Like Running Carbon 24/7, but the Best Way to Implement Is Still Not Clear.

Following the 52 Weeks of Reefing - Episode 28: Ozone and Reef Tanks: Crystal Clear Tanks but at a Cost! • Week 28: Ozone and Ree... ... There is a lot more to learn about Ozone. Carbon may be able to provide the same benefits, but not on a steady basis. Is Ozone the answer or even worth it.
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[@michaelconnolly2403]

I would love to see an "Investigates" on ozone. I have the idea in my head that large, complex, molecules such as coral/zoanthid toxins are simply too big to get adsorbed by carbon. If you introduce ozone, those giant molecules (palyotoxin has a molecular weight of 2680!!!!) get ripped apart into smaller stuff that can be skimmed out or stuck onto carbon. It might be expensive to investigate because you'd probably need HPLC analysis to fully understand what was getting zapped though, but for SCIENCE! Why not? Cnidarian toxins are some of the largest molecules known to science. It can't be good to have those in high concentrations.

[@MiddleAgedMike]

Plus one. Please investigate this topic please

[@demagescod9657]

and please add in an attempt to run OZONE with an airstone in the overflow... I see no reason why this should not be viable!

[@fletch1371]

I have been running ozone in my tanks since the early 90’s with great results. I have moved to a ozone reactor for some of the safety reasons you mentioned. The under pressure reactor allows you to run your vent tube outside similar to a skimmer with no carbon needed. I also find it a set it and forget it vs using a skimmer…. I also see most skimmers rated at a level of ozone limit for use, so it limits how much ozone that can be used,, so in large aquariums where carbon starts to get pricy it may not let you have the result you are looking for. I def think it’s a great topic to cover. As you stated it’s something u smell and venting outside nearly removes any possibility of an issue in the air. As long as your reactor is set at a water level that you are not pushing bubbles or air bubbling into the water… keep in mind even laundry devices use ozone now to safely inject ozone into your washing machine vs soap. It’s deemed safe because it is injected into ‘water. I do use a 2nd stage in the outflow with carbon that I don’t change often just for added safety in case of bubbles for some reason, but honestly I have not needed it. I would say in smaller tanks I don’t see much of the point. In larger systems it has a great cost benefit in my experience Great topic for discussion. I love hearing others experience!

[@giannaokeefe2998]

Hey BRStv Investigates! Ozotech (the manufacturer of the Poseidon) would love the opportunity to help your customers better understand using ozone for aquariums! Our in-house application expert would be happy to answer questions and provide additional information on ozone. Let us know how we can help!

[@viking_reefing]

Yes please! I would love a BRS investigates on ozone. I’ve been running it since the turn of the millennium with only positive effects (from what I can tell) but there’s a good chance that I’m missing something.

[@hurricaneaquatics]

I run an Ozone generator on my small 40 cube. I run it for about 40 minutes once or twice a week. It makes the water crystal clear and also has other benefits. It is super powerful and will clear water really quickly. I don't see a need for it to run 24 hours as it works so quickly.

[@shadowofthestarsdespair]

Probly the safest way to run it I'd be nervous using o3. One sensor fails and I killed 4000 dollars

[@davidjordan5486]

Yes please do more research! I have used ozone on my 300 reef for 4 years. The Benifits are amazing. Water clarity is insane and sparkling. No downside found yet

[@pat7288]

Do an investigates 1. no ozone no carbon as control, skimmer only. 2. Skimmer with ozone. 3. Skimmer no ozone, secondary skimmer/reactor with ozone. 4. Either skimmer no ozone with secondary skimmer/reactor with ozone AND carbon OR skimmer with ozone AND carbon. 5. Skimmer and carbon only. Test for ORP, phosphates, nitrates, water clarity, skimmer performance etc.

[@billcurley4023]

I have solved the problem of needing to put carbon on the output. First off, if you follow the Ozotech guidelines on how much ozone to inject into your system, you will not have a problem. My tank is in the main living area and I measure the ozone levels and CO2 levels in my house. The ozone never goes above 8 parts per billion which is safe after following the Ozotech guidelines. Unfortunately I had to use one skimmer (space constraint) to inject the Ozone and this was initially a problem because I had a recirculating CO2 Scrubber attached to the skimmer to increase PH. Initially I removed the recirculating CO2 Scrubber system and dealt with the low PH. Then I had an idea to use the recirculating system with the Ozone. I am now running the Ozone for about 6 hours in a 24 hour period and the rest of the time I use the Recirculating CO2 Scrubber to keep the PH up. When in the Ozone mode, I use a 3-way valve to bypass the CO2 Media so it just recirculates the Ozone back into the Skimmer. Seems to work well and no carbon needed! I had a big HLLE problem with my Tangs and the use of carbon so I was determined to use Ozone. I will post my setup on AskBRS Saltwater Aquarium Community Facebook Page.

[@Bangai1964]

What about hooking up to an air stone in your overflow? I think that would be effective enough to give the ozone the contact time it needs to be absorbed by the water without having to use a reactor or skimmer. I'm thinking to place on the bottom of the overflow (mine are 24" tall almost completely full with water), bubbling up to the top stand pipe, draining to the sump, past and through the skimmer, through the refugium and back through the pump. I couldn't imagine after all that, the ozone wouldn't be depleted by the water and the organics it reacts with, and limit the amount released into the house.

[@Hartwig870]

Ozone detectors start at roughly $550, and they generally last only a year or two.

[@cowtusks1311]

Probably will go unseen but my Yellow Belly tang has HLLE and one of the leading beliefs (as of my last wave of research late 2022) was that activated carbon can trigger and worsen it. I am experiencing yellow smelly water and am too hesitant to utilize carbon with my Tang. Their HLLE has gotten better and I’d hate to reverse the progress

[@leewishnov8137]

I run ozone on both of my tanks. My wife always complains about the ocean smell and this has stopped it versus waiting for the carbon to lose its effectiveness and being told it smells again. I have it hooked up to the apex where once the ORP hits a certain point it shuts off for 30 minutes before coming back on again. Its running at a low level and I do keep carbon on the skimmer lid but honestly its not needed because of the short 1/2 life of ozone. I do not use carbon on the output of the skimmer. I'd like to see an investigates as to using smaller doses consistently versus large single doses. Lets also see an investigates of ozone versus non ozone on coral growth side by side.

[@jennabaker324]

I'd also like to see an investigation on this. From what I can see both skimmers and ozone do many of the same things such as breaking down DOCs in the water and polishing the water essentially, but they don't necessarily run well together. Neither one is needed for an aquarium, especially for nano aquariums, but one would likely be very beneficial. Each one has issues needing carbon as an adjunct, skimmers need carbon as way of handling oils, and ozone needs carbon to remove ozone. I would like to see a comparison made between the two in which the ozone is run without a skimmer at all.

[@gonefishing5536]

I run ozone on a huge skimmer and run a small amount of ozone through it orp sits around 330, I found if I try and push more ozone in to increase the orp more I get the ozone smell so I don't push it.

[@shadowofthestarsdespair]

starfire water sounds like a Pokémon move lol

[@ThomasBReef]

Yesssss! hahahaha

[@shadowofthestarsdespair]

wouldn't a inline defuse coming off the return manifold back into the sump dissolve enough o3.

[@Hartwig870]

That was what I was thinking too.

[@mitchpowers7043]

For filtering air coming out of a skimmer to remove ozone, is BRS Bituminous Carbon powdered and glued back together? Will Bituminous granules hold up and not crumble with Ozone?

[@brianmagee5847]

I am sure the major carbon vendors know the answer to this, but I wonder...is the ozone at the water outlet regenerating the GAC? If we had an ultra high grade GAC that doesn't break down, would trace ozone make it last much longer/ forever?

[@brianmagee5847]

Comment ony own comment...I guess the big question is what do you measure to know if ozone or GAC is actually doing anything?

[@michaelross5674]

Question about a skimmer .... Should I use one on the fluval Evo 13.5...... I'm new didn't start anything up yet....

[@BRStv]

On that small of a tank, it's hard to find a skimmer that fits and is effective. You're going to be best off with weekly water changes in a vast majority of cases given the water volume

[@demagescod9657]

Is it possible to just run Ozone using an air/ozone stone? I was thinking I could feed ozone to an air pump and drop an air stone into my overflow... This would ozonate the water in the overflow box, which would then overflow to the sump/refugium before getting to the MT. Run this with an ORP sensor and try to dial it in... Seems simple... but will it work? Also, with the amount of OZONE these small generators make, so long as you dont have it cranked up too high, it is highly unlikely that there will be dangerous levels entering human space and causing a hazard.

[@BRStv]

Can't say we've ever thought about trying it that way! In theory, it should work, but we haven't tried in order to confirm.

[@mobileoclaser3048]

Can we use air stone with ozone??

[@BRStv]

If you're using ozone, you're best off hooking the generator up to the protein skimmer instead.