ozonizer recommendation help

mdvistnes · 09/08/2008, 10:03 AM

Can anyone recommend an ozonizer or whether it's a waste of money? 180 gal reef tank. Just got a new Tunze skimmer and it talked about plugging an ozonizer into it to help with the health of SPS corals especially. Says it can help with sudden death syndrome of SPS corals which happens to me sometimes. I was looking at the Utlralife 360 as a possibility. Anyone have any experience on these or anything else? Thanks much!

CleveYank · 09/08/2008, 10:09 AM

If you want something that will last forever and if it ever needs service go with an OZOTECH. A tad pricey, but they are the best and with the true corona discharge and power for most tank applications you don't need to bother with a dryer unless you have 1200 plus gallons. I'd look for a reman or used one in the smaller sizes. Recommend controller and carbon post filtering of ozonized water. Set redox pot to 375 to 425 and you're good to go. Some folks I know that run them with SPS just run them when they want to burn off the tint in the tank. It makes them sparkle crystal clear like the day you first filled it. I used to run mine 24/7 via a controller. And I will do so again when new fishroom takes shape. At the moment I just run it every 2 to 4 weeks.

ULTRA LIFE PRODUCTS ARE JUNK from my experience. I think just a ladder step above Coralife.

mdvistnes · 09/08/2008, 10:51 AM

Wow. Great advice. Thanks. I'll look into ozotech. Any idea why you need to run carbon as well? I was just trying to get away from all my carbon filtering.

CleveYank · 09/08/2008, 11:31 AM

The oxidizing impact the good that cleans out the water is a tissue and gill burner for fish and corals.
I also run a small carbon filter on the skimmer output so I and others in the house cannot be exposed to ozone. (it's not good for your lungs either)
This side impact is a major reason why alot of folks have gone away from it.
I personally cannot imagine it as not one of my bag of tricks for reefkeeping the water and output carbon filtering needs aside.

jtma508 · 09/08/2008, 11:34 AM

+1 for Ozotech. You won't regret it.

JustinReef · 09/08/2008, 12:13 PM

I would never set up a tank again without ozone. I also would never set up ozone through my skimmer ever again personally. I have had way better results with a reactor. When it was run through my skimmer, the skimmer lost a LOT of production. Through a reactor and the skimmer has not been affected.

mdvistnes · 09/08/2008, 12:32 PM

Looked at the ozotech website. Confusing for aquarium applications. So I don't need an air dryer as well as the unit? Any idea what kind of production per hour I need for a 180 gal reef tank? Thanks for any leads and advice. Anyone have a particular ozotech model number they use? And what exactly is a "reactor" and who makes that? Thanks. Very obscure info out there so this is a great help.

JustinReef · 09/08/2008, 12:43 PM

About 1mg/hr per gallon works as a general rule. So I would look at a 200 unit for your tank. There are some reactors out there made specifically for ozone but I don't know who makes them. Mine is a DIY reactor.

CleveYank · 09/08/2008, 02:13 PM

I don't agree with the 1mg to 1 gallon rule.

I tend to think that headroom is better and if you buy a larger unit you do not need an air dryer.

As humdity rises O3 production is inhibited.

So rather than an air dryer I would recommend getting 400 to 1000 mg per hour production capable.

It offsets system expansion/humidity/tank issues.

That's my opinion factor on ozone usage.
And my experience has been the 200mg units were just not enough.

JustinReef · 09/08/2008, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CleveYank
I don't agree with the 1mg to 1 gallon rule.

I tend to think that headroom is better and if you buy a larger unit you do not need an air dryer.

As humdity rises O3 production is inhibited.

So rather than an air dryer I would recommend getting 400 to 1000 mg per hour production capable.

It offsets system expansion/humidity/tank issues.

That's my opinion factor on ozone usage.
And my experience has been the 200mg units were just not enough.

Its just a general rule as I said...works for most people no problem. Your way will work too. Personally I don't see the point of spending so much more money on an ozonizer just so you don't have to use an air dryer. Why are you so against the air dryer???

That does remind me that I would recommend never keeping the ozonizer in your stand. Too much humidity. I keep mine quite a ways from the stand actually and its been working great.

Regardless of how you set it up, just find a way to keep your ORP as close to 400 as possible. Mine has settled around 380 and the ozonizer probably only comes on about twice a week to keep it there.

JustinReef · 09/08/2008, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by CleveYank
I don't agree with the 1mg to 1 gallon rule.

I tend to think that headroom is better and if you buy a larger unit you do not need an air dryer.

As humdity rises O3 production is inhibited.

So rather than an air dryer I would recommend getting 400 to 1000 mg per hour production capable.

It offsets system expansion/humidity/tank issues.

That's my opinion factor on ozone usage.
And my experience has been the 200mg units were just not enough.

What size are you using and what size tank is it run on?

mdvistnes · 09/08/2008, 03:27 PM

This is great info and help. Appreciate all the opinions.

09/08/2008, 10:03 AM	#1
mdvistnes Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Palo Alto, CA Posts: 181	ozonizer recommendation help Can anyone recommend an ozonizer or whether it's a waste of money? 180 gal reef tank. Just got a new Tunze skimmer and it talked about plugging an ozonizer into it to help with the health of SPS corals especially. Says it can help with sudden death syndrome of SPS corals which happens to me sometimes. I was looking at the Utlralife 360 as a possibility. Anyone have any experience on these or anything else? Thanks much!

09/08/2008, 10:09 AM	#2
CleveYank 20 Years and Over Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 3,052	If you want something that will last forever and if it ever needs service go with an OZOTECH. A tad pricey, but they are the best and with the true corona discharge and power for most tank applications you don't need to bother with a dryer unless you have 1200 plus gallons. I'd look for a reman or used one in the smaller sizes. Recommend controller and carbon post filtering of ozonized water. Set redox pot to 375 to 425 and you're good to go. Some folks I know that run them with SPS just run them when they want to burn off the tint in the tank. It makes them sparkle crystal clear like the day you first filled it. I used to run mine 24/7 via a controller. And I will do so again when new fishroom takes shape. At the moment I just run it every 2 to 4 weeks. ULTRA LIFE PRODUCTS ARE JUNK from my experience. I think just a ladder step above Coralife.

09/08/2008, 10:51 AM	#3
mdvistnes Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Palo Alto, CA Posts: 181	Wow. Great advice. Thanks. I'll look into ozotech. Any idea why you need to run carbon as well? I was just trying to get away from all my carbon filtering.

09/08/2008, 11:31 AM	#4
CleveYank 20 Years and Over Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 3,052	The oxidizing impact the good that cleans out the water is a tissue and gill burner for fish and corals. I also run a small carbon filter on the skimmer output so I and others in the house cannot be exposed to ozone. (it's not good for your lungs either) This side impact is a major reason why alot of folks have gone away from it. I personally cannot imagine it as not one of my bag of tricks for reefkeeping the water and output carbon filtering needs aside.

09/08/2008, 11:34 AM	#5
jtma508 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: MA Posts: 1,232	+1 for Ozotech. You won't regret it.

09/08/2008, 12:13 PM	#6
JustinReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,715	I would never set up a tank again without ozone. I also would never set up ozone through my skimmer ever again personally. I have had way better results with a reactor. When it was run through my skimmer, the skimmer lost a LOT of production. Through a reactor and the skimmer has not been affected.

09/08/2008, 12:32 PM	#7
mdvistnes Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Palo Alto, CA Posts: 181	Looked at the ozotech website. Confusing for aquarium applications. So I don't need an air dryer as well as the unit? Any idea what kind of production per hour I need for a 180 gal reef tank? Thanks for any leads and advice. Anyone have a particular ozotech model number they use? And what exactly is a "reactor" and who makes that? Thanks. Very obscure info out there so this is a great help.

09/08/2008, 12:43 PM	#8
JustinReef Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 3,715	About 1mg/hr per gallon works as a general rule. So I would look at a 200 unit for your tank. There are some reactors out there made specifically for ozone but I don't know who makes them. Mine is a DIY reactor.

09/08/2008, 02:13 PM	#9
CleveYank 20 Years and Over Join Date: Feb 2000 Posts: 3,052	I don't agree with the 1mg to 1 gallon rule. I tend to think that headroom is better and if you buy a larger unit you do not need an air dryer. As humdity rises O3 production is inhibited. So rather than an air dryer I would recommend getting 400 to 1000 mg per hour production capable. It offsets system expansion/humidity/tank issues. That's my opinion factor on ozone usage. And my experience has been the 200mg units were just not enough.

09/08/2008, 03:27 PM	#12
mdvistnes Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Palo Alto, CA Posts: 181	This is great info and help. Appreciate all the opinions.