build your own Ozone reactor Link here

[Aquaman_68]

You can use this link to see the plans for building your own ozone reactor. The link states it is an oxygen reactor but it is the same thing as an ozone reactor. It shows an air pump for forcing o2 into the reactor. Just add an ozone genereator into the mix after the pump & you have an ozone reactor.

http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dy...tp://www.aloha.net/~hqf/indexdon02reactor.htm

 

[JohnK]

I was wondering about the use of bioballs?

Someone on the other O3 thread said they increase contact time but I don't get it as the water will still flow at the same rate. I was thinking they would = increased contact with surface area which would = increased nitrifying bacteria (or would it be killed by the O3?).

On the other side, a bubble of O3 going through bio balls probablly will get bounced around/chopped up like going a pin wheel pump. Is that the reason?

I sketched out a simple PVC design and priced it at HD, about $20 Plus a small powerhead.

I'm not saying what I'm thinking is right, just curious about what others opinions or understandings were. I'm trying to figure out fact from fiction like a lot of others since I never really considered O3 before.

(Did anyone see calfo's article, apparently written after a few drinks, scathing the trend of hobbiests jumping on ideas presented or stated by "experts"? I guess I'm more or less in on this one, irony....)

jk

 

[Liam]

I was wondering about the use of bioballs?

Someone on the other O3 thread said they increase contact time but I don't get it as the water will still flow at the same rate. I was thinking they would = increased contact with surface area which would = increased nitrifying bacteria (or would it be killed by the O3?).

On the other side, a bubble of O3 going through bio balls probablly will get bounced around/chopped up like going a pin wheel pump. Is that the reason?

I sketched out a simple PVC design and priced it at HD, about $20 Plus a small powerhead.

I'm not saying what I'm thinking is right, just curious about what others opinions or understandings were. I'm trying to figure out fact from fiction like a lot of others since I never really considered O3 before.

(Did anyone see calfo's article, apparently written after a few drinks, scathing the trend of hobbiests jumping on ideas presented or stated by "experts"? I guess I'm more or less in on this one, irony....)

jk

Jimmy i think the bioballs work by disruption the ozone you inject.When you inject ozone into a skimmer it comes in through the venturi so is being carried by the millions of micro bubbles which have a huge surface area.I have never used the reactor so i am only guessing but as there is no venturi effect your ozone must be pumped in with an air pump to the bottom of the reactor.Obviously the air bubble will pass to the top of the chamber,the bioballs are designed to break up the single bubble into smaller bubbles and slow down its journey to the top thus increasing contact time.

 

[G.T]

Why build for between $65 and $95 when you can purchase a decent ozoniser with built in pump for less than the first figure.

 

[G.T]

http://cgi.ebay.com/protein-skimmer...QcategoryZ46313QQtcZphotoQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Yaktop]

you get what you pay for. with something this poisonous IF not does correctly dont skimp and definatelt use a controller.

 

[starrfish]

Garry - it doesn't appear that the one on ebay has a dial where you can adjust the amount of ozone being pumped in. I don't have one yet, so I am by no means an expert, but I have been doing a lot of research. The guys over on RC adjust their ozone output - they start pumping in at a lower level then increase it over time. Most of the threads I read don't ever pump at 100%. Just something to think about.

 

[Aquaman_68]

Why build for between $65 and $95 when you can purchase a decent ozoniser with built in pump for less than the first figure.

That's a reactor not an ozonizer. I posted the plans for an oxygen reactor with an ozone reactor in mind. It's basically the same design without the ozone generator after the pump. This link was just to give you an idea as to how it works & how you can build it. Pretty much add a little creativity to the mix & you can build one like this below. I used those plans to build this one. Same principle different materials. You can pretty much build one from an old skimmer waste container or also those new media chambers they sell. Much bigger than the one coralife sells & better made than that molded plastic peice of garbage. By the way...At least 50.00 dollars of that top figure is for the tetra luft pump. It is expensive but worth every penny as the diaphram can be replaced when it wears out not like cheap air pumps. (when they wear you toss them out) The luft pump also has a dial to adjust air pressure & it is super powerful!!!

 

[G.T]

Garry - it doesn't appear that the one on ebay has a dial where you can adjust the amount of ozone being pumped in. I don't have one yet, so I am by no means an expert, but I have been doing a lot of research. The guys over on RC adjust their ozone output - they start pumping in at a lower level then increase it over time. Most of the threads I read don't ever pump at 100%. Just something to think about.

Personally i would not use o3 without some form of controller full stop. more ozone is normally injected in and lessoning the amount as conditions improve. The best read i have ever had is Albert j thiels advanced book of reef keeping. O3 is no wonder cure not is an excuse to not look after the tank but it is good at what it does as long as it is used correctly.

 

[delta]

you can use a phosban reactor the air holes are already there on the older model, but have been plugged. just add bioballs and your done. if you got to pet solutions they have a ozone\oxygen reactor built from one. i wouldnt be surprised if thats what phosban reactor was originally.although if you dont have a phosban reactor lying around it would be cheaper to just buy the reactor

look for yourself what do you think?
http://www.petsolutions.com/OZONE+OXYGEN+REACTOR-I-96300796-I-.aspx

 

[Yaktop]

I would like to think the ozone one is ozone safe(r) where as ozone eats up plastic pretty bad over time.

you can use a phosban reactor the air holes are already there on the older model, but have been plugged. just add bioballs and your done. if you got to pet solutions they have a ozone\oxygen reactor built from one. i wouldnt be surprised if thats what phosban reactor was originally.although if you dont have a phosban reactor lying around it would be cheaper to just buy the reactor

look for yourself what do you think?
http://www.petsolutions.com/OZONE+OXYGEN+REACTOR-I-96300796-I-.aspx

 

[Aquaman_68]

I would like to think the ozone one is ozone safe(r) where as ozone eats up plastic pretty bad over time.

Exactly Ed, The plastic is a different color for a reason. Ozone safe!!!! It still is too small though. Not enough contact time for a bigger dose.

 

[Aquaman_68]

Garry - it doesn't appear that the one on ebay has a dial where you can adjust the amount of ozone being pumped in. I don't have one yet, so I am by no means an expert, but I have been doing a lot of research. The guys over on RC adjust their ozone output - they start pumping in at a lower level then increase it over time. Most of the threads I read don't ever pump at 100%. Just something to think about.

You need two controls Daire. One for ozone output (on the ozoniser) & one for air pump pressure (on a Tetra luft pump)

The tetra luft pump is the air pump to use. It can withstand mad constant pressure & the air flow is adjustable. You can also buy a replacement diaphram for it when it fails. (which won't be for a long long time) Online they run over 50.00 though. Marine Depot sells them. Not many other online vendors sell this pump because it is so expensive & more reefers are too cheap. The air pump goes into the input barb on the back of the ozoniser & the output is plumbed to the reactor or skimmer intake. (whichever method you decide to use.)

 

[Armando]

i am currently using ozone with the skimmer so i don't need an air pump. but i'm planning to get a reactor.

so here is the question.. is the air dryer placed between the air pump and the reactor?

 

[Aquaman_68]

The air dryer is placed after the air pump & before the ozone generator. This prevents the generator from getting any moisture into it. If your going to use a reactor you will need to use a pump to force the ozone into the reactor.

 

[Yaktop]

The air dryer is placed after the air pump & before the ozone generator. This prevents the generator from getting any moisture into it. If your going to use a reactor you will need to use a pump to force the ozone into the reactor.

not to much pressure you'll pop the cover right off the air dryer, damm beads are small. dont ask me how I know this

wish there was a better solution than those $%& beads.

 

[Aquaman_68]

not to much pressure of you pop the cover right off the air dryer, damm beads are small. dont ask me how I know this

wish there was a better solution than those $%& beads.

Dude...Everyone does it once!!!

 

[delta]

I would like to think the ozone one is ozone safe(r) where as ozone eats up plastic pretty bad over time.

this is why i am still on the fence with ozone i still dont know enough about it.
thanks for the info everyone.

 

[Matt L.]

Hi, just tagging along here

...I was thinking they would = increased contact with surface area which would = increased nitrifying bacteria (or would it be killed by the O3?).

For the home aquarium, ozone addition should not be considered as means of improving nitrification. Any impactpositive or negative!, would be indirect.

Ozone (O3)has a very short half life once introduced into water, and it is in that short half life that it does all its magic on stuff in your aquarium water.

The decay products of ozone are regular oxygen gas and the oxidized product of whatever it targeted.

...I'm not saying what I'm thinking is right, just curious about what others opinions or understandings were. I'm trying to figure out fact from fiction like a lot of others since I never really considered O3 before...

Ozone is tricky, and although there were some tensions in the other thread, I'm not trying to dissuade people from using it. Quite the contrary. I'm just offering explainations on how it works, and due caution.

The problem is, in the game of telephone, people can become confused when they don't deal with things like ozone everyday in their line of work.

For example, using ozone to arbitrarily raise your ORP to a value seen on RC would be unwise. On the other hand, using ozone to experiment with water quality (namely clarity), while I believe there are side effects that need to be examined, is not unwise. And for that reason, I tag along on ozone threads.

...(Did anyone see calfo's article, apparently written after a few drinks, scathing the trend of hobbiests jumping on ideas presented or stated by "experts"? I guess I'm more or less in on this one, irony....)

Yes, although I do put part of the blame on Calfo himself, after having read many of his writings.

There is a real monkey-see-monkey-do approach in this hobby. In the worst cases, there can be a connection between an "expert" giving advice and a manufacturer who benefits.

The BRS Member must realize that none of these writings are remotely up to scientific standards (nor are they intended to be), and are merely opinion pieces.

Are all of these articles bunk? Of course not. There are more than enough authors who write with the best intentions and qualify their results appropriately. The problem comes when the author does not qualify his results, is writing out of their area of expertise, and the public takes their writing as orders to behave like a lemming.

In my opinion, there are more than enough experts here on the BRS with experience that goes miles and miles. I know because I have relied on many, many people (my gosh, Yaktop, Greg, Aquaman, Bec, Scott, and so on...!).

Just because someone over on RC (or elsewhere) says something doesn't make it so. I think you're doing the absolute right thing by discussing it here first,

Matt

 

[JohnK]

Matt, thanks for piping in.

*When I mentioned the bioballs/nitrification question I was actually seeing possible increased nitrification as a bad thing like having a little wet dry on a reef, possibly throwing the nitrification - denitrification balance most of us seek for our reefs off, leading to nitrate accumulation. I have read (speculation or observation ?) that o3 can actually lead to increased nitrate accumulation but I have no ideas on the details of this......

Any thoughts on this?

*Also wondering about your thoughts on another question, would nitrifying bacteria be able to survive in an O3 reactor or would the O3 nuke the bacteria that it was exposed to such as in a reactor?

*I totally agree with your comments re O3. Thinking and reading about it reccently has led me to think of using ORP measurement to monitor trends in the system but not try to use O3 to artificially rasie the ORP to distorted levels. It has also led me to consider low level use of O3 (with a controller to carefully control it's administeration) with the goal of inproving water clarity and maybe other potential benifits (debatable, this is why we're all talking right). That sounds kind of counter intutive, but I'm saying, determine your existing ORP values, then possibly add small amounts of O3 in hopes of stabilizing swing to some degree and in turn improving water clarity without the hassle and potential drawbacks. If I'm getting it right, If you don't push the limits of O3 application then the risks are very much minimized / negated.

What do you think of that line of thought?

Thanks
jk