Disolved Organic Compounds

[h2oplantscritters]

I have been converted to frequent wc in my planted 180 (2 to 3 per week = 100%), but I am wondering if a procedure the saltwater reef folks use could cut done on the wc.

The use of ozone injected into a sump to oxidize organics. Is this totaly out of all sane reason or would this ultimately improve water quality. I currently run UV to help reduce the bacteria load and it definity works as long as the wattage equals the gpm, but Ozone attacks an entirely different pollutant. From my limited reading it is tricky to use and must be added outside of the tank and not be allowed into the tank, but it seems to work for the saltwater crowd.

Am I totally off the wall?

Dan

[pcsb23]

I have been converted to frequent wc in my planted 180 (2 to 3 per week = 100%), but I am wondering if a procedure the saltwater reef folks use could cut done on the wc.

The use of ozone injected into a sump to oxidize organics. Is this totaly out of all sane reason or would this ultimately improve water quality. I currently run UV to help reduce the bacteria load and it definity works as long as the wattage equals the gpm, but Ozone attacks an entirely different pollutant. From my limited reading it is tricky to use and must be added outside of the tank and not be allowed into the tank, but it seems to work for the saltwater crowd.

Am I totally off the wall?

Dan

Dan,

No you are not off the wall here. It does work, I believe Andrew Soh does (or did) just that. I know Paul Lucas of Discus South in the UK does as well. There are now freshwater protein skimmers available, not tried one as the are damned epensive but... Once my fish room is up and running I will be using ozone again too!

The other upside is to increase the amount of O2 in the water in respect of higher ORP.

It should be done outside the tank and is best done using an ORP controller. Also good ventilation helps, it will give you a real bad headache if it escapes into the room, and I mean BAD!

hth,

[lhforbes12]

I have been converted to frequent wc in my planted 180 (2 to 3 per week = 100%), but I am wondering if a procedure the saltwater reef folks use could cut done on the wc. Dan

Oddly enough I went exactly the opposite route, I was doing wc at pretty much your regimen, but from reading what aquatic plant "experts" (especially Tom Barr) had to say, I have since gone to 50% wc a week in my planted with substrate tanks. I was having too much of an algae problem, but I was filling straight from the tap and my water is very high in dissolved CO2 (my plants do crazy type pearling following a wc even though I use pressurized CO2).


The use of ozone injected into a sump to oxidize organics. Dan

Not sure I would feel comfortable doing this, but I have never used an ozonizer, so my feelings on this most certainly need to be taken with "a grain of salt".


Is this totaly out of all sane reason or would this ultimately improve water quality.Dan

It is not unreasonable IMHO, and it would probably improve your water qaulity. I have heard that an ozonizer will destory chelates (EDTA) but I have heard that about UV's too. I believe most now think that while it may "unchelate" your micro ferts, they are still available to the plants.


I currently run UV to help reduce the bacteria load and it definity works as long as the wattage equals the gpm, but Ozone attacks an entirely different pollutant. From my limited reading it is tricky to use and must be added outside of the tank and not be allowed into the tank, but it seems to work for the saltwater crowd.Dan

What I use to reduce DOCs and bacteria is a diatom filter, which as an added benefit also removes algae spores (of course your UV kills them which is basically the same thing) and "polishes" the water. When used correctly, and it certainly appears that you are, a UV filter is probably at least a little more effective. A diatom filters to 1 micron, a UV has no such restrictions.


Am I totally off the wall?Dan

I don't think so.

Larry

[h2oplantscritters]

Larry and Paul, thanx for the thoughtful comments. Since posting this I spoke with some folks and they felt that it would work but you would have to scrub the water with carbon. I am loath to use carbon in a tank for a number of reasons, and seem to hit a wall on this idea since they feel it would not be safe to use the ozone unless the water was thorougly scrubbed.

What do you all think?

They also felt that a fresh water protein skimmer would be limited in its effectiveness because macro bubbles would form rather than the desired microbubbles that attract organic molecules.

Seems their are no shortcuts to water quality.

[Rod]

Ozone is a great idea, very effective oxident. A breeder friend i know uses it in his system to great effect along with an algae filter to control organic compounds and nitrogen. In his case he uses it because his only water source is what falls from the sky, and the cost of buying water is probibitive. Done properly it is quite an expensive way to go (orp controller, special container to perform the ozoneizing etc) but i think an excellent method that will eventually become more commonplace with fishkeepers.