Introduction
Sterilization and purification of water by the use of ozone has been used for many years in drinking water and wastewater treatment plants throughout the world. Ozone is a very reactive form of oxygen that can destroy an enormous variety of liquid waste materials and toxins. It offers a simple, highly effective method of maintaining a clean and stable environment.
Ozone is a safe and remarkably effective agent capable of killing a wide variety of microorganisms. Viruses, bacteria, spores, some chemical impurities, etc., are all attacked and destroyed by ozone. Additionally, toxic materials treated with ozone are nearly always converted into less toxic compounds, enhancing their adsorption by bacteria, algae, and/or activated carbon. As an example, in the marine application, ozone will steadily convert ammonia to nitrite and rapidly (on contact) convert nitrite to nitrate.
Boosted foaming efficiency
Ozone promotes the formation of stable foaming compounds from otherwise non-foaming components, noticeably increasing the efficiency of protein skimmers in marine aquariums. When ozone is used with a protein skimmer, complex waste materials not removed as foam are further broken down to simpler component parts and passed off to the atmosphere or broken down into materials readily consumed by the bacteria and algae.
We recommend that in aquaculture, purpose designed Sander and Aqua-medic protein skimmers always be used with ozone. After 24-48 hours of protein skimming with ozone, the water in the system will seem to "disappear" as the small particles and coloured materials are removed from the water. The clarity of the water is quite simply unequalled by any other system.
Freshwater Skimming
Ozone provides the same benefits in freshwater to tilapia, catfish, trout, koi and ornamental farmers as it does in marine applications except that effective protein skimming is limited in freshwater because the very fine bubble diameter required for proper foam production cannot be achieved in low salinity conditions.
The use of a protein skimmer remains the best way to apply ozone to both marine and freshwater aquaculture streams. Sander has developed a unique freshwater skimmer for ozone contacting which relies on high volumes of air for large bubble surface area.
Equipment Design
A properly designed skimmer like those in the Sander and Aqua-medic ranges concentrates the working area for ozone in an isolated chamber. It provides the necessary contact time between ozone and water by using counter current flow between ozone and water in the contact chamber.
All materials that come into contact with the ozone must be compatible with it in both the gaseous and dissolved forms. Off-gas, or the undissolved ozone gas must also be vented from the skimmer and disposed of in a safe manner.
The amount of ozone required is directly related to the amount of organic matter in the water to be treated.
