| NetPets® |
Ozonization as a pre-treatment :
If you treat great amounts of water at one time, and if you have cause to believe that bacteria, parasites, protozoa, etc. may be present in the water, ozonization is a viable form of pre-filtration.
Again, however, sub-micronic filters will do the same job for you, and in a simpler and less expensive manner, I believe.
If ozone is used, you must over-ozonize, and do so to a degree that you can definitely detect residual ozone in the water that is being treated. Use a strong unit. There are now several choices. Sander, and my own company are two. Spotte, in his "Seawater Aquariums" book, gives a detailed discussion on using ozone for this purpose.
Dry and cool the air going into the unit to maximize the amount of ozone generated, to obtain an efficient kill of small lifeforms, and to burn out (oxidize) organic material that will be present as a result.
Ozone can be used as an optional add-on to the system I recommend, and is shown in the diagram later in this chapter. Make sure that all residual ozone is removed from the water before it is added to the tank.
In areas where the water is highly polluted, some Hobbyists resort to the use of chemicals such as chlorine (in tablets) to pre- treat the water, they add permanganates and similar strong oxidizers, and then filter the water through a sub-micron filter and a chemical filter.
Although that is certainly a good method, I find it too elaborate and too difficult to implement for the average Hobbyist. Stay away from chemicals, unless you absolutely have to use them.
Make sure too, that they are removed from the water through some other form of filtration before you use the treated water for the tank. Permanganates will raise the redox potential to extremely high, and dangerous, levels. You must therefore let the water stand for quite some time and aerate it to counteract that effect. It must also be treated.
We have touched on this in the section on mechanical filtration. I highly recommend this form of pre-treatment because it is easy to install and does not pose any danger. It is inexpensive as well.
Use a filter material that is rated for less than one micron. You will thus remove not only particulate matter, but also bacteria, parasites and all protozoa that could pose problems for your Reef lifeforms.
It is included in the system that I use myself, and that is described a little later in this chapter. Many types are available, even at your local do-it-yourself-store, or hardware supply house. All you need to check is whether the cartridges, or filter bags, are rated for less than one micron, or not. Larger rated assemblies will not cold sterilize.
Suggested Set-up for pre-filtration :
Based on what you have read so far, you are probably already aware of what is included in such a system :
- an activated carbon stage, mostly to remove chlorine
- a sub-micron stage, to remove particulate, bacteria, etc.
- a molecular absorption stage, to really polish the water
- a storage and aeration stage (if necessary)
- optional ozonization stage, including dryer and air pump.
In our case the system is piped into a main water line, but you can hook the whole assembly up by means of a hose to a faucet. Mount all filters on a small wooden platform with casters, and you can roll it around easily, to where you will need it. Clean the system, that is flush it, before each use, to remove the stagnating water. To do so, run water through the system for a few minutes. This will get out all water that is low in oxygen and may have started to decay, and provide clean and freshly filtered water for your system.
Change the carbon once a month, or sooner, depending on how much water you treat. Watch the color of the Poly Filters, or molecular absorption discs, and change them when needed.
Flow water through this system as slowly as you can. This ensures that you get high quality water, free of nitrate, phosphate and other contaminants in "one pass", meaning the water has to go through the filters only once.
Use old canister filters, or special filters such as the ones sold in D. I.Y. stores, to set the system up. Connections can be made with hose barbs, hose clamps, and flexible acrylic or vinyl hose. Never ever run tap water pressure on the system. Many canisters are not built to withstand that kind of "psi". First close the tap water off, and then the canisters, if a valve is installed at the end of the line. This is very important to remember.
Control the flow, meaning adjust the amount of water flowing through the system, from the beginning of the line, not the end. If you put an aquarium type canister under city water pressure, it will burst open and you will have a flood, and may get hurt.
You may also wish to combine the three types of filtration somewhat. I already indicated that powdered activated carbon, and fine filtration, can be combined into one unit, by using, for example, a System 1* filter. Add an extra canister filled with the Poly filters, or molecular absorption discs, in line, and you have an inexpensive system that will perform very well for you.
Rather than using a one-pass system such as the one shown, you can also use a recirculating system. Draw water from an old aquarium, or any type of container, and recirculate it through the filter system that you have set up, and back to the original container. Let every- thing run for 10 to 15 minutes, or less , depending on how much water you are in fact treating. The sequence in which the sub-micronic and the molecular absorption canisters are placed, is sometimes subject to a lot of debate. Some prefer to place the sub-micronic last. You decide.
This set-up has worked for me better than what I had anticipat- ed, and I, therefore, endorse it completely. The effluent water is of superior quality, at minimal cost, and easy installation. What else need I say.
[Albert J. Thiel requests that you make a $5.00 donation to the New Mexico School for the Visually Handicapped Children, 1900 North White Sands, Alamagordo, New Mexico 88310 (or other charitable group) if you download the entire book. This would be in lieu of the standard purchase price for this publication.]
| Back to Table of Contents | Back One Chapter | Top | Next Page |
 NetPets® Main Page |  The Fish Center |