To what extent does ozone affect plastic?

[Adrian]

I would like to run ozone on my tanks from time to time, but I'm uncertain of the severity of its association with certain plastics. Is it a matter of having to replace the airline from time to time, or will my skimmer and reactor eventually crumble? I would like to run ozone from time to time on my systems to help eliminate nurtients.

[dragon_slayer]

O3 will make the power cord covering/insulation to the skimmer pump get hard and it's then more easily cracked other then that i've not had any complaints out of it's use. using silicone tubing prevents the hardening.

hth
kc

[Adrian]

So your saying that you can cover the heater corad with silicone tubing to prevent the effects of the ozone? Ive used ozone in the past with excellent results, but im not sure I want to risk having to replace pumps and heaters, not to mention the risk of electrical shock if the cords do crack.Maybe UV would be a better option?

[H20ENG]

How does the ozone get to your cord??
It will not harm the materials of the skimmer or piping. Straight ozone will, over time, degrade acrylic, pvc, orings, etc. But when mixed in the water, it will react to whats in the water and its strength against the materials is greatly reduced.
You want to use a good injector or O3 inlet fitting that will stand up to it.
Also, FWIW, the ozone produced by aquarium grade ozonizers is usually only 1-2% O3 by volume at best. In industrial machines, with air preparation and a 95% O2 rate, you get up around 6% ozone. So it takes even longer to eat the fittings.

[dragon_slayer]

How does the ozone get to your cord??

it reacts with the plastic and makes it hard. some of your cheaper pumps with the cheap 2 wire 'lamp cord' on them very easily crack and you risk the possibility of a shock from them. on the upper class pumps i've not had a problem with the cracking just getting stiff after a few years and this is only in the compartment with the skimmer where the O3 is dumped in.


..................... Also, FWIW, the ozone produced by aquarium grade ozonizers is usually only 1-2% O3 by volume at best................

300 mg/hr of O3 is 300 mg/hr of O3 regardless of who made it and for what intent it was intended to be used. you'll find that most of us use generators intended for use in spas.

kc

[jjthomps]

It's not all plastics.

http://www.ozoneapplications.com/info/ozone_compatible_materials.htm

[Adrian]

cool link, thanks :)

[Adrian]

whoops :rolleyes: