Anyone using Dr. Sochting's Oxydator

[ID-Reefer]

Well 90 minutes after putting it in I pulled it back out... My Zoanthids all started to retract along with a couple SPS (don't have many but they all did the same thing). Then I saw my ORP had dropped like a rock from 283 down to 200 in a matter of minutes. Guessing I need to dilute and maybe take a catalyst out?

Fish all look great just the few corals I have along with the ORP spooked me.

 

[atoll]

Just installed the model W. Just fits with two return pumps in the return chamber of the sump. Micro but bubbles at first as expected. Hoping for the best. Running 12% with two catalysts. Roughly how long before I can expect to see it float?

Good news it fits in your return pump section. How long the peroxide last is mainly governed by temperature however you should expect the peroxide to last approximately 4 weeks in the W.

 

[atoll]

In some cases the redox does drop. This was explained to me as a result of the reaction with organics in the water quickly breaking down. Try reducing the strength of the peroxide to 6% or removing a catalyst then monitor your corals and ORP. The ORP may still drop at first but should slowly start to rise again after some time.

 

[Lasse]

Well 90 minutes after putting it in I pulled it back out... My Zoanthids all started to retract along with a couple SPS (don't have many but they all did the same thing). Then I saw my ORP had dropped like a rock from 283 down to 200 in a matter of minutes. Guessing I need to dilute and maybe take a catalyst out?

Fish all look great just the few corals I have along with the ORP spooked me.

This redox drop is typical if you add pure peroxide into your aquarium without any catalyst reaction at all. It is a sign - IMO - that to much non-catalyzed peroxide was coming out into the aquarium. Just do as @atoll l mentioned above - maybe also only start with one oxydator.

The reason why this happens - IMO - is that peroxid is a dubble edged sword. It is a reduction when it lose one of its O atoms H2O2 -> H2O + O and an oxidation when its free O atom oxidize something else. When you add pure H2O2 into the water - it always start with a dip in ORP followed of a rise above the old ORP level. When using oxydators - it is - IMO - a sign that you use too strong solution or to many catalysts.

A couple of days ago - I add by mistake around 20 ml pure 12% peroxid into ny 300 L tank - here is the result

After some hours - it is normal again

Sincerely Lasse

 

[atoll]

This redox drop is typical if you add pure peroxide into your aquarium without any catalyst reaction at all. It is a sign - IMO - that to much non-catalyzed peroxide was coming out into the aquarium. Just do as @atoll l mentioned above - maybe also only start with one oxydator.

The reason why this happens - IMO - is that peroxid is a dubble edged sword. It is a reduction when it lose one of its O atoms H2O2 -> H2O + O and an oxidation when its free O atom oxidize something else. When you add pure H2O2 into the water - it always start with a dip in ORP followed of a rise above the old ORP level. When using oxydators - it is - IMO - a sign that you use too strong solution or to many catalysts.

A couple of days ago - I add by mistake around 20 ml pure 12% peroxid into ny 300 L tank - here is the result

After some hours - it is normal again

Sincerely Lasse

This is why it can be difficult to recommend an ideal % of peroxide and number of catalysts. So many variables from stocking level, filtration employed, feeding and so on.
I have 525Ltr plenty of fish a fair number of corals and feed often. My Oxydator A has 12% peroxide and 2 catalysts and everything is just fine. I also recommend when first introducing an Oxydator you keep a close eye on corals esp nems and the like as they IME are the first to react negatively if it's to much.
Another thing to note, you may be fine for some weeks even months with a given % of peroxide and number of catalysts then one day refill your Oxydator the same and note a negative reaction. This is a sign your water has become much cleaner than you started. The thing to do then is reduce the % by a quarter to a half or remove a catalyst. If all OK stay at this level % or number of catalysts. You have then reached your ideal.

 

[ID-Reefer]

well unfortunately my cleaner shrimp didn’t make it. Found him upside down this morning. Everything else as far as I can tell is fine. (Not sure about the pod population). Fish look very happy and coral all have opened back up.

I diluted the 12% down to 6% and took out one catalyst leaving just the one.

As soon as I put it back in there was a small rise this time before another drop in ORP. The drop was not nearly as severe and was followed by a steady climb. Seems as things have leveled out now.

 

[atoll]

well unfortunately my cleaner shrimp didn’t make it. Found him upside down this morning. Everything else as far as I can tell is fine. (Not sure about the pod population). Fish look very happy and coral all have opened back up.

I diluted the 12% down to 6% and took out one catalyst leaving just the one.

As soon as I put it back in there was a small rise this time before another drop in ORP. The drop was not nearly as severe and was followed by a steady climb. Seems as things have leveled out now.

You should be able to put the 2nd catalyst back in with 6% peroxide. Just keep an eye on all.

 

[monicalooze]

I would not run a tank without oxydators now and always put them in any new tanks I help with.
6% solution and 2 catalysts for mine.
An A with 1 catalyst will be fine.

I know this is an old thread, but can you speak to why you would not run a tank without one? There's a lot of conflicting information out there about them, but I'm always interested in simple solutions without power. It seems like a very elegant way to add O2 to the water....

Am a bit worried about cleaner shrimp and H202 though. Can you speak to that?

 

[monicalooze]

Oxydators are very neat inventions they work great. I've seen them on YouTube on the most delicate bee shrimp freshwater tanks all the way to the densest reefs. One aspect that's interesting is no known sensitive organisms to the way it meters out the oxygen. Very neat device, they should produce tiny dators now to accommodate tank downsizing I think it would be a good seller, an od with footprint small enough to fit in the common nanos and take up as little room as poss

Can you explain more about how they work and what the benefits are? I know you have a huge thread about peroxide dosing/algae control, but I'm interested in this device, except there is a lot of conflicting information about them, and very little information in general in the US. I keep a 10 gal nano AIO, no skimmer. Right now I run carbon, filter pad, marinepure balls, and I'm putting a little refugium in the middle chamber.

 

[MnFish1]

I know this is an old thread, but can you speak to why you would not run a tank without one? There's a lot of conflicting information out there about them, but I'm always interested in simple solutions without power. It seems like a very elegant way to add O2 to the water....

Am a bit worried about cleaner shrimp and H202 though. Can you speak to that?

Part of any question like this is the concentration - and how you're dosing it. For example - an oxydator releases H2O2 very slowly. The standard )non-oxydator) H2O2 dose that I see is 1 ml per 10 gallons. I have seen threads where 10x this amount is used. If you used the low dose - in a sump - I cannot see it harming shrimp or anything else. After all - almost immediately - its converted to Water and Oxygen. If you dose it directly into the tank all at once - my guess unless you're using a high dose - there would be no problem (and even then).

 

[MnFish1]

Can you explain more about how they work and what the benefits are? I know you have a huge thread about peroxide dosing/algae control, but I'm interested in this device, except there is a lot of conflicting information about them, and very little information in general in the US. I keep a 10 gal nano AIO, no skimmer. Right now I run carbon, filter pad, marinepure balls, and I'm putting a little refugium in the middle chamber.

They work by putting 2 catalysts pellets in a closed system with H2O2. The catalyst causes H2O2 --> Water and oxygen. The oxygen is released into the tank. It is my understanding that H2O2 itself is not added to the tank water. Though - I imagine other oxygen species may be released and quickly degraded in very low quantities as well

 

[najer]

I know this is an old thread, but can you speak to why you would not run a tank without one? There's a lot of conflicting information out there about them, but I'm always interested in simple solutions without power. It seems like a very elegant way to add O2 to the water....

Am a bit worried about cleaner shrimp and H202 though. Can you speak to that?

I have seen no down sides, I don't have monitoring but generally when first added or refilled they appear to cause an ORP dip that appears to recover within 24 hours, nems can be sensitive to this so I fill mine a couple of days apart, my rbtas are fine, if you look into the chemistry it shows how it aids with the breakdown of detritus, once again I can't explain all the scientific benefits but I still run them.

 

[atoll]

They work by putting 2 catalysts pellets in a closed system with H2O2. The catalyst causes H2O2 --> Water and oxygen. The oxygen is released into the tank. It is my understanding that H2O2 itself is not added to the tank water. Though - I imagine other oxygen species may be released and quickly degraded in very low quantities as well

Not quite. A small amount of peroxide may well entre the surrounding water however usually that in itself is quickly broken down into what the manufacturer calls super oxygen and water.think of super oxygen as you would ozone.

How much peroxide escapes into the surrounding water will depend on the strength of peroxide used and the number of catalysts.

In the case of the Oxydator A and W models not only is peroxide broken down by the catalysts forcing peroxide out but the ceramic beaker itself helps to break down escaping peroxide as it is made from a similar ceramic to the catalysts which contain a small amount of silver.

 

[brandon429]

agreed with all here, its a great device.

 

[fishybizzness]

So question. I've probably asked this previously but don't remember. Would i get any benefit Running a w in my 120 gal with 3% peroxide and 2 catalyst? The 6% and 12% are extremely expensive to get where i live but the 3% is readily available. Am I wasting my time Running the 3%?

 

[atoll]

Can you explain more about how they work and what the benefits are? I know you have a huge thread about peroxide dosing/algae control, but I'm interested in this device, except there is a lot of conflicting information about them, and very little information in general in the US. I keep a 10 gal nano AIO, no skimmer. Right now I run carbon, filter pad, marinepure balls, and I'm putting a little refugium in the middle chamber.

Can I ask what conflicting information you have read as I am sure I can clear that up for you? I have been using Oxydators more years than many have lived so far that are on here.

BTW we have an Oxydator user group on facebook with lots of information in the files section as well as in the open forum if you would like to join us.

 

[atoll]

So question. I've probably asked this previously but don't remember. Would i get any benefit Running a w in my 120 gal with 3% peroxide and 2 catalyst? The 6% and 12% are extremely expensive to get where i live but the 3% is readily available. Am I wasting my time Running the 3%?

Simple answer yes and you could just add more catalysts which for all intensive purpose is like adding a higher concentration of peroxide if you want to. And I would advise you do.

 

[fishybizzness]

Simple answer yes and you could just add more catalysts which for all intensive purpose is like adding a higher concentration of peroxide if you want to. And I would advise you do.

Thanks for the reply. How many catalyst would you recommend, 3 or 4?

 

[atoll]

Thanks for the reply. How many catalyst would you recommend, 3 or 4?

I would suggest 4 with 3% peroxide and possibly more. However they 4 first.

 

[MnFish1]

Not quite. A small amount of peroxide may well entre the surrounding water however usually that in itself is quickly broken down into what the manufacturer calls super oxygen and water.think of super oxygen as you would ozone.

How much peroxide escapes into the surrounding water will depend on the strength of peroxide used and the number of catalysts.

In the case of the Oxydator A and W models not only is peroxide broken down by the catalysts forcing peroxide out but the ceramic beaker itself helps to break down escaping peroxide as it is made from a similar ceramic to the catalysts which contain a small amount of silver.

Thats what I said - that small amounts of other oxygen species may be released. The superoxide radicals will be almost instantly degraded when they hit anything organic. The only thing I was trying to say is that there is very little likelihood that any level of peroxide 'toxic' to shrimp will be in the tank.