Ozone and calcium carbonate questions

[Miami Reef]

1) Does calcium carbonate bind/help remove the yellowing compounds in the water?

2) is calcium carbonate in its pure form skimmable, or does it only become skimmable when bound to organics?

3) is there any reaction taking place if someone were to run ozone at the same time as dosing calcium carbonate powder (for water clarity purposes). Would it make the powder less effective?

 

[blaxsun]

I don't have the answer for you, but ozone did make the water clearer (almost completely removed the yellowish tint).

 

[gbroadbridge]

1) Does calcium carbonate bind/help remove the yellowing compounds in the water?

2) is calcium carbonate in its pure form skimmable, or does it only become skimmable when bound to organics?

3) is there any reaction taking place if someone were to run ozone at the same time as dosing calcium carbonate powder (for water clarity purposes). Would it make the powder less effective?

Good questions, and I'm not confident enough to make a definitive answer.

But, I think in the first case, it'll depend on what the composition of the yellow is.
In the second I'd guess it'll not be skimmed unless bound to organics.
In the third, I don't believe there would be any reaction making the powder less effective, it would make the UV less effective due to reduced light transmission.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Calcium carbonate is not skimmable when not coated with organics, but it may not take long to become coated in reef tank water. After being coated, it may or may not be skimmable depending on what is bound to it.

Calcium carbonate and many other minerals such as GFO will tend to bind some organics, and some of those will be yellowing. It will not bind all yellowing compounds.

My speculation is that ozone will make some compounds bind more readily, perhaps after reducing the color by oxidizing carbon carbon double bonds to carboxylic acids that will bind.

 

[Miami Reef]

Calcium carbonate is not skimmable when not coated with organics, but it may not take long to become coated in reef tank water. After being coated, it may or may not be skimmable depending on what is bound to it.

Calcium carbonate and many other minerals such as GFO will tend to bind some organics, and some of those will be yellowing. It will not bind all yellowing compounds.

My speculation is that ozone will make some compounds bind more readily, perhaps after reducing the color by oxidizing carbon carbon double bonds to carboxylic acids that will bind.

Thank you, Randy. I appreciate your answer a lot.

Do you for-see any scenario where ozone use can cause an acropora to be darker in appearance/increase zooxanthella/not color up?

I’ve stated this before, I like the “zeovit” coral look. It’s my aesthetic. I know zeovit doesn’t implement ozone (they don’t allow it), but I really like crystal clear water. I’m wondering if ozone would have any effect on coral coloration. Thanks in advance.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m not sure what would happen to an acropora exposed to highly oxidizing chemicals produced by ozone and not properly removed by GAC, but it might be bad.