I see the logic in your issue, But have you tried using a Oxygen Tower (I think that's what they are called) It's kinda like a reactor where you fill it with media and have your water cascade down this tall cylinder to add gas exchange to the water. Or another way would be to make sure you have all your flow breaking the surface of the tank to increase your oxygen levels, And in turn this may increase ORP.
What level is your PH in relation to the ORP as they are connected if one is very low the other is usually very high?
Didn't mean to hijack your thread this is just interesting as even tanks with lids do not suffer from this same issue so IMO there is something else involved in your low ORP levels, Could your probe be reading wrong?? And do you run a sump or not?? And a Skimmer??
Bill
Yep PH and ORP are inversley porportionate. But i think a small shange in ph makes a larger swing in ORP. (not sure of the equation) Anyway yes i did have higher PH around 8.4or 8.5 if my memory serves me I didnt not have a PH meter that measured into the Hundreth position so really accurate reading werent made.
I thought my ORP probe was broken. but i changed it and then changed my controller and finally had my brother, a chemical engineer come check it. It was correct. He actually uses Ozone every day at work. It is used in a greater scale to bind with radioactive isotopes in nuclear fuel rods. Anyway i get all my tubings and Y connectors from him. Dont trust home depot anymore.
Not sure if an oxygen tower would work. Never tried it. But i can tell you that my Orp probe was placed in the skimmer return and was still reading low.
I had alot of surface aggitation of the water.
In actuallity multiple factors led to my Low ORP and if my Ozone unit died right now.(it has in the past) I would not have such a drastic fall. Currenty my NONE ozone levels run about.
1) I was playing with my alkalinity to much. I had just started 2 part dosing and didnt have those helpful Bulk Reef supply videos and calculators they have now so PH probably went higher then recommended.
2) My sump was completly covered.
3) Normal inside CO2 levels is 600ppm I live in a mobile home and it runs 1000ppm. I was having this problem in the winter so it was probably higher than that.
What did i do?
1) Uncover my sump
2) Start dosing Kallswasser in my ATO to maintain calcium and alkalinity. ( gonna have to start 2 part again or calcium reactor to much coral demand)
3) Put my Luft pump outside and ran a line directly to my skimmer.
4) Dose vodka this lowers PH
5) Purchased a OZONE unit and reactor
I had to experiment with the reactors but none of them work as well as the cheap and most ugliest one i made myself for 40 bucks. My affluent is 680 mV.
Here are my advantages to OZONE that i have seen
1) Increase ORP
2) Very consistant PH no swing at night when hooked to a controller. My ph is 8.2 + or - .08 when the lights first turn off and the ORP controller hasnt kicked in yet to compensate
3) I have found that at ORP above 400 limits algae growth on the glass. I clean my glass once every 2 weeks and i really dont need to then. Mainly scape coroline off the glass. With that said be Careful. ORP much higher than that will kill livestock. I currently run my ORP at 430 mV That way when my ATO limewater increases tank ph and lower ORP its still above 400mV.
4) Clear water because of the oxidation of organic and inorganic compounds.
Disadvantages
1) Inability to commercially obtain the correct material needed properly maintain the system. which led to my accident. Vomiting is not fun
2)Danger to live stock. With me running my orp so hi. 3) I have to have some sort of backup generator in case one fails. I lost my Magnificant foxface because my generator went out and had to wait on a back up in the mail. To much to quick and she died.
3)Increased acclimaion of livestock. When shipped to you in a bag the fish has very little O2. Acclimate slowly or the sudden shock will cause the fish to die.
4) back up back up you have to have a back up your controllers. If you overdose to much ozone its like pooring chloine into your aquarium.(did this with some live rock in a quarintine tank killed everything turned rock white and no more aptasia lol)
5) You dont have to clean the glass because everything in water is dead. Good and BAd
Is it worth it NO but its my nessacary evil.
