Re: [Killietalk] A chemistry question to think about...

[Mark Delraso <altos at att_net>]

I just did a search and found that the products are still available.  Aquariumconnection.com has a list of ozonizers and controllers for aquariums and ponds. I typed " ozone in the aquarium" and I clicked on Role of Ozone In The Aquarium.  

Mark D




________________________________
From: "Bruce J. Turner, Dept. Biol. Sci., VPISU, Blacksburg, VA 240" <fishgen at vt_edu>
To: killifish discussion list <killietalk at aka_org>
Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2009 9:54:01 AM
Subject: [Killietalk] A chemistry question to think about...

I do a lot of water changes.  I have well water, but it is very hard (340 - 510
ppm Ca hardness by colorimetry, about 400 ppm by gas chromatography) and I
dilute it 1:1 with distilled water, which I import from my lab, 22 miles away.
This can be a pain in the neck, sometimes, so I recycle much of the water that
I remove when changing. I use a power filter and filter it through "ammochips"
(zeolite) to remove the ammonia and through activated carbon to remove
practically everything else.

Most people seem to think that the beneficial effects of water changes have to
do with removing ammonia.  In fact, I don't think I've read a contrary
statement for many years.

Here's my question:  It should be easy to oxidize ammonia in solution with
potassium permanganate, presumably converting it into harmless nitrate.  This
would have the advantage of oxidizing many other dissolved organics as well. 
In situations where ammonia is an issue, why do we not simply add small amounts
of permanganate daily?  Theoretically, we could then save the water changing for
times when the level of residual ions (e.g., Mn++ from the permanganate) got too
high, or when the nitrate began to be utilized by algae, etc. It would seem that
this could work well in grow-out tanks and other situations where we wouldn't
necessarily mind a few hrs of purple water.

Comments are most welcome, particularly from people whose background in
chemistry is stronger or more pertinent than my own...

Bruce J. Turner
Dept. Biol. Sci.
VIRGINIA TECH
Blacksburg, VA 24061 USA



                          "Truth, she lives in a distant land
                          of snow, and ice... And burning sand."

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