Frequently Asked Questions
| What is ozone? Expressed as O3, ozone is a gaseous form of concentrated oxygen that is heavier than air. |
| How is ozone produced? Inside the ozone chamber of the Black Max ozone generator, air is drawn past a high quality Industrial ozone producing UV (ultra-violet) lamp, operating at a precise wavelength, which instantly converts oxygen O2, into activated oxygen or ozone O3. |
| Will ozonated water control diseases and keep plants healthy? Ozone is one of the most effective bactericide known. Waterborne diseases are controlled by the injected ozone, which destroys fungi, pathogenic bacteria, viruses and organochlorines. These disease causing microbes can greatly reduce plant growth and yields or even destroy entire crops. Once it has done its job, any excess ozone will break down into oxygen, which super oxygenates the nutrient solution, promoting rapid healthy root development. Ozone is not harmful to beneficial aerobic bacteria that thrive in an oxygen rich environment. Plants grow faster and healthier, producing higher yields. |
| How does the Black Max ozone generator inject ozone into the water? The simplest way to inject ozone is via an ozone jet (venturi) attached to a submersible pump, placed into the nutrient reservoir or holding tank. Other methods, including the Maxizone injector and Megazone injector manifold, can also be used depending on the application. Water passing through the ozone jet or injector creates a vacuum that draws ozone from the Black Max unit and injects it directly into the water, where it is readily soluble. The ozone level in the water will naturally adjust to the concentration required for waterborne disease control. Excess ozone will simply gas off through the water and can be vented off to the *open air via an exhaust fan, if the reservoir or holding tank is located in an area with inadequate ventilation. |
| Is ozone injection more effective than using an air stone? Yes, the Black Max ozone jet or injector is much more efficient, as the ozone is forced into the water under a vacuum, rather than just bubbled through it. This creates a greater number of smaller bubbles, with more surface area for the ozone to interact with the water. This also aids in circulating the water within the tank. With an air stone, the bubbles tend to be larger and travel straight up and out of the water. |
| Can ozone be harmful? Ozone levels must never be allowed to build up in any area, as concentrated ozone can be harmful to persons or animals if the concentration becomes too high. Australian and USA health authorities recommend workplace exposure to ozone for an eight hour day, should be limited to a maximum of between 0.08 to 0.10 ppm. Short term exposure of 15 minutes can be up to 0.3 ppm. If ozone is used inside a greenhouse the suggested maximum ozone concentration for best results is a level of 0.05 to 0.10 ppm, however this level should be confirmed for specific varieties of plants and flowers. Always follow OH&S guidelines for your specific application. Contact Black Max Ozone Generators for any ozone monitoring equipment requirements. |
| Is the Black Max ozone generator free of regular maintenance procedures? Yes, there are no moving parts to wear out and no electrodes or filters to clean. |
| How should the Black Max be operated to effectively treat water? Ozone will only remain active in the water for about fifteen to twenty minutes, before reverting back to oxygen. For optimum treatment benefit and maximum lamp life, run the Black Max ozone system 24 hours a day. |
| Are aquarium style air bubblers or hydrogen peroxide and similar products still required? No, with the Black Max ozone system you don’t need air bubblers or any potentially dangerous chemicals. |
| How long does the Black Max UV lamp last? The Black Max ozone generator incorporates a high quality Industrial ozone producing UV lamp, with a specialised electronic starter that greatly increases the lamp life. Minimum lamp life is 20,000 hours for a system running 24 hours a day or 10,000 hours for stop-start operation, although you could normally expect to get many years of maintenance free operation, at the rated ozone output. |
| How can the ozone output of a Black Max ozone generator be varied? For water treatment, the ozone output will increase with pump size and water flow rate. Ozone jets, injectors and injector manifolds can be supplied to handle any flow rate or installation system. *open air is an area where there is adequate free and unrestricted airflow, to prevent ozone from accumulating in any place. |