Home » Sanitizing power of Ozone (O3)
Sanitizing power of Ozone (O3) 2015-08-27T16:15:48-07:00

Chemical sanitation is a process all spa owners are familiar with. We add all sorts of powders, tablets and liquids to keep our water clean and safe.

How Do Chemicals Work?

Bacteria, soap, skin, lotions, cosmetics, detergents all get introduced into the water by bathers and will cause cloudiness, odor and skin irritation and possibly diseases if not addressed in a timely and continuous manner.

In order to kill bacteria, sanitizers are introduced to the water. The most common chemicals used to sanitize the water are granulated chlorine and bromine tablets. These chemicals are very good oxidizers (removes electrons from another substance) which causes the substance(s) introduced into the water to breakdown.
Depending on the strength of the chemical, this process can take several hours. The only way to decrease the time is to increase the concentration of the chemical; this could make our spa unsafe to use and can damage the equipment.

Microscopic debris from binding agents in the tablets, inert ingredients in the chemicals, soap, skin, lotions, cosmetics, detergents will all cloud the water. two ways to remove them: oxidize with chemicals or clump them together to be caught in the filter by using  clarifying chemicals. Or…

Using less chemicals

One aide to using less traditional chemicals is to use ozone. Ozone is a powerful natural oxidizer. Ozone is a very  unstable gas that quickly bonds with bacteria and other agents in the water to kill and remove them and keep your spa clean.

What is Ozone and how does it work?

We have all heard of ozone but what is it exactly? Ozone or trioxygen is an unstable version of the oxygen molecule and a powerful oxidizer. Typically oxygen’s most stable form is when two oxygen atoms combine to form the molecule O2. Ozone is created when three oxygen atoms combine to form O3.  The third O1 has a weak bond which makes it unstable (see diagram).  ozoneSince oxygen’s natural state is just two atoms instead of three, ozone is a highly unstable molecule. Ozone wants to give up that attached third atom so that it can go back to its highly stable two atom configuration. This means when ozone is added to a pool or a spa, it is looking to combine with whatever it can find. 

Pool and spa water is full of free things to bond with. Pesky algae, bacteria, skin oils, sweat and free skin molecules all are able to bond with the ozone.

How is Ozone Formed?

Ozone is formed in nature by Ultraviolet light and by an electrical charge.  In nature, it takes something as powerful as a lightning bolt to do this. While this bond is open, another oxygen atom is free to bond with the oxygen molecule. The result is an ozone molecule. In a hot tub we use an ozonator to create the elctrical charge to produce ozone. The ozone is vacuum fed and mixed with hot tub water using a Mazzei Injector. The water basically scrubbed and cleaned in the plumbing before reentering the main bather hot tub water.

Benefits of Ozone

  • Natural ozone is a form of oxygen and is the most powerful spa sanitizer available.
  • Ozone is automatically produced any time the pump is running to filter the water.
  • Ozone has no effect on pH levels.
  • Ozone reduces the need for harsh chemicals (such as chlorine and bromine) by 60 – 90%.
  • Ozone kills up to 99.99% of dangerous microbial agents like bacteria and viruses on contact.
  • Ozone oxidizes the widest range of organic materials, including all human fluids, of any spa sanitizer.
  • No byproducts or chloromines produced.

How Do I Get Ozone in my hot tub?

ozone2-feature-lr-lrge-300x199 Del APGCalifornia Custom Hot tubs can have an ozonator added at the factory when your hot tub is being manufactured, or in some cases we can install the same unit after delivery.

Call (707) 781-9440 for more information on the Ozone system options that we have available today and start your path to a cleaner, safer hot tub!

The D1 difference!

Sonoma Hot Tubs