Odor control

[bluenoserjoe]

Hello to all you peeps out in 420 land. I am looking for any input regarding the pros and cons of using an ozone generator compared to an inline fan and carbon filter. Any information you care to share either way would be appreciated. Hope everyone had a great Xmas and are ready to dump 2020 down the toilet.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Maybe short on helpful factual info here, but i ran a 40 plant grow with a ‘friend’ (?) for a year once, decades ago, and used an ozone generator for smell. We didn’t really know what we were doing in lots of ways and were just winging it.

Everything we read said that the ozone is supposed to have about a minute to mix with the smelly air, before being vented out into the outside world. But how to achieve this.? A separate room to be used as a sort of lung for mixing pre out-vent chamber, and a system of alternating vent fans on timers? In the end we never quite bothered. We made an extra long out-vent ducting run and hoped that the ozone would have time to remove some of the smell on the way. It did seem to help quite a bit.

Rumor had it also that the ozone is not at all healthy to breathe. The times I went in the room when the ozone generator was running I often got a blast of a smell that didn’t feel at all healthy.

This is just kind of blather, because I never did, obviously, nail down the proper usage of this thing. This was pre-Internet and we didn’t know what we’re doing. We basically had our hands full to the panic level with 40 plants. Surprised we survived that whole episode with buds to show for it, actually

 

[bluenoserjoe]

Maybe short on helpful factual info here, but i ran a 40 plant grow with a ‘friend’ (?) for a year once, decades ago, and used an ozone generator for smell. We didn’t really know what we were doing in lots of ways and were just winging it.

Everything we read said that the ozone is supposed to have about a minute to mix with the smelly air, before being vented out into the outside world. But how to achieve this.? A separate room to be used as a sort of lung for mixing pre out-vent chamber, and a system of alternating vent fans on timers? In the end we never quite bothered. We made an extra long out-vent ducting run and hoped that the ozone would have time to remove some of the smell on the way. It did seem to help quite a bit.

Rumor had it also that the ozone is not at all healthy to breathe. The times I went in the room when the ozone generator was running I often got a blast of a smell that didn’t feel at all healthy.

This is just kind of blather, because I never did, obviously, nail down the proper usage of this thing. This was pre-Internet and we didn’t know what we’re doing. We basically had our hands full to the panic level with 40 plants. Surprised we survived that whole episode with buds to show for it, actually

I had very much the same set up also many years ago. We would draw the exhaust air through a quite large generator and then up a chimney. No idea if it worked or not, it was always winter and to damn cold to go outside to check. lol

 

[Weaselcracker]

That’s kind of how I remember ours. The whole operation was so fraught with extreme paranoia and blatant security problems that the ozone generator was low on the list of concern. When the hugely overpowered archaic monster of a vent fan kicked in, the whole building vibrated and the hum and ‘whoosh’ was shockingly loud over the entire property. It was totally devastating. The ‘friend’ told me if anyone noticed to say it was just a little fresh air fan for the building. I found it much easier to try and make sure no one ever visited. Really the only option.
It was an attic grow with many floods, and bucket after bucket of water having to be hauled up the stairs by hand. With much pain. But the paranoia is what I remember most of all


I think if that special venting system could be setup then it could be a great way to go. Quite effective ( I think) and no need to change filters every year or two.

 

[bluenoserjoe]

Ha, very similar experiences, especially the paranoia part. Because the well water was so bad where we were growing we were transporting water out of the city in a hundred gallon tank inside an Astro mini van. Had a well camouflaged dump point that fed a holding tank in the grow room. Anything to save your back. The only visitor of any concern was the meter reader, BUT.

 

[Calvados]

Hello to all you peeps out in 420 land. I am looking for any input regarding the pros and cons of using an ozone generator compared to an inline fan and carbon filter. Any information you care to share either way would be appreciated. Hope everyone had a great Xmas and are ready to dump 2020 down the toilet.

Great walk down memory lane, but begs the question of what's wrong with a decent filter? Why wouldn't you use one? Did they not exist back in the day?

 

[bluenoserjoe]

Great walk down memory lane, but begs the question of what's wrong with a decent filter? Why wouldn't you use one? Did they not exist back in the day?

Great question. I would think yes but no one I knew ever used one. Maybe the cost? In the last ten years or so I see lots more. Back then, being stealth, and always growing in the winter, dumping copious amounts of heat wasn't a good option. Twenty below temps. and warm, moist air are a sure tell tail sign that something was amiss.

 

[bluenoserjoe]

While I know that both systems will do the job of removing odor, they both have their pros and cons. I am leaning toward the ozone generator for the simple reason that it can be used elsewhere in the house. There have been pets in this house for at least the last 45 years. I would like to chat with someone who has used one for growing. Just a few questions like do you run it inside or outside the room, or will the fresh ozone falling on the plants have any negative effects?

 

[Dwight Monk]

Probably have negative affects on you or your pets before it would affect the plants be my guess. As Weasel said smell throws me off and why I never used the switch on my air freshener that had one. Various levels and harm they can cause you would be tricky with no way of measuring how much there is:

Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners | US EPA

Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners intentionally produce the gas ozone.

www.epa.gov

Even the ratings on them not precise as depends on usage and where used etc.....Personally I would stick to filters if smell an issue and if not then just good air flow/exchange.

 

[bluenoserjoe]

Probably have negative affects on you or your pets before it would affect the plants be my guess. As Weasel said smell throws me off and why I never used the switch on my air freshener that had one. Various levels and harm they can cause you would be tricky with no way of measuring how much there is:

Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners | US EPA

Ozone generators that are sold as air cleaners intentionally produce the gas ozone.

www.epa.gov

Even the ratings on them not precise as depends on usage and where used etc.....Personally I would stick to filters if smell an issue and if not then just good air flow/exchange.

A good read @Dwight Monk, very informative. I do believe this has tilted my thinking toward a decent filter and fan set up. Thanks all.