# Anyone Use/Try The Söchting Oxydator??



## PicklesAndCupcakes (Dec 10, 2018)

Totally suffering from new toy syndrome with the Söchting Oxydator. Does anyone use it and or have used it? I've looked online for reviews and they seem to be about "look at the shrimp on the bubbles" and a lot just randomness on it but no real down and dirty about the product. Has anyone tried and/or knows anyone who uses regularly with fish not just plants and/or shrimp (and not just as a backup for power failure)? Would love to get rid of my air lines, and it looks pretty legit but I have been led by a few infomercials in my past and this thing is super shiny to me right now would love to hear real input on this product before dumping all the lines in my tanks and throwing money at this. 

Thank you in advance.


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## mysiak (Jan 17, 2018)

I understand your "new toy syndrome", Oxydator was one of such purchases in my case 

I have it in both of my tanks, two small models in 180l for more than a year, one small in 16l since the start several months ago. Content lasts about a week with 2 or 3 catalysts (not all are "equal" for some reason) and 2-3 weeks with 1. I realized, that I forget to top it up in my small tank very often, so I'm running empty Oxydator probably half the time. Frankly, I can't tell the difference in the small tank nor in the big one. Fish behave the same with or without Oxydator. Plants grow the same (as far as I can tell). ORP doesn't seem to be impacted either. I do not have any option or need to measure available O2 in the water, but I expect to have more oxygen with Oxydator than without - not enough to make plants pearling though (I'm not using pressurized CO2). So it certainly doesn't release huge amounts of oxygen. 

It's an interesting gadget and probably has benefits in certain cases, but I do not see it as a "must have". I certainly wouldn't use Oxydator as a direct replacement of bubbler or strong surface agitation.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

If you want oxygen in your tank, you can try the twinstar algae inhibitor. You can see O2 bubbles float around the tank.


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## mysiak (Jan 17, 2018)

I have a Twinstar ripoff - Chihiros Doctor (yet another new toy syndrome ) and I wouldn't use it as anything else than a bubble cloud generator for aesthetic purpose  Additionally to all the unproven claims - it's pain in the .. when used in hard water. Membrane needs at least weekly cleaning due to extremely fast calcification (I have the improved version which changes polarity regularly). It was interesting to use maybe for a month, turned into "this isn't funny anymore" really quickly. Didn't do a thing to any type of algae and as I have no idea what is being created/released during electrolysis of aquarium water containing many different chemicals, I'm not using it anymore. It might have some positive (and negative) effects, but I couldn't find a single scientific study related to the usage in aquarium with livestock, just contradicting anecdotal information.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

mysiak said:


> I have a Twinstar ripoff - Chihiros Doctor (yet another new toy syndrome ) and I wouldn't use it as anything else than a bubble cloud generator for aesthetic purpose  Additionally to all the unproven claims - it's pain in the .. when used in hard water. Membrane needs at least weekly cleaning due to extremely fast calcification (I have the improved version which changes polarity regularly). It was interesting to use maybe for a month, turned into "this isn't funny anymore" really quickly. Didn't do a thing to any type of algae and as I have no idea what is being created/released during electrolysis of aquarium water containing many different chemicals, I'm not using it anymore. It might have some positive (and negative) effects, but I couldn't find a single scientific study related to the usage in aquarium with livestock, just contradicting anecdotal information.


In water it splits H2O, to H2 & O2 & rare occasion O3.

I'm not sure if the claims are true but it does produce O2. Theoretically it should only oxidize floating algae cells but wouldn't make any dent in established algae.


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## mysiak (Jan 17, 2018)

mistergreen said:


> In water it splits H2O, to H2 & O2 & rare occasion O3.
> 
> I'm not sure if the claims are true but it does produce O2. Theoretically it should only oxidize floating algae cells but wouldn't make any dent in established algae.


If I'm not mistaken, that's true in pure water only. Tank water contains many soluble inpurities, they must somehow at least partially react to electrolysis. Something like NaCl water solution creates Hydrogen and Chlorine gas.

Oxygen/ozone should oxydise anything it comes to contact with, so in theory also established algae. H2O2 destroys any algae on direct contact, cloud of bubbles should do similar damage (well, to lesser extent, otherwise it would be dangerous to livestock/plants too).

IMHO, if the device is really effective as it claims to be, it must be dangerous to livestock in the long term usage. If it's completely safe even with the most delicate shrimp or plants, it is probably just a gimmick.


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## mistergreen (Mar 3, 2007)

mysiak said:


> If I'm not mistaken, that's true in pure water only. Tank water contains many soluble inpurities, they must somehow at least partially react to electrolysis. Something like NaCl water solution creates Hydrogen and Chlorine gas.
> 
> Oxygen/ozone should oxydise anything it comes to contact with, so in theory also established algae. H2O2 destroys any algae on direct contact, cloud of bubbles should do similar damage (well, to lesser extent, otherwise it would be dangerous to livestock/plants too).
> 
> IMHO, if the device is really effective as it claims to be, it must be dangerous to livestock in the long term usage. If it's completely safe even with the most delicate shrimp or plants, it is probably just a gimmick.


No, electrolysis doesn't work in pure water. It needs electrolytes like salts to work. There might be other chemicals produce but it's small like the salts in freshwater. You can't create more matter that wasn't there.

Yeah, I wouldn't use it all the time like too much H2O2. Though, the O2 bubbles need to stick to established algae for it too work. H2O2 is better that way. Hmmm, maybe that's how plants ward off algae on their leaves. They produce O2 on site to oxidize the algae.


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## PicklesAndCupcakes (Dec 10, 2018)

Ok so the disease won. Not only won but totally KO'ed me. Bought 2 one for my 93 an another for my 20. Few hundred dollars later and then a Amazon purchase of food grade H202 12% and a grocery trip for dislited water (cut it to 6%). I am still undecided on this. The fish seem to like it lots. But seems like it needs refilled a lot. Want to say weekly but maybe off (still a little stunned from the KO). Kind of big. Have planted tanks and well more is best imo so floor space is limited and not fond of the size for the 20 (like a small apple diameter). 
Just wanted to dump the air lines and in essence yes I can. Buyers remorse? Ahhhhh IDK yet. Shrimp in the 20 are not flocking like on the youtube videos but every now and then will one or two of them fanning. Can not see the bubbles like in airline . Now I am rambling. Final verdict is still out on this one. 
Would not call it a gimmack though. No deaths have occured from it (have a spotted congo puffer, gobies and some other scaleless and/or sensative fish in the 93 and shrimp with cories in the 20). Not a science major but assuming the food grade H202 is key there or maybe its the cataylist that protects the universe like Voltron would have done if it was not canceled. Who knows it could kill them all tomorrow. Will update again once I figure out if it was worth the cost for people who live on the grid.


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## PicklesAndCupcakes (Dec 10, 2018)

mysiak said:


> I have a Twinstar ripoff - Chihiros Doctor (yet another new toy syndrome ) and I wouldn't use it as anything else than a bubble cloud generator for aesthetic purpose  Additionally to all the unproven claims - it's pain in the .. when used in hard water. Membrane needs at least weekly cleaning due to extremely fast calcification (I have the improved version which changes polarity regularly). It was interesting to use maybe for a month, turned into "this isn't funny anymore" really quickly. Didn't do a thing to any type of algae and as I have no idea what is being created/released during electrolysis of aquarium water containing many different chemicals, I'm not using it anymore. It might have some positive (and negative) effects, but I couldn't find a single scientific study related to the usage in aquarium with livestock, just contradicting anecdotal information.


Not at the one month mark yet. But I could see it sitting in my "treasure" box of "OMG I NEED THIS". Still debating. Will use up the gallon of H2O2 before I make my final call.


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## PicklesAndCupcakes (Dec 10, 2018)

mysiak said:


> I understand your "new toy syndrome", Oxydator was one of such purchases in my case
> 
> I have it in both of my tanks, two small models in 180l for more than a year, one small in 16l since the start several months ago. Content lasts about a week with 2 or 3 catalysts (not all are "equal" for some reason) and 2-3 weeks with 1. I realized, that I forget to top it up in my small tank very often, so I'm running empty Oxydator probably half the time. Frankly, I can't tell the difference in the small tank nor in the big one. Fish behave the same with or without Oxydator. Plants grow the same (as far as I can tell). ORP doesn't seem to be impacted either. I do not have any option or need to measure available O2 in the water, but I expect to have more oxygen with Oxydator than without - not enough to make plants pearling though (I'm not using pressurized CO2). So it certainly doesn't release huge amounts of oxygen.
> 
> It's an interesting gadget and probably has benefits in certain cases, but I do not see it as a "must have". I certainly wouldn't use Oxydator as a direct replacement of bubbler or strong surface agitation.


MY GOD how did I miss this before buying. I know I keep forgetting my password to this place. So the week is right. Kinda pricey even in the long run. I do use CO2 so O2 is needed just wanted to do away with the wall of bubbles so can see the wall of plants. Thank you for this, really wish I saw it before hitting Pay with Paypal.


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## mysiak (Jan 17, 2018)

Don't beat yourself up, sometime we can't help it and just follow the urge to buy/try something new. I consider it as a part of the never ending learning process. 

Sochting Oxydator is definitely 100% safe, it won't kill any livestock and produces just water and pure oxygen. The secret is in the ceramic ring/bowl, it contains magic dust (I accidentally broke mine and it is full of black stuff, carbon I suppose) which breaks down molecules of hydrogen peroxide. If you want to extend the refilling period, you can use just a half of the catalyst. Obviously it will also limit the amount of oxygen produced, so..choose your poison I guess


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## PicklesAndCupcakes (Dec 10, 2018)

mysiak said:


> Don't beat yourself up, sometime we can't help it and just follow the urge to buy/try something new. I consider it as a part of the never ending learning process.
> 
> Sochting Oxydator is definitely 100% safe, it won't kill any livestock and produces just water and pure oxygen. The secret is in the ceramic ring/bowl, it contains magic dust (I accidentally broke mine and it is full of black stuff, carbon I suppose) which breaks down molecules of hydrogen peroxide. If you want to extend the refilling period, you can use just a half of the catalyst. Obviously it will also limit the amount of oxygen produced, so..choose your poison I guess


No no no not half, may double it. Do need the O2. Although they seem fine right now as is, so maybe one day may add the second.

A magic disk, so more like Krull than Voltron lol.


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## mysiak (Jan 17, 2018)

Today I noticed that fish in my nano tank are gasping for air at the surface in the morning. I guess that a lot of plants and higher water temperature caused O2 depletion during night. So I refilled my Oxydator, put it in the tank again and fish started to swim over the tank in just few minutes. I am not using the supplied disc due to space constraints, but it probably doesn't make a big difference as water is full of dissolved organics which break down H2O2 just as fine. So I'd say that Oxydator has some advantages after all, especially in certain "critical" situations. 

I also found my old Chihiros doctor, out of curiosity I plugged it in for a test. It produced a little cloud of bubbles and quite strong Ozone smell, so I removed it immediately and put it back in the drawer.


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