uv sterilizer

[motortrendz]

i have a 24w i bought abt a year and a half ago, i just took it out of the box to start putting it in place, only thing is it didnt come with any literature.. so i have a few questions hopefully someone can answer...

1. is this big enough for a gross total of 340g of water/ net prob abt 250g
2. what is the proper flow through the unit for efficiency
3. maybe a silly question but does it matter if its horizontal or vertical?

thanks!

 

[pmui]

1. it may be too small, I'm currently running a 25w on a 120G. tank.
2. 200-340gal/hr
3. it does not matter, horizontal or vertical.

 

[NYreefNoob]

both of your guys are too small, do you plan to use it to keep algea in check or to kill parasites ? only one company i would really trust as far as uv's go
http://emperoraquatics.com/

give them a call and they will guide you correctly

 

[lunner]

+1 to Emperor SmartUV, one of the more proven brand.

1. No, 250Gal should use a 40+ watts, depend on the brand and model.
But the higher wattage really means you can run @ higher GPH which in turns to a higher tank volume.

2. depend on what you trying to kill.

Taken from Emperor Aquatics:
Protozoa : Cryptocaryon Irritans (marine ich) require one of the highest UVdosage of 280,000
http://www.emperoraquatics-aquarium.com/microorganismdosages.php

So, for a lower end SmartUV lite 25Watt model,
90,000 UV dose is set @ 110GPH (should use the 80% lamp life)
280,000 UV dose would be @ 35GPH

with a 40Watt model,
90,000 UV dose is set @ 196GPH
280,000 UV dose is set @ 63GPH

Therefore the higher wattage allows for a higher GPH.

3. When intergrading the UV into the return line. It would be easier to change and drain the top electrical part when the SmartUV is installed vertically with the electrical end up. You need to drain the top in order to remove the quartz sleeve for cleaning.

 

[cmor1701d]

Killing Ich with UV is questionable. It is in the water column for only a short time during its lifecycle and will probably attach to a sleeping fish host before it ever makes it to the UV.

So the question really becomes what are you trying to kill in the water column? Then size the UV appropriately if you still decide you need one.

 

[lunner]

Killing Ich with UV is questionable. It is in the water column for only a short time during its lifecycle and will probably attach to a sleeping fish host before it ever makes it to the UV.

So the question really becomes what are you trying to kill in the water column? Then size the UV appropriately if you still decide you need one.

Yes, unfortunately many lesser informed people would think a UV will get rid of all their disease problems, which is not true. Emperor Aquatics,

Disease outbreaks still occur even with filtering the water column using extremely fast flow rates.

But with the right amount of exposure, the UV will kill the exposed pathogen and lower the free circulating load.

 

[motortrendz]

it wont be on the return column itll be in the sump area bypassing the fuge, i can run it on whatever flow rate needed, i can adjust it down to 35gph.. would that work or too slow? i was always told that the slower the rate the better it works.. and ive never had a parasite problem on any of my tanks, i bought it for my 120g but never hooked it up, so i figured i never needed it before but it wouldnt hurt to add it to this system..does that help? and again honestly wether its for parasites or algae, i was told that in order to have certain fish i should have one running..

 

[motortrendz]

ok so heres a silly question again, i see alot of units that run multiple bulbs to achieve a total wattage.. so since i have a 24, if i add another 24 or a 36 in the same water column, meaning out of one into the other so that its a longer exposure time of that column of water running thru it.. or am i missing something in that theory? and i can adjust the flow to anything i need, so thats not an issue...

 

[motortrendz]

anyone else have info for my last 2 posts??

 

[NYreefNoob]

sell it and buy appropiate size one and what fish need it ?

 

[motortrendz]

thats part of what i was asking, one of the lfs in my area which i no longer go to, wont sell certain fish to you unless you have a uv sterilizer.. i think powder blue tangs were one of them.. any reason y?

 

[KathyC]

'certain fish'...what kind?
If you have or are getting a fish that possibly has parasite issues, they are better treated prior to your adding it to your DT (unless it's already in there..?).
Are you talking about stringing multiple UV's together? Remember a UV will kill good as well as bad bacteria.

If there is something specific that you are trying to kill, then by passing your fuge will be counterproductive.

 

[motortrendz]

kathy, ive never used one never had any problems in any of my systems, fresh or salt.. i bought one abt 2 yrs ago, i know its too small for most parasites, bit if i ran it as a preventitive maintenece in my sump..maybe im over thinking it and bc i dont wanna spend 400 on a new one..but i read that theyre good or water clarity.. and like i said the lfssaid that i didnt understand it that y im asking, im only doing reefs few a few years, i never heard of it..but he insisted i put it on my tank b4 i got certain fish(on my old 120g) this it a 220g build..

and yes if i string them together like in one then where it comes out run it thru another one, increasing the exposure time to the same column of water flowing thru it..

 

[KathyC]

Yes, it is said that if you string them together they will be more effective.

IMO a reef tank should not need one unless there is an issue. Some folks swear by them, but my thought is they give a false sense of security as most of the more deadly things we deal with in reef tanks (like ich) will not be eradicted by a UV..even if you strung 10 of them together as they don't swim freely in the water column to be picked up by the UV in the first place.

Will they kill any algae in the water column - yes, IF it goes past the light.


Advice from a LFS can sometimes be....faulty :flirt:

 

[cmor1701d]

It doesn't matter where it is in the line. It is only going to get a small portion of the water. You would need a much bigger unit that ran inline to sterilize all the water. That is what a UV does. It kills all living organisms that flow through its path. That includes a lot of good stuff (pods) too.

Who told you needed a UV to keep certain fish and what fish were they referring to?

 

[motortrendz]

thats what i was thinking.. like i said i never had issues in any of my other setups (i shouldnt keep sayin it im gonna jinx myself) but if i use it in my sump where i have my carbon,phosban reactors i was gonna hook it up to that system.. i have a custom built setup that has a manifold with multiple outlets for the reactors and i was gonna use one for the uv the all share the pump but have seperate outlets that return back to the same area of the sump it collected from..

 

[motortrendz]

It doesn't matter where it is in the line. It is only going to get a small portion of the water. You would need a much bigger unit that ran inline to sterilize all the water. That is what a UV does. It kills all living organisms that flow through its path. That includes a lot of good stuff (pods) too.

Who told you needed a UV to keep certain fish and what fish were they referring to?

i understand the whole pod thing thats y i wouldnt have it near the fuge..and the one that stands out was a powder blue tang.. there was others but i dont remember its been a while since

BTW i have seperate sump/fuge tanks

im just trying to get different ideas, and see what other people think abt them..

 

[cmor1701d]

If you already have it may as well hook it up. Won't really hurt anything. May help a bit, though I'm not convinced.

Any lfs stating he won't sell a tang unless you have a UV is a lfs I would avoid. PBTs are known as "Ich magnets". Not selling you one unless you have a UV is a scare tactic to sell you more product and allow the lfs to not stand behind what he sells.

 

[motortrendz]

i agree, thats y i dont go there anymore.. and i dint buy the uv from him...

 

[tomtoothdoc]

talk to dom from diamond of the reef about the uv. he'll tell you what it'll do and what it won't help with.
agreed that the lfs was using bs tactic to get you to buy the uv. my take on the pbt is that, as we already know, they are much more susceptible to ich than many other fish. if you add any fish that may have been exposed to ich whether or not it shows any sign, that fish will carry the ich into your tank. hence prevention with qt is the key.... that said, i had and may still have ich in my tank. just when the parameters/condition aren't in top shape, it may rear its ugly head.:bigeyes: