18W or 36W UV Sterilizer

[Blaque Kuchel]

What would be better for a 90g tank? 18 or 36w uv sterilizer?

 

[Brad Miller]

Bigger the better in my opinion

 

[JasonK84]

I have a 24watt on my 120. 18 should fine for the 90. What are your expectations of the UV?

 

[Blaque Kuchel]

I would just like to kill off bacteria and parasites and water quality

 

[JasonK84]

I would just like to kill off bacteria and parasites and water quality

If you are expecting much around the way of parasite control then go as big of a unit as you can so you can increase flow rate and still have good contact time.

They aren’t a magic cure for parasite eradication. They can be deployed as an added measure around ich/parasite management but will never completely rid your system of them.

 

[JasonK84]

double post

 

[jent]

Parasites are really the hardest. You may want to go even bigger. Those sizes seem better for algae control and water clarity.

 

[Blaque Kuchel]

Eradication of parasites is not my concern but more for preventative measures and possibly algae control. Can anyone recommend a decent one that wont break the bank and can he hard plumbed into my system?

 

[Blaque Kuchel]

Another question I have also have is where in my plumbing should I place my uv sterilizer? Can I just run my return line straight through it?

 

[lapin]

Another question I have also have is where in my plumbing should I place my uv sterilizer? Can I just run my return line straight through it?

It depends on the UV unit. You want clear water to go thru it. If the UV is big and will work at the high flow rate of your pump then yes.
I know nothing about small units that are cheap but you can look here.
http://americanaquariumproducts.com/UVSterilizers.html

 

[JasonK84]

Another question I have also have is where in my plumbing should I place my uv sterilizer? Can I just run my return line straight through it?

I use my return pump to supply my unit but not the full flow. To use your return pump you’ll want to plumb in a manifold with a ball or gate valve so you can set the flow going through the UV. If the flow is to fast the contact time will not be long enough to do any good.

 

[Blaque Kuchel]

So run the return into the uv and then when it comes out of the uv put a ball valve there to slow how fast it comes out and let it flow back into the first chamber of my sump?

 

[Blaque Kuchel]

I have a 90g tank with a mega flow kit. This will be the only equipment hard plumbed into my return line with a jabeo dcp 10000 pump so is a manifold neccessary if I just use a T connector to plumb into the return line and use a ball valve after the water goes through the uv to slow down how fast it goes through the uv?

 

[jent]

The flow rate will depend on the power of uv, the size of uv, and the goal. A more powerful uv can handle more flow and still be effective. Protozoa like you mentioned earlier require some of the slowest flows.

AquaUV provides a table with their units to help figure out flow rates for your goals.

 

[lapin]

I......... use a ball valve after the water goes through the uv to slow down how fast it goes through the uv?

No you need to place the valve before the UV unit. Too much back pressure can cause the UV unit to leak or crack.
They all have rating for flow, pressure, dwell time ect....

 

[Blaque Kuchel]

This seems like more headaches than a benefit because I just wanted to up my tank game a little bit but this is way out of my league. Thanks for all the help.

 

[lapin]

You can run a reef without it. There is a lot of maintenance to do without worrying about a UV unit

 

[JasonK84]

This seems like more headaches than a benefit because I just wanted to up my tank game a little bit but this is way out of my league. Thanks for all the help.

It’s not that difficult if you really want one.
Mine t’s to the manifold and straight to a gate valve to control flow. Then through the UV and back to the return chamber. The ball valve controls the flow and the rest feeds back to the display.

 

[JMoody]

I have a 24watt on my 120. 18 should fine for the 90. What are your expectations of the UV?

Your tank looks great, which unit are you using?

 

[JasonK84]

Your tank looks great, which unit are you using?

This is the UV I’m using:

I also run a BRS single reactor with ROX 0.8 carbon, Matala filter mesh, pond matrix, marinepur, and a Reef Octopus 200int. My tank is a 120 with DIY 40 breeder sump.

I don’t run any filter socks or filter floss.