Calling UV Experts Need help sizing and flow rate!

[Biglurr54]

I have a 175 Cube (36x36x32). Its about a year and a half old and it came from a 60 cube that was a few years old. Needless to say its established and stable. I had dinos and cyano and tried Vibrant. I had lower Nitrate and PO4 at the time. The Vibrant knocked out my fuge and sky rocketed my nitrate and PO4. The Dinos went away but the cyano was present and hair started to grow. Im finally getting things back on track. My Nitrates are 25 (Salifert) and my PO4 is 0.16 (Hanna ULR). I am running GFo to bring down the PO4. I have some brown growth where the dinos always appeared. (Back overflow). The snails are coming out and eating it so it may be brown algae no Dinos.

I would like to run a UV sterilizer because I never seem to have a clean tank. I always have cyano, dinos, and other algae. I am focusing on my nutrient balance as a primary function but feel that a uv will assist with this fight. The total water volume is 220 gallons. I was looking to run a UV just to knock down the algae. I run an Ich free system so that’s not a goal or needed benefit. What size should I go with and what flow should I send through the UV. I cant seem to get a clear answer on this.

 

[EmdeReef]

For dinos I would get a cheap jebao pond UV 55W or 75, the price difference is small. Keep the flow at around 200gph and it will zap dinos that pass through. You will have to blast dinos off your sand and rocks. If you have the type that seems to get rooted on your rocks then the UV won’t work.

You can try dosing hydrogen peroxide too. 1-3ml per 10gal will kill most cyano in a couple weeks and at least some dino.

 

[Biglurr54]

I was thinking about trying out the jebao just for giggles. I also liked the lifeguard pro max series that cost more but seem like a good mix of build quality and price.

 

[Biglurr54]

I was thinking about trying out the jebao just for giggles. I also liked the lifeguard pro max series that cost more but seem like a good mix of build quality and price.

 

[ZoWhat]

I'm not a marine biologist but I believe sterilizing UV-C light kills both good and bad bacteria...hence "sterilizing " your tank robbing good bacteria needed by corals

It's my OPINION not to use a UVC light.... but grow out your good bacteria to overcome bad water quality thru CARBON DOSING

I had my 240g total water vol tank completely under control this past winter dosing 20ml of 80proof vodka daily.

I then had one of those 1hr convos with a LFS owner who convinced me to STOP vodka dosing. Worst advice EVER.

Within a month of stopping vodka carbon dosin my water quality ran off the road, jump the guardrail, went down a step hill and crashed into a big tree, exploding the car, killing all occupants, so to speak. Lol.

It was bad (like b.a.d. bad) how quickly my tank went completely South stopping vodka dosing. I was shocked.

I'm just now back in the game dosing 20ml of vodka daily with no3/po4 and algae 90% in control.

I will NEVER be talked out if carbon vodka dosing ever again.

Just my thoughts.... you should researching heavily into carbon dosing supercharging good bacteria to clean up your water quality


.

 

[EmdeReef]

I was thinking about trying out the jebao just for giggles. I also liked the lifeguard pro max series that cost more but seem like a good mix of build quality and price.

Jebao is surprisingly good. I’ve heard good things about lifeguard, never used one. I think whichever way you go you won’t be wrong.

Lifeguard may be better if you plan to keep it running more longer term. If just for dinos then jebao is more than enough.

 

[Biglurr54]

I'm not a marine biologist but I believe sterilizing UV-C light kills both good and bad bacteria...hence "sterilizing " your tank robbing good bacteria needed by corals

It's my OPINION not to use a UVC light.... but grow out your good bacteria to overcome bad water quality thru CARBON DOSING

I had my 240g total water vol tank completely under control this past winter dosing 20ml of 80proof vodka daily.

I then had one of those 1hr convos with a LFS owner who convinced me to STOP vodka dosing. Worst advice EVER.

Within a month of stopping vodka carbon dosin my water quality ran off the road, jump the guardrail, went down a step hill and crashed into a big tree, exploding the car, killing all occupants, so to speak. Lol.

It was bad how quickly my tank went completely South stopping vodka rising. I was shocked.

I'm just know back in the game dosing 20ml of vodka daily and no3/po4 and algae 90% in control.

I will NEVER be talked out if carbon vodka rising ever again.

Just my thoughts.... you should researching heavily into carbon dosing supercharging good bacteria to clean up your water quality


.

I have looked into carbon dosing. It has been a consideration. I would rather control nutrients with fuge and gfo. What are your nitrate and po4 levels at. I heard you can easily knock your levels to undetectable which is not good.

 

[ZoWhat]

I have looked into carbon dosing. It has been a consideration. I would rather control nutrients with fuge and gfo. What are your nitrate and po4 levels at. I heard you can easily knock your levels to undetectable which is not good.

With 20ml of vodka daily I hover btwn 2-5 on nitrates

I've experimented with dising more than 20ml and it just irritated the corals bigtime bc, like you said, NO3 PO4 dropped to 0.

Thing with vodka dising it takes some time to find the "sweetspot" but once you know it, its 1,2,3, easy peasy. Imo a superior easy way to control excess nutrients