Great inexpensive UV Sterilizer Solution for Nano tanks!

[waverider]

I was looking for a UV Sterilizer solution for my Water Box 20 AIO when I found this on Amazon, and its working like a champ!

$18.99 for an 11 Watt UV Lamp with Lamp Shade and on-off timer that you can just drop into just about anywhere.... -Put the shade on the UV bulb and drop it in your AIO return section. Walla! Instant, cheap UV solution. The return section is the perfect place for the UV, 11 watts is plenty of algae & parasite killing power for any size nano and even larger tanks.... and the shade is a bonus if you have a light leak. In my Water Box 20 AIO the "sump area" glass is darkly tinted. Not light proof. But the shade worked perfectly to contain the UV light. I mated an air stone with mine to add aeration and ensure circulation of water around the lamp. Easy!

I imagine there are lots of uses for this UV in all sorts of filtration systems. Great little UV and I thought I would share. Mine is working like a champ:

 

[Tamberav]

While a cheap solution for a bacterial or Dino bloom on a nano…a quick fix…

It has no way to replace the bulbs and bulbs do degrade over time. It doesn’t even say how often to replace it. At least yearly but maybe even 6 months.

I don’t particularly like how stuff like this is made to be thrown away in a landfill. That’s my one gripe.

 

[Poochaku]

link?

 

[waverider]

While a cheap solution for a bacterial or Dino bloom on a nano…a quick fix…

It has no way to replace the bulbs and bulbs do degrade over time. It doesn’t even say how often to replace it. At least yearly but maybe even 6 months.

I don’t particularly like how stuff like this is made to be thrown away in a landfill. That’s my one gripe.

I pay $30 a bulb for my larger UV Sterilizers. This bulb is rated for 11,000 hours. Thats well over a year running 24/7. . Plus it on can be set to run 3/6/12/24 hour cycles. Im betting i get a year or better. At $18.99 ? No brainer

 

[waverider]

link?

Link is the Amazon image

 

[waverider]

Sitting perfectly in my Nano AIO return section dispersing UV shielded and on 12 hour cycle. Its just a simple UV bulb with a timer and a shield. Really happy knowing its running tonight. Besides? What else can you fit so easily into the return section of an AIO ?

 

[Tamberav]

I pay $30 a bulb for my larger UV Sterilizers. This bulb is rated for 11,000 hours. Thats well over a year running 24/7. . Plus it on can be set to run 3/6/12/24 hour cycles. Im betting i get a year or better. At $18.99 ? No brainer

Yes but it doesn’t look like it disconnects? So the entire controller gets tossed and everything, no? Seems wasteful. Time will tell to see if the entire unit lasts.

It would just be nice if the bulb only was replaceable. Less waste is less waste.

I have just become more conscious these days about what is just being tossed out or single use. Target order came today and every item was wrapped in its own clear plastic bag. So unnecessary. Whyyy…

IM makes one for AIOs but more expensive. It does have a shield shape to filter the water through in the first chamber though so more water should pass through it. The bulb is replaceable. I do think the price of the IM one should be lower for what it is though.

 

[Shirak]

Is the overflow acrylic? There was someone on here recently talking about putting something similar in a acrylic sump and the uv cracked the wall of the sump.

 

[waverider]

Is the overflow acrylic? There was someone on here recently talking about putting something similar in a acrylic sump and the uv cracked the wall of the sump.

Glass. Water Box AIO are all glass.

 

[Greg P]

Good score considering the cost. I'd be inclined to run something so inexpensive on it's own GFCI

 

[ssdawood]

COOSPIDER Sun JUP-01 Aquariums in Tank Submersible Machine 211gph 9 Watt fit for 80Gallon (JUP 01 Set + 2X Replace Filter + 1x Spare Bulb)
Here for 30 more I bought this. Works great, has amazing reviews. Comes with spare bulb for change.

 

[waverider]

COOSPIDER Sun JUP-01 Aquariums in Tank Submersible Machine 211gph 9 Watt fit for 80Gallon (JUP 01 Set + 2X Replace Filter + 1x Spare Bulb)
Here for 30 more I bought this. Works great, has amazing reviews. Comes with spare bulb for change.

Thanks, but no. This one I posted fits *IN* the AIO back filtration area and running perfectly on 12 hour cycles with the built in timer. Like I said, it was $18.99 and running fantastic.

 

[GHOSTLY]

Unless it's plumbed in im terrified of uv

 

[waverider]

Unless it's plumbed in im terrified of uv

Terrified? Why?

The concept is very simple. It sits in a 4 inch by 3 inch blackened chamber and has a simple half moon conical shade. The electronics are solid and appear to be on par with any other electronic implement in all my other appliances. -A solid, thick insulated power supply,the bulb looks well made -probably from the same factory in China as the more expensive UV I have on my larger system.

Easiest simple solution for nano tank drop in UV I could find and working perfectly.

Still, Im wondering what am I missing.... Terrified?

 

[W1ll]

Terrified? Why?

The concept is very simple. It sits in a 4 inch by 3 inch blackened chamber and has a simple half moon conical shade. The electronics are solid and appear to be on par with any other electronic implement in all my other appliances. -A solid, thick insulated power supply,the bulb looks well made -probably from the same factory in China as the more expensive UV I have on my larger system.
Easiest simple solution for nano tank drop in UV I could find and working perfectly.

Still, Im wondering what am I missing.... Terrified?

It is probably effective and a good thing to have on hand. I have run similar things on my Nano to combat dino outbreaks and the like. However I personally wouldn't recommend running an exposed UV like that permanently. For starters, UV in general is dangerous, its not just a pretty blue light, its radiation. And its not just the parasites and algae in your tank that its capable of harming. As well as this, materials that are not specifically designed to withstand UV generally aren't very good at withstanding it. I know you said your return chamber is all glass but think about things like silicone, you wouldn't exactly want that degrading. This is why an external plumbed in UV is generally more popular as it eliminates all these issues, no light bleed, and no materials in the actual tank being exposed to the light. Overall though, I probably would run something like this for a short period of time to combat something like a dino bloom, but I really really wouldn't recommend running something like this long term.

 

[BigKestral]

Will any uv sterilizer from amazon work for just disease prevention? I see similar ones like this without the shade on Amazon canada.

 

[W1ll]

Will any uv sterilizer from amazon work for just disease prevention? I see similar ones like this without the shade on Amazon canada.

Most likely yes, as long as it have appropriate wattage to suit the size of your tank. I use this one, I do not run it permanently though.

Aquarium UV Sterilizer Light Submersible Water Clean Lamp for Pond Fish Tank Hot | eBay

The sterilizer should be placed in filter tank, can't put it in the fish tank directly. 1 x Aquarium UV Sterilizer Lamp. Adopt explosion proof quartz glass tube for high transmission of ultraviolet ray.

www.ebay.com.au

 

[BigKestral]

Most likely yes, as long as it have appropriate wattage to suit the size of your tank. I use this one, I do not run it permanently though.

Aquarium UV Sterilizer Light Submersible Water Clean Lamp for Pond Fish Tank Hot | eBay

The sterilizer should be placed in filter tank, can't put it in the fish tank directly. 1 x Aquarium UV Sterilizer Lamp. Adopt explosion proof quartz glass tube for high transmission of ultraviolet ray.

www.ebay.com.au

That's petty much the same I bought off aliexpress. Got the highest 11watt offered.
What's the/is there a general rule for wattage per gallon to find the right wattage? Thanks

 

[W1ll]

That's petty much the same I bought off aliexpress. Got the highest 11watt offered.
What's the/is there a general rule for wattage per gallon to find the right wattage? Thanks

As far as I am aware there isn't really a blanket rule, especially when it comes to Nano tanks. I have heard people mention rules from 1 watt per gallon, all the way up to 1 watt per every 10 gallons. I run an 11 watter on my 15g and its seems to work perfectly, if not a little better than it needs to. At the end of the day though, I'd rather it be overkill for my tank rather than under powered .

 

[Hallowhead]

How is this cheap uv working ?