Help me plumb the UV sterilizer properly.

[Miami Reef]

I’m a beginner in plumbing, but I am willing to learn.

both the UV inlet and outlet are in the exact location in sump=not effective at all. I learned that I need a full turnover.

So does that mean I need to cut the return tubing, add an elbow extension and insert the UV export down the return flow?

Help a plumbing newb. Names and terms of what I need will help a lot for when I go to the hardware store.

 

[Alex Cataldo]

Something like a manifold will help with this and in the future like running carbon. The manifold should run off the return pump and feed the UV. Hope this helps!

 

[Miami Reef]

57 Watt Classic UV Sterilizer - Black Body

Aqua Ultraviolet UV Sterilizers will eradicate algae, bacteria, and protozoa without any harmful chemicals or additives! UV lamps emit a wavelength that will alter and disrupt the DNA or RNA of single-celled organisms. Combining the UV lamp into a large housing allows for maximum contact time...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

This is the UV I want.

 

[Struttmaster]

I’m a beginner in plumbing, but I am willing to learn.

both the UV inlet and outlet are in the exact location in sump=not effective at all. I learned that I need a full turnover.

So does that mean I need to cut the return tubing, add an elbow extension and insert the UV export down the return flow?

Help a plumbing newb. Names and terms of what I need will help a lot for when I go to the hardware store.

I’m completely new as well but I don’t think your set up is not effective. It looks like you have a dedicated pump feeding your UV and another feeding your DisplY tank. There are no problems there because when you shut down your main pump for feeding, your UV light won’t burn out as it will if water stops flowing through it to keep it cool. Without having a dedicated second return line to your display tank, I would simply place the return line from your UV close to the inlet of your DT return pump so it takes a large portion of your UV treated water to the display. Have the discharge end of your UV raised to prevent air from getting trapped in it. If you need to add a cooler you can add it down stream of your UV. Note that some folk have their main return pump line routed to go to their tank via the UV. To achieve effective removal of the critters you don’t want in your tank, the flow through your UV needs to be fairly slow to enable sufficient contact time for them all to be zapped. Chillers also require reduced flow to effectively cool the water. It can be argued that wave makers can take up the slack of a slow return pump but I can’t say. I’m planning on setting up my UV almost exactly the same as you however I will have one pump and a manifold that feeds auxiliary equipment while returning to the tank. I am fortunate to have a control system that will automatically shut off my UV light when my return pump shuts down for feeding or maintenance.

 

[rob taft]

I'm currently setting up a new larger tank and I will be doing it very similar to how Struttmaster described above. I have a separate DC pump that feeds the UV and a carbon reactors via a manifold. The dedicated DC pump picks up water in the return section of the sump farthest from the dedicated return pump and pumps the water into the a manifold then into the UV with the direct out of the UV directed to the inlet of the main display return pump. The reactors are off the manifold and dump into the skimmer section just ahead of the outlet to the return section. I don't worry about flow rate.

I have another tank where I use a UV (both Aqua units) and I use that using a canister filter. Frankly if I didn't already own a couple of Varios pumps and reactors, i would have probably used a Fluval FX 4/6 for the UV and carbon

 

[Scorpius]

I believe in redundancy and separate systems on a reef tank. With that in mind I use a separate pump to feed my uv unit. I have the pump and the uv return line both in the filter sock section of my sump which happens to be the first chamber.

I had a hard time clearing a bacterial bloom on my new setup at the time. Four days later the water was crystal clear.