I need help with a uv sterilizer

[wotis11]

I have a 180 gallon reef tank and I want to get a uv sterilizer but I don’t k ow how to figure out the flow rate. I have been looking at the Icecap 90 watt uv. What flow rate would I need for Ich control?

 

[blaxsun]

The manual for the Icecap is borderline useless - all it says is maximum 3000Gph flow and 1000 gallon tank. I looked up the information for the Pentair 80-watt and they suggest a minimum flow rate of 450-600Gph (maximum) for parasites, so anything higher than 600Gph would be effective for algae and bacteria only.

 

[wotis11]

That’s why I was so confused. They don’t give you any useful information at all. Does the tank size make a difference on the flow rate at all or no?

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

The UV should be matched to the tank size, the speed of the water is for its effectiveness.

 

[wotis11]

The UV should be matched to the tank size, the speed of the water is for its effectiveness.

I know bigger tanks need bigger uv’s but I guess what I’m asking is can your uv be too big for your tank and if you have a bigger uv does that change what the flow rate should be?

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

I would say yes and the opposite is true as well, I have a 15 watt Advantage on my 120 so it is underperforming, UV can be really expensive now so that is one way to prevent getting to big of one. There have been people putting Kill A Watt on Aqua Logic UV and there operating watts is way lower than advertise, I have a 25 Aqua Uv BNIB so I cannot check out the wattage for you, BRS has done extensive testing on their UV.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I have a 180 gallon reef tank and I want to get a uv sterilizer but I don’t k ow how to figure out the flow rate. I have been looking at the Icecap 90 watt uv. What flow rate would I need for Ich control?

The simple answer is it depends what you're trying to achieve.

If you wish to manage Ich, you need an exposure of 280MJ/cm2. Ask the manufacturer what flow rate will meet that exposure and then consider that for maximum effectiveness you need to turn over the tank volume 2x per hour.

So for a pentair it is a 40W at 120gph flow.

You need to check the doco for other manufacturers

 

[wotis11]

The simple answer is it depends what you're trying to achieve.

If you wish to manage Ich, you need an exposure of 280MJ/cm2. Ask the manufacturer what flow rate will meet that exposure and then consider that for maximum effectiveness you need to turn over the tank volume 2x per hour.

So for a pentair it is a 40W at 120gph flow.

You need to check the doco for other manufacturers

The icecap 90 watt uv is only 270 MJ/cm2. Does that mean it will not work for Ich management?

 

[gbroadbridge]

The icecap 90 watt uv is only 270 MJ/cm2. Does that mean it will not work for Ich management?

It'll be fine. That's not much different.

Just make sure what the flow rate needs to be and if it can turn over the tank 2x per hour

Some brands out there only manage <90 MJ which is fine for Algae and crystal clear water but not so good for Ich management.

 

[wotis11]

It'll be fine. That's not much different.

Just make sure what the flow rate needs to be and if it can turn over the tank 2x per hour

Some brands out there only manage <90 MJ which is fine for Algae and crystal clear water but not so good for Ich management.

All it says for flow rate is max flow rate 3000 gph. I would be putting it on a 180 gallon tank