Need Help Finding Correct GPH Flow for UV Sterilizer

[WhatATimeToBeAlive]

Hi Team,

I am trying to find out what GPH flow would work best for an Aqua UV 57W UV Sterilizer in a 150 Gallon tank.

Can someone help with the flow needed to kill algae and the flow needed to sterilize parasites?

A) Should it be the setting recommended for the 57 W in green?
B) Should it be the setting recommended for the 25 W in yellow?
C) Other setting due to W power and tank size ratio?

Thank you gang!

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

I can’t tell you what the flow rates need to be for parasites and algae off the top of my head but you need to use the green band. You basically have a UV sterilizer that is too powerful so you need higher flow rates through it to get the proper dose of UV in the water column. Think of it like this, with a weaker light, you have to move the water slower through it to get the same ‘dose’ of UV to the water volume compared to a stronger light. Tank size is meaningless except to figure out how big of a UV to buy in the first place.

 

[WhatATimeToBeAlive]

I can’t tell you what the flow rates need to be for parasites and algae off the top of my head but you need to use the green band. You basically have a UV sterilizer that is too powerful so you need higher flow rates through it to get the proper dose of UV in the water column. Think of it like this, with a weaker light, you have to move the water slower through it to get the same ‘dose’ of UV to the water volume compared to a stronger light. Tank size is meaningless except to figure out how big of a UV to buy in the first place.

I wonder if a 25W bulb would then be the sweet spot if compatible! Do you know?

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

It would. But at this point, if you already have the 57 watt bulb, I’d just match the proper flow rate to the dose you are trying to achieve. I found this chart to help you. Different organisms need a different amount of UV to die. So just match the flow rates in the green band from your chart to match the desired dosing to kill whatever you are trying to kill in this chart. Hope it helps.

 

[BostonReefer300]

@Mrtakeoff53 is giving good advice. Will you be able to get around 2500 GPH through your UV though? That sounds like a really high flow rate for a 150G if you’re using your return pump to do this. (I’m making an assumption for return pump based on what a typical 150G would use). If you can’t get a high enough flow, you’ll be cooking lots of beneficial stuff

 

[Courtney Aldrich]

I would use a flow rate around 425 gph if you want to kill Protozoa that cause fish disease. The UV dose has been shown to be 180,000 mW/s/cm2 for white spot disease caused by C. irritans.

 

[WhatATimeToBeAlive]

@Mrtakeoff53 is giving good advice. Will you be able to get around 2500 GPH through your UV though? That sounds like a really high flow rate for a 150G if you’re using your return pump to do this. (I’m making an assumption for return pump based on what a typical 150G would use). If you can’t get a high enough flow, you’ll be cooking lots of beneficial stuff

@BostonReefer300 I do not think I can get that flow directly to the display tank without overwhelming the V2 Shadow overflow.

I was thinking of creating a closed loop on the return section of my sump with a flow of 2500GPH and while it does that the return pump sends it back to the display tank. Is that possible? Would it work?

Thanks!

 

[WhatATimeToBeAlive]

I would use a flow rate around 425 gph if you want to kill Protozoa that cause fish disease. The UV dose has been shown to be 180,000 mW/s/cm2 for white spot disease caused by C. irritans.

@Courtney Aldrich, that flow rate is definitely possible to achieve. In your opinion, would that work for a Mixed tank as well? I am planning on getting fish before corals.

 

[BostonReefer300]

@BostonReefer300 I do not think I can get that flow directly to the display tank without overwhelming the V2 Shadow overflow.

I was thinking of creating a closed loop on the return section of my sump with a flow of 2500GPH and while it does that the return pump sends it back to the display tank. Is that possible? Would it work?

Thanks!

Yeah that was my concern about using the system pump. Your idea to use a closed loop for the UV will work assuming you do the flow right. However, before you go through all the hassle, why not look into getting a right-sized UV for your tank and just having it run in line with your system pump just to control algae? In my opinion (which is next to worthless in this hobby given how many mistakes I continue to make after a decade), you don't want to run UV regularly at high irradiation levels as a livestock disease control method. Doing this will kill so many beneficial organisms that the tradeoff isn't worth it. As much as I hate to sound like a "Reef Nun" (no offense Sisters of the Reef), good QT and preventative procedures should be the be-all/end-all on that front---with chemical/biological treatments later if something gets past your first line of defense.

 

[BostonReefer300]

@BostonReefer300 I do not think I can get that flow directly to the display tank without overwhelming the V2 Shadow overflow.

I was thinking of creating a closed loop on the return section of my sump with a flow of 2500GPH and while it does that the return pump sends it back to the display tank. Is that possible? Would it work?

Thanks!

Yeah that was my concern about using the system pump. Your idea to use a closed loop for the UV will work assuming you do the flow right. However, before you go through all the hassle, why not look into getting a right-sized UV for your tank and just having it run in line with your system pump just to control algae? In my opinion (which is next to worthless in this hobby given how many mistakes I continue to make after a decade), you don't want to run UV regularly at high irradiation levels as a livestock disease control method. Doing this will kill so many beneficial organisms that the tradeoff isn't worth it. As much as I hate to sound like a "Reef Nun" (no offense Sisters of the Reef), good QT and preventative procedures should be the be-all/end-all on that front---with chemical/biological treatments later if something gets past your first line of defense.