New to uv sterilizers

[Notsolostfish]

Just hooked and turned my 57w uv sterilizer and was wondering on how long do i run it for? Or do i leave 24/7

 

[Stealthreefer]

High flow I leave on all the time, low flow high contact time it on when the lights are on.
I have a 20 watter I run on my Sally(salt water mollies) low flow when the lights are on and I have an inline 70 watter that all my return water from the reef tank goes through all the time.
I feed a metric crapton so I find it helps keep the algae from spreading like it wants to in the reef.

 

[DJF]

24x7 is the norm

 

[Notsolostfish]

High flow I leave on all the time, low flow high contact time it on when the lights are on.
I have a 20 watter I run on my Sally(salt water mollies) low flow when the lights are on and I have an inline 70 watter that all my return water from the reef tank goes through all the time.
I feed a metric crapton so I find it helps keep the algae from spreading like it wants to in the reef.

I have a 57w on a 200G i run at 530gph is that bad

 

[Stealthreefer]

Nah, that's about what I am running I bet.
So broad strokes:

For keeping minor problems from becoming big problems you want constant flow and UV. So algae control, stopping out of control spawning from taking over, run it all the time.

For disease control high contact time and low flow has worked best for me.
My molly tank is a hospital tank too and if a fish comes in with problems or develops problems they go in the 55 gallon tank with a once per hour flow rate through the UV. For diseases I try to match the size of the tank to the GPH.
I want to do the most damage I can to pathogens so that means low flow and a long time in the UV.

 

[DJF]

I have a 57w on a 200G i run at 530gph is that bad

Each manufacture will have a flow rate range. 1 end for algae (faster) the slower side for more contact time and parasites. Depending on what you are addressing- follow that flow rate.

 

[maroun.c]

If to co trol ich I'd be running about 100 G per hour max to get good contact time. 24x7 is not even enough.

 

[Notsolostfish]

Each manufacture will have a flow rate range. 1 end for algae (faster) the slower side for more contact time and parasites. Depending on what you are addressing- follow that flow rate.

Dinos

 

[bakbay]

I have an Aqua Ultraviolet 57w and I run it 24/7...If you have a lot of fish, or introducing fish w/o qt, it's highly recommended to run it 24/7.

 

[DJF]

Dinos

Ok that is likely towards the higher flow side. So we are on the same page… it will only address what passes thru (it literally sterilizes so the algae/parasite can’t reproduce). Some dinos release into the water column, others don’t and wouldn’t be addressed by a UV.

 

[Notsolostfish]

Ok that is likely towards the higher flow side. So we are on the same page… it will only address what passes thru (it literally sterilizes so the algae/parasite can’t reproduce). Some dinos release into the water column, others don’t and wouldn’t be addressed by a UV.

So 57 watt at 530 gph is good enough?

 

[DJF]

tank size? Uv brand?

So 57 watt at 530 gph is good enough?

 

[Notsolostfish]

tank size? Uv brand?

200G with a water volume of 150G. And aquaultraviolet 57watt. The manual says i need ove 1000 gph but thats very unrealistic. Pentair says 500gph for my tank size.

 

[DJF]

200G with a water volume of 150G. And aquaultraviolet 57watt. The manual says i need ove 1000 gph but thats very unrealistic. Pentair says 500gph for my tank size.

Should be fine. There is a 3rd part of the equation that is “turnover” and you are turning it over approx 3x. The more turnover the better but you would be addressing issues at 3x. Not sure how much turnover is ideal for dinos.