Question about UV Sterilizer

[Iinux]

Good Morning!

I recently purchased a Lifegard Aquatics R450107 55 Watt Pro-MAX High Output, 3" Diameter Body UV Sterilizer and I am trying to figure out the best way to plumb it into my system : My current system is a Red Sea Reefer xxl 750, with stock plumbing.

I called the manufacture of the UV, and they said ~900-1000 GPH would be great for my system to have a full level 2 sterilizer. I am grabbing numbers from the box of the pumps as the only flow meter I currently have is on the Vectra L1:
Sicce 3.0 : currently connected to my old UV sterilizer (27 watts) 714 GPH (stays in sump) 3/4" PVC ****Ultimately wanted to remove this for one less pump.****
Sicce 4.0 : currently connected to my JBJ 1/4 Chiller 915 GPH (starts in sump, pumps up to DT | Tank + Stand is about 4.85ft tall.) 3/4" PVC
Vectra L1 : currently connected to my stock return.(starts in sump, pumps up to DT | Tank + Stand is about 4.85ft tall.) 1" Tubing until the Return line of 3/4" PVC

I purchased, but, can return a Sicce ADV 9.0 : 2500 GPH with 15 Ft of max head pressure.

I feel I have 4 options:
1.) Remove the Sicce 3.0 > Replace the Sicce 4.0 with the Sicce ADV 9.0 to the chiller 3/4" PVC > to the UV 3" PVC> to the DT? 3/4" PVC
2.) Remove the Sicce 3.0 > Add the Sicce ADV 9.0 1" Tubing >to the UV 3" PVC > to the DT? 1" Tubing *** With this option I FEEL the overflow can handle it, the valve is about half way open ***
3.) Remove the Sicce 3.0 > Add the Sicce ADV 9.0 1" Tubing >to the UV 3" PVC > to the sump's return chamber? 1" Tubing
4.) Remove the Sicce 3.0 > T off the Vectra L1 1" Tubing >

• > to the UV 3" PVC > to the DT? 1" Tubing (Tank + Stand is about 4.85ft tall.)
• > to the DT? 3/4" PVC (Tank + Stand is about 4.85ft tall.)

I just wonder:
With option 1, will that pump be enough power... Will the dropping it to 3/4" be a bad idea for the UV? I honestly would want to try this method, but worry about the two stated issues above. I like this idea though because it lets me remove 2 pumps and one less thing to fail.
With option 2, will the over flow keep up? If so this option seems to be the "easiest"
With option 4, I can return the Sicce ADV 9.0, but wonder with the crappy stock plumbing will I get enough flow to do everything I want?

Any help would be GREATLTY appreciated as I am at an utter loss and just don't know what to do.
Thank you all so much!
Trevor

 

[piranhaman00]

What are you trying to accomplish with the UV?

900-1000gph is too fast for crypto imo. If you are looking for true sterilization of protozoa/crpyto I would shoot for closer to 300gph. 8-12 gph per watt, but I go lower even. That is my opinion You dont need a lot of turnover for parasites but you want to be sure they are damaged on one pass.

IMO 900-1000 is that sweet spot where you really arent sterilizing but also too slow for true algae/bacterial control. although I have found on my systems you do not need as much turnover to control algae/bacteria as found in the literature.

 

[Iinux]

Per the manufacture he told me they recommend ATLEAST 2.5x turn over for this UV for Protozoa 180,000 µW/cm2.
He said shoot for a 900-1000 GPH pump at the distance I was going with the right angles and increase from 3/4" or 1" to the 3" of the UV and then back to the 3/4" or 1" piping.

Aquarium, Pond & Water Garden, Fountain and Commercial Aquaculture Products – LIFEGARD® AQUATICS » Product Detail

I am assuming this is due to the HO Amalgam bulb?

But either way, I will contact them again to verify the flow rate. Mostly I am just trying to figure out the "best way" to run this. WIthout flooding my tank and over taking my overflow.

 

[Iinux]

Alright new idea, and I think this is the way to go :

Im going to return my Sicce ADV 9.0. And buy a Syncra SDC 7.0 this will do about 800 GPH with the 5 right angles and 4ft of tank. (9ft // 3m) @100% power.

https://www.sicce.com/pub/media/catalog/category/Curve_SyncraSDC.png

Im going to remove all of my sicce pumps, the Sicce 3.0 and Sicce 4.0. Replace the Sicce 4.0 with the Syncra SDC 7.0 and then plumb that to the UV (3/4" tubing) > to the chiller (3/4" tubing) > to the DT. (3/4" tubing)

This will solve two issues, will chill the heat from the UV, and will allow me to adjust the flow of the UV, if I want to run the UV for Diseases vs Algae.

How's this sound? Also is that the right order? UV to chiller, or should that be reversed?

 

[piranhaman00]

Per the manufacture he told me they recommend ATLEAST 2.5x turn over for this UV for Protozoa 180,000 µW/cm2.
He said shoot for a 900-1000 GPH pump at the distance I was going with the right angles and increase from 3/4" or 1" to the 3" of the UV and then back to the 3/4" or 1" piping.

Aquarium, Pond & Water Garden, Fountain and Commercial Aquaculture Products – LIFEGARD® AQUATICS » Product Detail

I am assuming this is due to the HO Amalgam bulb?

But either way, I will contact them again to verify the flow rate. Mostly I am just trying to figure out the "best way" to run this. WIthout flooding my tank and over taking my overflow.

A 900-1000gph pump makes more sense, that will reduce greatly down to around what I said. I thought they recommended to aim for 1000gph through the UV.

 

[Iinux]

Think that idea is a winner? To control both Ich and Algae, depending on which i want to do?

 

[Iinux]

Emailed the company this morning, and a VP reached out to me :

We would suggest a flow rate of approximately 700 gph giving you a turnover rate of about 4 times per hour. We recommend approximately 3 times turnover per hour but you have a chiller so no issues with heater transfer. This flow rate will five you an average UV output of about 90,000 uw/s/cm2 (very high which is good). Free floating algae only requires about 7,000 uw.s.cm2 to kill.
Best Regards,

I picked up the Syncra SDC 7.0 and a 1" flow sensor for my apex. Thanks everyone!

 

[ReneMiami]

How did that work out for you. I just bought a 750xxl and am planning to get the same UV. Does the UV do the job? Do you have pics of your plumbing? Thank you.

 

[Iinux]

so far everything is going well!