beesnreefs
Well-Known Member
Hey all! Been lurking for a bit and have really appreciated the insight and knowledge-sharing going on in here.
I have some questions about UV sterilizers for my new build. Just set up a JBJ 65 with the two stock return pumps (396 gph), 2 IceCap gyre 2k wavemakers, Kessil AP9X light, a JBJ titanium heater, a JBJ skimmer, and an Icecap ATO.
Built the aquascape last week using Aquaforest dry rock and Aquaforest bio sand. Added water and ammonium chloride to get the tank to 4 ppm and then added the Bio Sand bacteria, bacteria food, and two bottles of Turbo Start. Tracking the cycle now.
This will be a mixed reef with primarily softies and LPS as well as a few reef-safe fish. I'll likely have a snail-based CUC and perhaps a pistol shrimp to go with a goby of some sort.
Eventually, I'd like to add a UV sterilizer (after the cycle is complete), primarily to keep the water clear, though the parasite mitigation sounds appealing. Which brings me to my questions -
I'm looking at the Aqua Ultraviolet Advantage 2000 15 watt.
1) My tank runs dual return pumps. I'm thinking I'll use one of those pumps to run the UV. Does that make sense?
2) Aqua Ultraviolet's chart (https://aquaultraviolet.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/UV-Chart-Salt-Water-Web.pdf) says reef tanks should not run UV higher than 30k to 45k columns because higher kill rates will kill off beneficial plaktonic food. That would mean I couldn't run the UV at a rate meant to help with parasite control. Thoughts on this?
3) If I do run the UV at a turnover rate conducive to parasite mitigation (90,000), it looks like I'd want a return pump that runs around 233 gph according to the chart. Am I reading that correctly?
Thanks!
I have some questions about UV sterilizers for my new build. Just set up a JBJ 65 with the two stock return pumps (396 gph), 2 IceCap gyre 2k wavemakers, Kessil AP9X light, a JBJ titanium heater, a JBJ skimmer, and an Icecap ATO.
Built the aquascape last week using Aquaforest dry rock and Aquaforest bio sand. Added water and ammonium chloride to get the tank to 4 ppm and then added the Bio Sand bacteria, bacteria food, and two bottles of Turbo Start. Tracking the cycle now.
This will be a mixed reef with primarily softies and LPS as well as a few reef-safe fish. I'll likely have a snail-based CUC and perhaps a pistol shrimp to go with a goby of some sort.
Eventually, I'd like to add a UV sterilizer (after the cycle is complete), primarily to keep the water clear, though the parasite mitigation sounds appealing. Which brings me to my questions -
I'm looking at the Aqua Ultraviolet Advantage 2000 15 watt.
1) My tank runs dual return pumps. I'm thinking I'll use one of those pumps to run the UV. Does that make sense?
2) Aqua Ultraviolet's chart (https://aquaultraviolet.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/UV-Chart-Salt-Water-Web.pdf) says reef tanks should not run UV higher than 30k to 45k columns because higher kill rates will kill off beneficial plaktonic food. That would mean I couldn't run the UV at a rate meant to help with parasite control. Thoughts on this?
3) If I do run the UV at a turnover rate conducive to parasite mitigation (90,000), it looks like I'd want a return pump that runs around 233 gph according to the chart. Am I reading that correctly?
Thanks!
