UV filter ?
- Thread starter Dmat21
- Start date
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The important thing to note with UVs is they have to be tuned with quite a slow flow rate in order to be affective. Your flow rate too and from your sump is likely to be too high. I have a 35w uv with about 80 us gallons an hour passing through it.
The most common way to plumb a uv in is either with its own pump within the sump or teeing off your return line with a ball valve to tweak flow. I went for the simplest option for me which was to get a small pump within my sump.
I’m trying to keep electricity down as much as possible during this build. So your suggesting I run a ball valve off the return line going back into the tank?
going to be running one of the Neptune cor Return pumps so Flow shouldn’t be a problem especially since a UV is all I’m going to be probably hopefully running extra
Yes I think that is your best option. You will probably need to add 2 ball valves. One on the tee off the return line to the uv to tune flow, and a second on your return line after the tee in order to create some back pressure. You may wish to make up a manifold with 3 or 4 feeds from your return line. Then if you ever choose to expand the setup to equipment such as gfo, carbon or calcium reactors, for example, you have the water supplys ready to go.
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Chris Spaulding
Well-Known Member
What do you mean by the Tee of the return?
I don’t want to run a calcium reactor I’m going dosing route eventually. As far as Gfo or carbon can’t you just run those in bags inside the flow chambers of your sump?
even though I got some nice equipment I definitely want to stay away from overdoing the gear
You put a t piece in your return line to provide a water supply to the uv. Then you put in a ball valve in either before the uv or after it in order to allow the flow through the uv to be slowed to the correct flow. Then you can either let the uv clarified water return into the sump or you can do what Chris has done in the above picture and create a loop too and from the return line with one ball valve in the return line for creating back pressure and a second in the uv loop to control flow through the uv. Chris has added a 2nd valve in his loop to allow him to remove the uv for servicing or replacement.
Since my return line to the sump is from overflow in the tank, and the UV needs a slow rate of flow. Would it be possible to run that closed loop UV system with gravity fed water to the sump and be efficient??
Since my return line to the sump is from overflow in the tank, and the UV needs a slow rate of flow. Would it be possible to run that closed loop UV system with gravity fed water to the sump and be efficient??
I wouldnt advise that as you don't want to restrict a drain in any way as it could cause disaster. The manual for my uv states not to feed the uv via gravity. Take a feed from your return line to the tank as your pump will provide good stable pressure.
Also just so terminology isn't getting confused....when people use the term 'return line they are referring to the return from the sump back to the display tank. The pipe taking the water from the overflow to the sump is referred to as the drain.
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Its not essential but if you can do it then its a good idea. They can help keep water clear but for me the best use of it is to help prevent dinoflagellates which is a horrible snot like looking bacteria which covers everything. They are especially common in new, unmature tanks. I only just plumbed one in to my 1 year old system as i got the dinos bad. If I had a uv installed, it may have prevented them.
Add would just add a pump to the sump and run a hose to the display. This way you get a couple benefits 1st being you can get the correct flow pump for the uv filter and 2nd if your main return pump stops you still have another to keep water flowing through the sump.
Chris Spaulding
Well-Known Member
Yes it is one of two returns to the tank from the sump. With it plumbed this way I can control the flow through the UV and this one return, bypass the Uv all togeather for maintance , bulb replacement and such.
