UV for large system

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Though I had not intended to go screaming off on a tangent in this thread, the whole notion of an oversized UV killing off the planktonic food supply in a reef tank is primafascia absurd. Not that a UV won't destroy plankton, rather that the amount of water column swimming plankton in a typical reef tank is essentially zero. I have used the aqua UV sizing chart for years and always chuckle at that comment. The VAST majority of the 'plankton' in a reef tank exists in the form of substrate dwelling copepods - which even a moducum of common sense will quickly tell you that they aren't going through the UV, at least not in material numbers.

OK! I suppose there may be folks that are adding free swimming tigger pods (or is it trigger, never can recall), though I do not and would argue that it's a waste of time and money since they almost never establish a sustainable population.

All just my opinion of course LOL.
 
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ca1ore said:
Yes, understood. The old pond rule of thumb was 10 watts/1,000 gallons because it was assumed that the sun adds a measure of UV as well. Reef tanks use to be 10 watts/75 gallons, though it does seem that that has been 'relaxed' more recently.
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Run a search on my dino thread for "UV" as there are lots of practical recommendations where folks are in good "test beds" to guage actual results. ;)

I like @Buckeye Hydro's option (have you guys offered these for long?) as well as Lifegard's if you haven't looked there yet.
 
ca1ore said:
Though I had not intended to go screaming off on a tangent in this thread, the whole notion of an oversized UV killing off the planktonic food supply in a reef tank is primafascia absurd. Not that a UV won't destroy plankton, rather that the amount of water column swimming plankton in a typical reef tank is essentially zero. I have used the aqua UV sizing chart for years and always chuckle at that comment. The VAST majority of the 'plankton' in a reef tank exists in the form of substrate dwelling copepods - which even a moducum of common sense will quickly tell you that they aren't going through the UV, at least not in material numbers.

OK! I suppose there may be folks that are adding free swimming tigger pods (or is it trigger, never can recall), though I do not and would argue that it's a waste of time and money since they almost never establish a sustainable population.

All just my opinion of course LOL.
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Just thinking logically here....

If our fuges are a safe place for these organisms to breed to populate out tanks aren't they populating our tanks via our return lines? Same return line that is passing through the uv?

Will it kill 100%? Some? Sure.... Not that it kills but scramble DNA to prevent reproduction. We are talking thousands upon thousands in an established system so would it have an impact? Maybe. Maybe not
 
A larger micron filter like the Vortex XL, Rev. They have a cannister model that plumbs to an existing flow source or models with a pump that can be independent.
 
@ca1ore if you can kill parasites like armored dinoflagellates, then you can be certain that everything else that passes through it will be terminated too.

While these filters are orders of magnitude better than chemical tank treatments, if you have a new tank you should be worried about killing off everything planktonic. Everything in a new tank is still trying to populate the open spaces - not only pests. Lots of good guys have planktonic stages and a filter won't discriminate.

It's not about food supply, at least not per se.

This is less of a concern in a mature tank that already has a well populated rock and sand structure.

So use UV or micron filtration as-needed IMO not full time. And like anything else, it's probably possible to over-do. ;)

Personally I would run them when I was adding new life to the tank or if there was a specific problem I was trying to manage, otherwise I would not.
 
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Bayareareefer18 said:
If our fuges are a safe place for these organisms to breed to populate out tanks aren't they populating our tanks via our return lines?
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But are refugiums actually replenishing the display with substrate crawlers? I'm not so sure actually. I think it more likely that independent populations self sustain and folks just 'assume' the fuge is feeding the display. Only fuge I ever had that I felt was a source of food for the display was one that overflowed into the display, thus bypassing the main pump entirely.
 
mcarroll said:
@ca1ore if you can kill parasites like armored dinoflagellates, then you can be certain that everything else that passes through it will be terminated too.

While these filters are orders of magnitude better than chemical tank treatments, if you have a new tank you should be worried about killing off everything planktonic. Everything in a new tank is still trying to populate the open spaces - not only pests. Lots of good guys have planktonic stages and a filter won't discriminate.

It's not about food supply, at least not per se.

This is less of a concern in a mature tank that already has a well populated rock and sand structure.

So use UV or micron filtration as-needed IMO not full time. And like anything else, it's probably possible to over-do. ;)

Personally I would run them when I was adding new life to the tank or if there was a specific problem I was trying to manage, otherwise I would not.
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Great explanation
 
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Luno said:
Check out debarry AN55, I've tried many uv sterilizers and these debarry ones seem to be the best IMO. They cost around $700AUD which should be about $500USD. Still a little on the pricey end but German quality built and outstanding life and performance

Edit - this one should definitely do your needs
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Thanks, am unfamiliar with that one; I shall check it out.
 
I have been using these since the 80's:
http://www.lifegardaquatics.com/products/ultaviolet-sterilizer-modules-ql-series-2/

If you want something big you simply add units in whatever combination you need, and they are not that expensive. What you can also do it team it up with a flow meter from Neptune, and then you can exactly hit the right flow rate for your application.

They make all manner of other units, but these are the one's I stick with. I used to use an array of them when I worked at a fish store when I was a teenager.

-JCL
 
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Have 360g and run a 24wt Aqua-UV which is more than adequate
 
ca1ore said:
Any suggestions beyond the usual suspects for a large system? I've looked at the Aqua UV units but, frankly, they seem absurdly priced for what you get. Just suggestions please, no need for 'you don't need a UV' comments.
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I am running a double lamp 150 watt each totaling 300 watts Pentair 76"SMART UV High-Output Multi-Lamp UV Sterilizers. I am running a 500 gallon system with a 450 gallon tank. My unit will kill parasites such as ick if they are in their free floating stage and keeps the water crystal clear. They are very helpful down at Pentair and explained how a unit this powerful and long is needed if you want to kill parasites along with flow rates in front of bulbs to make sure it does what it is meant to do. This is not a cheap unit at $3,000.00 but you get what you pay for. Smaller units will not touch parasites. I am happy with the unit. In my opinion if you are going to get a UV why wouldn't you want it to kill ick in one of its three stages? OK...now the discussion will start I am sure. Be nice everybody.
 
Ultimately decided to go with the TMC 110 watt unit.
 
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ca1ore said:
Any suggestions beyond the usual suspects for a large system? I've looked at the Aqua UV units but, frankly, they seem absurdly priced for what you get. Just suggestions please, no need for 'you don't need a UV' comments.
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I think they are over priced as well. I have tried several UV's and they are better than the others. Just wait on a 25% off sale and it brings the price down to reasonable. I would get the high end one if you are serious about getting one and don't want to do it twice. I ran the turbo twists for years and they are pretty good, but don't clean the water as well as a UV that has more surface area exposure. Not to mention th e K of light is different.

Good luck.
 
mtraylor said:
I think they are over priced as well. I have tried several UV's and they are better than the others. Just wait on a 25% off sale and it brings the price down to reasonable. I would get the high end one if you are serious about getting one and don't want to do it twice. I ran the turbo twists for years and they are pretty good, but don't clean the water as well as a UV that has more surface area exposure. Not to mention th e K of light is different.

Good luck.
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what brand do you use?
 
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