UV sterilization

[Mebbid]

I would honestly think a UV sterilizer would be detrimental to a reef tank if used for anything other than acute issues.

The reason I say this is that phytoplankton is a big food source for the copepod food chain in your tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I would honestly think a UV sterilizer would be detrimental to a reef tank if used for anything other than acute issues.

The reason I say this is that phytoplankton is a big food source for the copepod food chain in your tank.

They generally are active at night which is why I recommend a timer and turn unit off lets say 7-8pm. You don't want to run it 24hrs as the life of bulb will be shortened as a start

 

[GoPitt88]

When dosing 2 part, how do prevent calcium precipitation on the quartz sleeve? I get a significant coating rather quickly

 

[vetteguy53081]

When dosing 2 part, how do prevent calcium precipitation on the quartz sleeve? I get a significant coating rather quickly

Clean bi-weekly . Also, the UV sterilizer should be installed as the final step of water flow and located as close as possible to the final step of water flow to the tank. This will minimize build up on the sleeve

 

[GoPitt88]

Clean bi-weekly . Also, the UV sterilizer should be installed as the final step of water flow and located as close as possible to the final step of water flow to the tank. This will minimize build up on the sleeve

Yep.....my HOB UV sterilizer is hooked-up to the outlet of my Fluval 306 canister filter. It’s only an 8 watt UV sterilizer. I have a 55 gallon mixed reef. I’m debating not using the UV since I’m not certain it is doing much anyway. Any thoughts? Is it worth using? I could probably drop my 2 part dosing volume per day due to the precipitation on the quartz sleeve. Hmmm......

 

[Johniejumbo]

Good read! I have always kept a uv sterilizer on hand. I just used it to help get rid of dinos. Not positive but I think it has to be on at night to kill those.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yep.....my HOB UV sterilizer is hooked-up to the outlet of my Fluval 306 canister filter. It’s only an 8 watt UV sterilizer. I have a 55 gallon mixed reef. I’m debating not using the UV since I’m not certain it is doing much anyway. Any thoughts? Is it worth using? I could probably drop my 2 part dosing volume per day due to the precipitation on the quartz sleeve. Hmmm......

Is it doing its job? As long as bulb is good, it should be. Is it worth using...... a test I would do is to observe your tank as it sits today and even take pics. Shut it off for 2-4 weeks and look back at those pics and your tank overall and see if you notice change. If so, utilize the unit. If not, use it periodically like 1-2 days a week,

 

[vetteguy53081]

Good read! I have always kept a uv sterilizer on hand. I just used it to help get rid of dinos. Not positive but I think it has to be on at night to kill those.

Dinoflagellates I believe are usually more active when lights are on. Dinoflagellates create their own food by converting light energy into chemical energy using photosynthesis. Heterotrophic dinoflagellates receive nutrition from processing other complex organic substances such as algae.

 

[The Pondman]

Every brand of UV sterilizer use different bulbs and standards (math) for how much UV their bulb will put out within their exposure chamber and what the contact time (called "dwell time") will be at a given GPM (gallons per minute) or GPH (gallons per hour). There are a few accepted UV exposure standards within the industry, the EPA and non-EPA.

Bulbs start to degrade the moment you plug them in. Once the bulb has reached their end of life you will see light but it won't be UV light so it must be replaced. The manufacturer will recommend changing time, usually in months, given the bulb is on 24/7/365. Pro-grade units usually need replacing every 12 to 14 months. So keep in mind that if a basic cheap unit will cost you $150 and bulbs need replacing every 6 months @ $40 and a pro-grade will cost you $300 with bulbs needing replacement every 14 months $50. I'm not even including the mathematical inequalities between the 2 types.

I install water features with aquatic life from 1k gallons to over 100k gallons that are biologically filtered and I use UV sterilizers in all of them. There are a lot of units out there that either use junk bulbs or math that defy the laws of physics.

Example: A UV sterilizer with 3/4" inlet and outlet that will claim the ability to sterilize or clarify 5k gph. First, it is impossible to flow 5k gph through a 3/4" tube, laws of physics doesn't allow this. Second, to sterilize 5k gph it will require an average use of a 160 watt unit, not the 8 watt or 15 watt normally found in a unit with 3/4" openings.

In other words, if you're going to use a UV sterilization unit buy a professional-grade unit that offers a bulb with long life as they can become expensive if you need to be changing them out every 4 to 6 months. Buy the best you can afford.

NOTES:

1. Conversion formula, if needed, to go from GPM to GPH is GPM x 60 = GPH

2. The table below is as example of the capabilities of a pro-grade UV sterilization unit. Notice the notes at the bottom as to difference in proper sizing between a saltwater tank vs a saltwater tank with live rock.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It sums up to ..... you get what you pay for. Buy a good brand and you will get good life from both unit and the bulb. Bulbs are rated mainly in hours and to prolong, that is why I mention use of timer.
Cost of bulbs have dropped significantly and I question how old the chart you pasted is. I have a Very similar unit to the one pictured but they have a lamp life of 18+ months at continuous use.

 

[The Pondman]

It sums up to ..... you get what you pay for. Buy a good brand and you will get good life from both unit and the bulb. Bulbs are rated mainly in hours and to prolong, that is why I mention use of timer.
Cost of bulbs have dropped significantly and I question how old the chart you pasted is. I have a Very similar unit to the one pictured but they have a lamp life of 18+ months at continuous use.

Got the chart from AquaUV's site a few minutes ago.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yeah.. The reputable manufacturers will provide one so you verify your needs prior to purchase

 

[Joshua Kerstetter]

Maybe I've totally screwed up here. I got my upgrade equipment at one time, and it included a 40w pentair aquatics UV system. My 50 gallon was saved alone by a $35 chinese knock off green machine a year before so I've seen first hand what a UV unit could do. So I plumbed my entire system to use the 40w system I got. I have a gate valve going into it, but have no exact way of measuring the flow in. During my initial cycle in the new tank, which included some of the water and rock from my previous tank I ran the UV 24/7 initially with the original bulb and ballast. I knew the bulb was junk but wanted to fully test the chamber and system before I invested in more for it, so about 2 weeks in I replaced the ballast and bulb and ran it 24/7 for the next 3 months. Being cheap and stupid I wanted to try to cut down on my power costs, and also getting into summer at the time, wanted to reduce my heating cost as well. I figured.. possibly incorrectly although my water tends to 'cool down' as its get plumbed from the tank to the basement then back up, the additional light of the UV and the lights of the day was actually keeping my tank a little hotter than it should have been, it wasn't above 80, but I guess.. well.. shut off the UV during the day, reduce the excess heat, turn the UV on at night, when the lights are off, that will help heat the tank as well, because normally a tank needs more heat at night, and might extend the life of the bulb, so win win? With my above reading I guess I might be screwing myself, for one, I am seeing copapod growth, but maybe using the UV at night is hurting population growth? I just converted to a much larger sump, of which in the coming weeks will be converting part to a large refugium to support copapods. Should I change my lighting schedule to just daylight hours? go back to 24/7 or just leave off for now, and just keep in case of an emergency? I guess I shouldn't care about power use anymore, it was between $1-3 a month anyway. Actually just looked at the Apex, its costing me $1.39 a month to light from 8PM to 7AM. So for 24/7 that would be under $3 a month what do people think and what would you recommend?

 

[Jordan Prather]

My new uv I got for $100 I got after helping my lfs out over the weeken d 120watt pentair

 

[vetteguy53081]

Maybe I've totally screwed up here. I got my upgrade equipment at one time, and it included a 40w pentair aquatics UV system. My 50 gallon was saved alone by a $35 chinese knock off green machine a year before so I've seen first hand what a UV unit could do. So I plumbed my entire system to use the 40w system I got. I have a gate valve going into it, but have no exact way of measuring the flow in. During my initial cycle in the new tank, which included some of the water and rock from my previous tank I ran the UV 24/7 initially with the original bulb and ballast. I knew the bulb was junk but wanted to fully test the chamber and system before I invested in more for it, so about 2 weeks in I replaced the ballast and bulb and ran it 24/7 for the next 3 months. Being cheap and stupid I wanted to try to cut down on my power costs, and also getting into summer at the time, wanted to reduce my heating cost as well. I figured.. possibly incorrectly although my water tends to 'cool down' as its get plumbed from the tank to the basement then back up, the additional light of the UV and the lights of the day was actually keeping my tank a little hotter than it should have been, it wasn't above 80, but I guess.. well.. shut off the UV during the day, reduce the excess heat, turn the UV on at night, when the lights are off, that will help heat the tank as well, because normally a tank needs more heat at night, and might extend the life of the bulb, so win win? With my above reading I guess I might be screwing myself, for one, I am seeing copapod growth, but maybe using the UV at night is hurting population growth? I just converted to a much larger sump, of which in the coming weeks will be converting part to a large refugium to support copapods. Should I change my lighting schedule to just daylight hours? go back to 24/7 or just leave off for now, and just keep in case of an emergency? I guess I shouldn't care about power use anymore, it was between $1-3 a month anyway. Actually just looked at the Apex, its costing me $1.39 a month to light from 8PM to 7AM. So for 24/7 that would be under $3 a month what do people think and what would you recommend?

Some people run them 24/7. I personally would convert back to a day schedule.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My new uv I got for $100 I got after helping my lfs out over the weeken d 120watt pentair

That's a steal of a deal !!!

 

[Jordan Prather]

That's a steal of a deal !!!

Yea I was looking at buying a 55 watt off him last week but didnt have the money yet. He was planning on setting up a new fish system for his next order and I agreed to help. He ended up needing a couple bulkheads to plumb it that were in his storage shed so we reorganized all of the shed trying to find them and he said if I still wanted to buy a uv I could buy the one we found in the shed which had all new bulbs and new quartz sleeves just to get it out of the way for $100. We got back and started reading the capacity of it and before I left he was regretting selling it to me instead of putting on his new system.lol

 

[Don Lidtke]

I am planning on running the Pentair Aquatics Smart High Output UV 50 Watt on my 300 gallon system. I ran a UV on my FOLR system some years ago and had no problems with it. I ran it 24/7 and changed the bulb yearly. This time around with an Apex I may not run it 24/7. I am using primarily for water clarity.

 

[Jordan Prather]

I am planning on running the Pentair Aquatics Smart High Output UV 50 Watt on my 300 gallon system. I ran a UV on my FOLR system some years ago and had no problems with it. I ran it 24/7 and changed the bulb yearly. This time around with an Apex I may not run it 24/7. I am using primarily for water clarity.

Look into the lifeguard aquatics UV that's the one I was going to get until I got my deal they have a countdown on the ballast to let you know when to change the bulbs they're 55watt is good for 350 gallons

 

[AlexG]

Great write up. I keep a Emperor aquatics 80-watt HO UV sterilizer on my 1600 gallon system. The UV is only about 1/3 the size I need but I have seen a lot of positive impacts on the system once it was installed. I run 24/7 on my UV but it can only turn over the system water about every 3 hours at its flow rate. One thing mentioned in the article which I am particularly interested to know how a UV sterilizer breaks down chemical compounds and how effective it is at this process. From my reading on the subject it seems that a UV sterilizer can act as an oxidizer to break down chemical compounds but I have not found any scientific documentation to talk about this topic in depth. With corals and other organisms in our reef tanks emitting chemicals into the water as a form a chemical warfare I wonder if a UV sterilizer is capable of breaking down those chemical compounds in the water effectively neutralizing them. If it is possible I would be interested to learn what type of exposure time to the UV light would be needed to break down these chemical compounds.