Flash21 Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 I have a 100 Gallon Display with a 40 Sump a total of maybe 120. I have been thinking about running UV through my tank. The flow rates have me confused?! If I was to get I’d want to use for unwanted algae’s and to make the water crystal clear....I’m still 50/50. I have no clue. I’m not sure if I was to get one to run 24/7 maybe just during night time or day time? Any info would help me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 Ok, so here is the basic scoop... UV will not change the clarity of your water. Freshwater can get algae in the water column, but saltwater...not so much. I mean, it CAN, but it if you have green water then you should be spending your money on something else because there is an issue. If your goal is to increase water clarity then you should look into running some carbon. It will absorb and bind impurities that will tint the water. It will also bind toxins and other stuff that get into your tank... like skin oils, lotions, stuff in the air, erc. Uv is tyicpally used in reef tanks to fight viruses, bacteria, and othet nasties..like ich thormonts..or is it trophonts? Anyways... things like that. The flow rate has to do with the time it takes to affect different organisms. Make sense? Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bicyclebill Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 ^what he said...Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntoTheMystic Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 (edited) Fin slap to DorryPets for the Ich/Crypt life cycle diagram. When space allows, I always plumb a sterilizer onto FW and marine systems. The initial expense is not cheap if you buy a good one, and there's little point in not buying a good one, but over time, it becomes a very affordable and practical type of insurance against health problems. This is especially true if you don't quarantine animals before adding them to your tank. Controlling the contact time (or dwell time) that the system water is irradiated by the lamp is easily done with valves. If the water is traveling through the vessel too quickly, the UV's efficacy is reduced. I always adjust it so that water comes out at a steady but unhurried stream. You kinda have to go by feel on this one. Good luck! Edited October 6, 2019 by IntoTheMystic 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash21 Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 Like I said I have no clue...Ask 10 people and all 10 will have a different opinion Seems like we as reefers spend a 💩 ton on corals and fish so a piece of equipment is worth it...if it adds a benefit to the tank? Over all if I was to purchase I’d just want for whatever it’s purpose is. Maybe that’s a dump logic. But I’m a dumb Reefer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash21 Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 22 minutes ago, IntoTheMystic said: Fin slap to DorryPets for the Ich/Crypt life cycle diagram. When space allows, I always plumb a sterilizer onto FW and marine systems. The initial expense is not cheap if you buy a good one, and there's little point in not buying a good one, but over time, it becomes a very affordable and practical type of insurance against health problems. This is especially true if you don't quarantine animals before adding them to your tank. Controlling the contact time (or dwell time) that the system water is irradiated by the lamp is easily done with valves. If the water is traveling through the vessel too quickly, the UV's efficacy is reduced. I always adjust it so that water comes out at a steady but unhurried stream. You kinda have to go by feel on this one. Good luck! Thanks! Would you recommended plumbing into the return or running it off it’s own pump? I have a 40 breeder sump and not sure the best spot to plumb it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuncrestReef Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 21 minutes ago, Flash21 said: Thanks! Would you recommended plumbing into the return or running it off it’s own pump? I have a 40 breeder sump and not sure the best spot to plumb it in. I plumbed mine directly into the return line, and added a bypass valve to allow for UV maintenance without interrupting the return flow. This ensures 100% of the water reaching the display tank has been hit with UV. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntoTheMystic Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I should have added a plumbing diagram to my post. Well done, Suncrestreef! I plumb mine on a loop off the return line also. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 FWIW.. I ran an $80 55 watt strelizer on my $10k + system.The mark up on UV units is absolutely ridiculous. A UV unit for an aquarium is four things and four things only. 1. A pvc tube2. A uv bulb3. A quartz sleeve around the bulb4. A ballast to power the light. The turbo twists or whatever are a neat idea and have a space saving form factor..but at 3x the price.. no thanks. The jebao lamps can be had on amazon for $35 for two of them. Uv bulbs only last a year...And lastly... if you mount it horizontally make sure the inlet and outlet are pointing up.Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash21 Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 2 hours ago, SuncrestReef said: I plumbed mine directly into the return line, and added a bypass valve to allow for UV maintenance without interrupting the return flow. This ensures 100% of the water reaching the display tank has been hit with UV. Does it matter what way I install the unit if I plumb it this way? (Meaning the inlet and outlet up right? Facing down? Facing side ways? Does it matter?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted October 6, 2019 Share Posted October 6, 2019 I think that monkeyboy guy already adressed that. ALWAYS pointed up, or mount vertical with outlet on top. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash21 Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 (edited) I don’t listen to 🐵... Thanks. Edited October 6, 2019 by Flash21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bicyclebill Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 The important thing, as Brian pointed out, is that uv bulbs have a similar functional lifespan to a VHO light bulb. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash21 Posted October 9, 2019 Author Share Posted October 9, 2019 Ok so another dumb question... If I was to plumb up like above picture inline with return pump. How can one tell the GPH flowing through the unit? As it’s all going straight to the tank?! I have my Cor 15 ran at 65%. So if I had ball valves could I crank it down to half way and call it good on the UV input? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuncrestReef Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 1 hour ago, Flash21 said: Ok so another dumb question... If I was to plumb up like above picture inline with return pump. How can one tell the GPH flowing through the unit? As it’s all going straight to the tank?! I have my Cor 15 ran at 65%. So if I had ball valves could I crank it down to half way and call it good on the UV input? I have a Neptune flow sensor on the return line after it exits my UV. I can then use the flow readings in my Apex programming to turn off the UV if the flow is too low, like during feed mode when I reduce my COR speed. It also turns off the UV when the water temp is too high, or when I'm conducting maintenance. UV ----------- Fallback OFF Set OFF If FLOW_4 > 200 Then ON If Tmp > 78.3 Then OFF If Output Maintenance = ON Then OFF 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 Mine just emptied into the sump. T off of the return pump and one valve. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danlu_gt Posted October 9, 2019 Share Posted October 9, 2019 Just run some ozone into your skimmer air intake for water clarity. Simple and no bulb changes. I your goal is to clear the water and not raise the redox to certain level, just run ozone for like 5-10min every 4hrs or so. I can't remember who was asking me about which ozone generator I use... I got my from ebay, but same as this one on amazon. You can set to run one time, every hour, or every 4 hours from 2-30min. It's a pretty strong ozone generator so run it in every 4 hours modes. https://www.amazon.com/A2Z-Ozone-Aqua-6-Multi-Purpose-Generator/dp/B00K70QDJA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdxmonkeyboy Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Daniel, that is a cheap ozone generator! Do you have it plumbed into your skimmer intake? I am going to run ozone on my new tank. Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailermann Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 I am plumbing my UV directly into the return line. I chose to skip the bypass set up since the UV bulb can be changed with the return pump operating, assuming your UV has a quartz sleeve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SuncrestReef Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 1 hour ago, Trailermann said: I am plumbing my UV directly into the return line. I chose to skip the bypass set up since the UV bulb can be changed with the return pump operating, assuming your UV has a quartz sleeve. The quartz sleeve needs to be removed for periodic cleaning, so I highly recommend having a bypass valve unless you’re OK with turning off the return pump during maintenance. Here’s a photo of my quartz sleeve after six months of use: If you only replace the bulb without cleaning the sleeve, the UV performance will be significantly reduced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trailermann Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 Great feedback, thanks. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash21 Posted October 14, 2019 Author Share Posted October 14, 2019 2 hours ago, SuncrestReef said: The quartz sleeve needs to be removed for periodic cleaning, so I highly recommend having a bypass valve unless you’re OK with turning off the return pump during maintenance. Here’s a photo of my quartz sleeve after six months of use: If you only replace the bulb without cleaning the sleeve, the UV performance will be significantly reduced. Wanna come and plumb mine up this weekend 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danlu_gt Posted October 14, 2019 Share Posted October 14, 2019 Daniel, that is a cheap ozone generator! Do you have it plumbed into your skimmer intake? I am going to run ozone on my new tank. Sent from my SM-G960U using TapatalkYes, I just put a silicon air tubing to my skimmer air intake.Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash21 Posted October 19, 2019 Author Share Posted October 19, 2019 Just finished up hooking the UV up... leaving the tank glass and all untouched to see if I can notice a difference. I took photos so I can see what’s the deal with UV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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