57w uv sterilizer in 90gallon flow rate help?

blaxsun

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That 1066gph is for a 57 watt uv on a 355 gallon tank. Over 10x turnover is way to much. the parasites would be blasted through so fast the uv doesn't have time to sterilize them.
The flow rate has nothing to do with tank size - that's the maximum flow rate for parasite sterilization. Most of us run the flow slower to get a longer dwell/UV exposure rate. A slower flow of ~500Gph will result in a radiation of over 180,000 µw/cm2 which is actually approaching kill (not stun) levels for parasites.

If you're running a UV on a separate pump just dial the flow back. 57 watts is still *plenty* for a 90 gallon tank (I only run a 57 watt on my 200-gallon system).
 

buruskeee

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If the flow rate is too slow it will allow the unit to heat up. 1000gph is fine, because you have an oversized unit on the 90g, it just means you’ll sterilize your water faster. Flow rate is all about getting that 90,000 mark with what flow go through the UV chamber, not your tank.
 

Mikeltee

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Its a vectra s2. 1400GPH at zero. My uv sterilizer is directly above it about 6 inches. So I just figured that would be about 1300gph
It's not. Do you have an Apex? I highly recommend the 1" flow meter. When I lose 20gph, I know that its time to clean the pump. I have a 5' vertical and 2 slow sloping 90s made with tube and get 25% of the pumps rating. I do use a random generator dual nozzle so that probably weighs in on it. If you really want to know what your flow is without using a flowmeter, use a 1g milk jug and fill it with a stop watch. Divide 3600(seconds in an hour) by the time that it took to fill the jug. A 1200gph would fill it in 3 sec. That is insane pressure!
 
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Warpigdave

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So you’re saying that this graph is wrong and shouldn’t be used for flow rate?
IMG_2238.png
 

jmichaelh7

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The flow rate has nothing to do with tank size - that's the maximum flow rate for parasite sterilization. Most of us run the flow slower to get a longer dwell/UV exposure rate. A slower flow of ~500Gph will result in a radiation of over 180,000 µw/cm2 which is actually approaching kill (not stun) levels for parasites.

If you're running a UV on a separate pump just dial the flow back. 57 watts is still *plenty* for a 90 gallon tank (I only run a 57 watt on my 200-gallon system).
What gph are you running the 57 watt on your 200g ?
 

Mikeltee

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What gph are you running the 57 watt on your 200g ?
The size of the tank doesn't matter. The size of the UV and what you intend to sterilize matters. 300gph is the max you want to set it at. I'd size up for a 200g display. Having a proper quarantine protocol is much better than running a UV. I bought a UV for dinos. It didn't help. I spent $700 on it do ill be danged if I don't run it. Lol
 

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The size of the tank doesn't matter. The size of the UV and what you intend to sterilize matters. 300gph is the max you want to set it at. I'd size up for a 200g display. Having a proper quarantine protocol is much better than running a UV. I bought a UV for dinos. It didn't help. I spent $700 on it do ill be danged if I don't run it. Lol
300 gph for a 57 watt?? I am confused my understanding is you want to run it 4x turn over rate minimum of your tank volume.

Quarantine is the way to go. For my other tank in other room the uv will suffice.
 

Mikeltee

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If you are after parasites, 300gph max. I'm not sure how fast they can replicate to render it ineffective. Check out the chart for pentair. It explains it better than I can. 4x sounds more like algae and you can crank up the gph for it.
Screenshot_20231112_222040_Chrome.jpg
 

jmichaelh7

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If you are after parasites, 300gph max. I'm not sure how fast they can replicate to render it ineffective. Check out the chart for pentair. It explains it better than I can. 4x sounds more like algae and you can crank up the gph for it.
Screenshot_20231112_222040_Chrome.jpg
Thanks brother for the info. I just posted thread , Aqua uv has some high numbers on their specific chart. For my 230g I’m calculating 690 gph

IMG_4172.png
 

Ev8siveaz

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Thanks brother for the info. I just posted thread , Aqua uv has some high numbers on their specific chart. For my 230g I’m calculating 690 gph

IMG_4172.png
I just setup my 57w aqua uv sterilizer on my 220 total volume setup. I want to target parasites. I bought a sicce synchra 3.5 pump (687gph) to feed the sterilizer from my sump. My lfs told me i wanted around 3x turnover for parasite control. I hooked everything up today. Feeding from my first chamber and dumping into the return chamber. Seems to be running fine. Will this setup/flow be good for parasites?
 
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jmichaelh7

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I just setup my 57w aqua uv sterilizer on my 220 total volume setup. I want to target parasites. I bought a sicce synchra 3.5 pump (687gph) to feed the sterilizer from my sump. My lfs told me i wanted around 3x turnover for parasite control. I hooked everything up today. Feeding from my first chamber and dumping into the return chamber. Seems to be running fine. Will this setup/flow be good for parasites?
I have mine on a 230g system at 650gph.

So far so good , my ich magnets are doing good finger crossed
 

Ev8siveaz

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I have mine on a 230g system at 650gph.

So far so good , my ich magnets are doing good finger crossed
Awesome! Glad to hear that. I feel the scratching of my fish went down already after 24 hours of having the uv on. Seems to be a good flow.
 

jmichaelh7

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Awesome! Glad to hear that. I feel the scratching of my fish went down already after 24 hours of having the uv on. Seems to be a good flow.
I was bummed that my 76 day quarantine failed.

My wife says quarantine doesnt exist. This is our second time around , with also tanks in seperate rooms from each other.

However , the good thing is we have UV sterilizers and I can also buy corals from vendors and drop them in now :
Season 2 Dancing GIF by The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
 

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