And the great prices at BRS just keep on giving

[HippieSmell]

Is it possible to to have too much contact time

Too much depends on what you want to accomplish. At some point most of the reactions capable of taking place will have happened, so increased contact time will only reduce efficiency. I would just follow manufacturer recommendations.

 

[Reef-junky]

Thanks BRS.

This was 10% off PLUS an extra $50.00 w coupon and i got about $40.00 in BRS store credit.

And they gave you a soda!

 

[Livinlocal]

Like said above, you may want to rethink the size you are reducing it to. Not only is it going to overwork the pump pushing all the water through a much smaller hole, but you also need to add a gate valve at the exit otherwise with that small of a Inlet, you won’t be able to completely fill the uv chamber. There will be pockets of air if you don’t put a gate valve restricting the outflow.

 

[Newb73]

Make sure you leave enough pipe between the union and the reducing coupling. In the future you may want expand

Well these gate lowes ball valves were only 10 bucks each so not to big a deal if i have to replace.

 

[Newb73]

Playing with plumbing.

I don't possess the talent or patience to do the clean installs some do.

 

[Newb73]

Too much depends on what you want to accomplish. At some point most of the reactions capable of taking place will have happened, so increased contact time will only reduce efficiency. I would just follow manufacturer recommendations.

I think 300gph is a good goal but if i end up with 250 ill be happy as its still within spec for bulb end of life recommendations.

 

[HippieSmell]

I think 300gph is a good goal but if i end up with 250 ill be happy as its still within spec for bulb end of life recommendations.

I believe the bulbs are already rated at EOL specs.

 

[Newb73]

I believe the bulbs are already rated at EOL specs.

According to the fine print, they can sterilize 330gph when new.

 

[Newb73]

Leak testing over night at 92gph.

The only problem i have is that i had to go with a vertical install and the viewing portal for function is on the bottom.

Since vertical is one of the recommermded methods....exactly how are you supposed to see if lamp is working?

 

[Newb73]

The flow rate on this meter reads perfectly.

I verified it manually by timing a gallon run.

93gph out of a tiny reactor pump tells me there is very little restriction on this system at lower flow levels.

I may still end up restricting the flow out of one of my larger pumps when the time comes.

Haven't even plugged up the main lamp yet to see if it works...im following the directions exactly.

 

[Newb73]

Like said above, you may want to rethink the size you are reducing it to. Not only is it going to overwork the pump pushing all the water through a much smaller hole, but you also need to add a gate valve at the exit otherwise with that small of a Inlet, you won’t be able to completely fill the uv chamber. There will be pockets of air if you don’t put a gate valve restricting the outflow.

Solved by vertical install where water enters bottom and exits top.

 

[HippieSmell]

Leak testing over night at 92gph.

The only problem i have is that i had to go with a vertical install and the viewing portal for function is on the bottom.

Since vertical is one of the recommermded methods....exactly how are you supposed to see if lamp is working?

Vertical install is best. You can see the bulb glowing from the top and bottom, just make the room dark.

 

[Newb73]

The aquatrance only moves 125gph.

It is fully up and running though presently with 125gph.

I have a small leak from the lower edge of my flow meter where it threads into the npt x slip adapter.

It is sealed with rectoseal per neptunes recommendations.

I am going to probably redo it tomorrow if it doesn't start to self seal over night.

I am presently trying to decide what pump to go with.

Am leaning towards a Sicce 2.0

 

[Newb73]

Vertical install is best. You can see the bulb glowing from the top and bottom, just make the room dark.

Indeed.

 

[Newb73]

Here is a problem.

The UV must leak a small amount of current.

It's throwing off the conductivity readings.

 

[HippieSmell]

Here is a problem.

The UV must leak a small amount of current.

It's throwing off the conductivity readings.

I think conductivity could be altered by fewer dissolved organics or by increased orp, both caused by UV. This would be a good question for Randy.

 

[Newb73]

I think conductivity could be altered by fewer dissolved organics or by increased orp, both caused by UV. This would be a good question for Randy.

When i turned the power off the conductivity returned to the expected range. With UV off it reads between 35.2 and 36. With UV on it reads 36 to 38.
Actual salinity is just over 34 but i cannot dial it in so i am forced to used the readings as directional data and not precise readings. It used to read perfectly until one day a heater melted down and tripped mu main box and then the PM2 had to be independently rebooted after apex came back up. I am still trying to figure out what might have occured on that day to zap my readings...

Your point still might be valid though.

I am going to let it run a week and do an "in tank" calibration of the probe with the UV unit running and see what happens.

I normally on run 34 ppt and don't want to bring it up to 35 ppt just to calibrate but i can probably make do with such a small diff in using my tank water instead of calibration fluid.

I suspect the in tank method will still be more accurate as it should compensate the calibration better for things like you mentioned as well as current leakage from wires and adjactent probes etc.

 

[HippieSmell]

How'd your skimmer react after turning on the UV? Mine instantly increased production and water was crystal clear after a couple days.

 

[Newb73]

How'd your skimmer react after turning on the UV? Mine instantly increased production and water was crystal clear after a couple days.

My skimmer is an ozone reactor so it doesn't really skim.

 

[Newb73]

A few days in i have nice clear water of course.

A couple gripes..

When i moved to a larger pump i calculated i was getting around 33% of pumps advertised gph. Checkef on 2 completely pumps and it was about 33% on both. So i was getting 175gph on a Danner mag 5 rated for 500gph.

Fair enough that is what you deal w at 1/2 inch.

What aggrivated me was thar at 175gph the top screw cap leaks.

Not into the quartz crystal but around the thread clearly marked "hand tighten only"


I can't get a two inch cap very tight even using 2 hands.

I tried rectoseal and it still leaks.

I seriously want to get a belt wrench but..."hand tighten only".

Input at 1/2 inch is fine and i am fine only gett 33% flow rate but...

For about $15 buch i can go back and change the return side to 1 inch, 1 1/2, 2 inch etc.

I was thinking by unretricting the exit ill solve 2 problems i created. Ill increase flow another 10 or 20% and by reducing internal pressure, i might be able to get the leak to stop at "hand tighten" levels.

Be that as it may this shouldn't be happening...its rathed for up to 2,000 gph in a horizontal position and thats a lot of pressure on that cap.

In a verticle position i should be able to get my target goal of 225 to 260gph without it leaking like that....