aqua uv 15w-gph needed for ICH management

[KevinC]

I just got the 15w classic UV sterilizer-aqua ultraviolet. At what GPH pump should i run them for Ich management? It is intended for a 40g tank. thanks!

 

[P-Dub]

I just got the 15w classic UV sterilizer-aqua ultraviolet. At what GPH pump should i run them for Ich management? It is intended for a 40g tank. thanks!

You may want to post this query up in the

Fish Disease Treatment and Diagnosis forum​

 

[DaddyFish]

According to Aqua's own website documentation...

(No reef or live rock) A UV rated in the 75,000
or 90,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) will be the most effective at
controlling fish disease. All UV dosages are
calculated at the end of lamp life (14 months).

at 30,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) GPH: 700 (Max Flow Rate)
at 45,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) GPH: 466
at 60,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) GPH: 350
at 75,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) GPH: 280
at 90,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) GPH: 233 (Min Flow Rate)

A UV rated in the 30,000 or 45,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) is
ideal for the reef environment. UV’s used at higher
kill rates will destroy the planktonic food supply
for the reef.

I have found the most often stated exposure level for parasite control is 80,000 and that's what I target for UV. Yes it will sterilize pretty much everything in the water column, but if you want to kill/control Ich, 80,000 is the threshold. So that puts you at roughly 250 gph on that unit.

250 gph is my target flow rate for my 18-watt UV units.

 

[ca1ore]

I generally use 10 gph per watt .... so 150 gph. If the aqua website says 250 nominally, that’s probably fine .... though their comment about destroying the plank tonic food chain is laughable.

 

[KevinC]

According to Aqua's own website documentation...

(No reef or live rock) A UV rated in the 75,000
or 90,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) will be the most effective at
controlling fish disease. All UV dosages are
calculated at the end of lamp life (14 months).

at 30,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) GPH: 700 (Max Flow Rate)
at 45,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) GPH: 466
at 60,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) GPH: 350
at 75,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) GPH: 280
at 90,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) GPH: 233 (Min Flow Rate)

A UV rated in the 30,000 or 45,000 µw/cm2 (EOL) is
ideal for the reef environment. UV’s used at higher
kill rates will destroy the planktonic food supply
for the reef.

I have found the most often stated exposure level for parasite control is 80,000 and that's what I target for UV. Yes it will sterilize pretty much everything in the water column, but if you want to kill/control Ich, 80,000 is the threshold. So that puts you at roughly 250 gph on that unit.

250 gph is my target flow rate for my 18-watt UV units.

Thanks, its new to me since I have seen/used the coralife UV and GKM before, and the gph is WAY lower. (9w runs on a 32gph and 24w run on 70gph) , I mean I do know that I cannot compare a low grade UV with the aqua, but the math really doesnt seems to add up for me, even If the 24w on the GKM only emits 17w according to research

 

[rockdiver]

I generally use 10 gph per watt .... so 150 gph. If the aqua website says 250 nominally, that’s probably fine .... though their comment about destroying the plank tonic food chain is laughable.

I know this is slightly old. But you said this statement is laughable.
I dont know much about uv's and also was searching for a pump for my aqua 25w
Does it not destroy the plankton? I really don't know so asking
And since I have a 25w at 10g per hour that would be a pump for 250 gph to 300 gph
Just asking because I really have no idea.

 

[ca1ore]

How many reef tanks have a sustainable planktonic food web? To borrow an old Monty Python pun ..... nearly one! So to suggest that oversizing an UV somehow imperils the planktonic food web is to fundamentally not understand what is possible in a reef tank .... thus the laughable comment. I’d argue that far more people would be in the position of trying to control an undesirable parasite than preserving desirable water column plankton. FWIW, most of the copepods that live in reef tanks are substrate dwellers so minimally affected by the UV. Now, if you are adding free swimming pods like tigger pods, it probably would be wise to turn off the UV for a bit after addition.

 

[rockdiver]

Ok nice. Yes I agree I think the statement they have written is more a cya then true but I have no idea. I do know for uv's to work correctly it needs time to zap the bacteria and algae and with a high flow its really not working to what one wants.
Right now I am fine no issues at all with algae or disease but I am planning on adding and I did get this new 25w uv for 1/2 the cost and probably get a Sicce 3.0 or 4.0 pump to run it

 

[jeremybrowntattoos]

I know this is slightly old. But you said this statement is laughable.
I dont know much about uv's and also was searching for a pump for my aqua 25w
Does it not destroy the plankton? I really don't know so asking
And since I have a 25w at 10g per hour that would be a pump for 250 gph to 300 gph
Just asking because I really have no idea.

25w is for a 150gallon and starts at 400gph for parasites and starts at 800gph for algae

 

[matthewt89]

I have a Aqua 15 running at 140gph. Good for Parasite, still good for Algae or would need to turn up?
Roughly 70gal including sump. looking to cover both if possible.

 

[Fishrocker1]

Hello, I'm also planning to use the Aqua 15 as a means to conrol ich in my 65 gallon system Red Sea Reefer 250. It is a mixed reef system and I will be shooting for 200 to 250 gph overturn of water using a dc pump from hygger pump. #1 is this safe to be running this 24/7 and #2 will this be sufficient enough to manage ich population. I am not at an outbreak level, nor may I even have ich at the moment. I have 1 or 2 white spots on my tang that I don't like although he is acting completely normal and eating like a pig as usual.

 

[Fishrocker1]

Hello, I'm also planning to use the Aqua 15 as a means to conrol ich in my 65 gallon system Red Sea Reefer 250. It is a mixed reef system and I will be shooting for 200 to 250 gph overturn of water using a dc pump from hygger pump. #1 is this safe to be running this 24/7 and #2 will this be sufficient enough to manage ich population. I am not at an outbreak level, nor may I even have ich at the moment. I have 1 or 2 white spots on my tang that I don't like although he is acting completely normal and eating like a pig as usual.

Planned Pump This is the pump I plan on using.