Help choosing UV

[bh750]

Need help choosing a UV for my 300g system (220 display).
It seems Emperor (Pentair) and Aqua are great brands. I came across TMC today.

Thoughts on this product?

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/TMCUVSterilizer.html#110watttmc

 

[José Morales]

Why do you wanna go the UV route?
If it's fish disease I definitely recommend more having a QT tank better than killing beneficial bacteria on your system.

 

[bh750]

Yea, sorry should've mentioned I wanted to avoid the "UV to do or not to do". I've done a good deal of research and decided to give one a try for different reasons.

 

[ReefTeacher]

I bought an AquaUV second hand at a huge discount. I needed to buy a new quartz sleeve and bulb, but still it was a deal. Ultimately a UV filter is a tube; I am not convinced there is a huge difference between brands. Buy a properly sized unit at the best price you can find. You will not be disappointed.

And yeah....there are a lot of nay-sayers. Maybe they have one for sale!

 

[bh750]

I bought an AquaUV second hand at a huge discount. I needed to buy a new quartz sleeve and bulb, but still it was a deal. Ultimately a UV filter is a tube; I am not convinced there is a huge difference between brands. Buy a properly sized unit at the best price you can find. You will not be disappointed.

And yeah....there are a lot of nay-sayers. Maybe they have one for sale!

Thanks ReeTeacher! what you're saying makes a lot of sense. Right now I'm looking at these two. One is almost triple the wattage, good quality and rep (from what I can tell) and essentially same price. But you make a really good point.

Emperor / Pentair Smart 40
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/emperor-aquatics-smart-uv-40-watt.html

And

TMC 110W Pro
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/TMCUVSterilizer.html#110watttmc

Thoughts?

 

[mta_morrow]

Why do you wanna go the UV route?
If it's fish disease I definitely recommend more having a QT tank better than killing beneficial bacteria on your system.

The amount of beneficial bacteria killed is so minute is hardly matters. They live and thrive on the sand and rock.

The benefits of UV far outweighs the negatives.

It’s purely a matter of do you want to use one.

 

[Bug235]

Need help choosing a UV for my 300g system (220 display).
It seems Emperor (Pentair) and Aqua are great brands. I came across TMC today.

Thoughts on this product?

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/TMCUVSterilizer.html#110watttmc

PM

 

[ReefTeacher]

Thanks ReeTeacher! what you're saying makes a lot of sense. Right now I'm looking at these two. One is almost triple the wattage, good quality and rep (from what I can tell) and essentially same price. But you make a really good point.

Emperor / Pentair Smart 40
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/emperor-aquatics-smart-uv-40-watt.html

And

TMC 110W Pro
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/TMCUVSterilizer.html#110watttmc

Thoughts?

I use a 40W on my 180 and I do not feel it is oversized. Since you have a 300 gal system, you may want something larger. But it all depends on your goals.

 

[José Morales]

So what are your goals then? Why do you wanna use it?

 

[ReefTeacher]

Jose,

most of us see a UV as a help in keeping the water clear, reducing some spread of pathogens, elevating ORP, and just an overall positive effect on our system. UV light does facilitate certain redox reactions that are very slow without it. I have had marine aquaria since 1979, but have only used UV for the last decade or so. I have seen very positive effects.

Goals can be aesthetic. I might want to size a UV partially based on what will fit in my cabinet. We all know that a UV is optional; I went decades without using one. But once someone has committed to a technology, our goals are formed around parameters within that decision. Could it be other? Sure! But a hobby is about trying things out and seeing the effects first hand.

BTW, I gave up on metal halides for LEDs in 2010...and never looked back. :D

 

[foxt]

UV debate aside, I’ve had the emperor high output 50w unit running on my 220g system for about 6months, no complaints. I was careful to find a way to route about 300gph through it to get the dwell time they recommend for max effect.

 

[bh750]

Thanks ReefTeacher and foxt! I'd love that Emperor 50w and thought about it carefully. But didn't have the budget. The 40w might be ok for my tank (bulk reef supply told me it would) but I'd rather try to find another good brand with a better price. I'm really thinking of getting that TMC 110w to oversize and overkill it.

Anyway Jose I really wanted to avoid yet another debate on "UV or not" but since you ask here goes....

I run GAC and do water changes but would love it if my water was crystal clear all the time. UV can help with that. I'm careful to quarantine my fish and have never had an outbreak, but would be nice to have help in overall prevention. Lastly, and what first caught my interest, I've learned UV can help control the spread of algae (like cyano) and even the dreaded Dino's. I work hard to keep those in check but I'll take all the help I can get!

 

[José Morales]

Thanks for the reply guys!

 

[Waters]

I use a 40W on my 180 and I do not feel it is oversized. Since you have a 300 gal system, you may want something larger. But it all depends on your goals.

I use a 40W on my 105g :)

 

[Forsaken77]

So what are your goals then? Why do you wanna use it?

UV's do not kill beneficial bacteria unless they are in the water column, which they are not. They are in sand, rocks, bio-media, ect... The only time you shouldn't run a UV is when cycling a new tank. Otherwise it's nothing but beneficial.

 

[Forsaken77]

Need help choosing a UV for my 300g system (220 display).
It seems Emperor (Pentair) and Aqua are great brands. I came across TMC today.

Thoughts on this product?

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/TMCUVSterilizer.html#110watttmc

I have the 25 watt TMC and think it's a great product for a great price. They are high output UV's so you can run a slightly faster flow through them, as I'm sure you read on their site.

The only thing is that, for me at least, I would want to run all of the aquarium water through the UV. So maybe have one on each return if possible? That's how I'm doing my 180, a 25 watt TMC on each return pump so all of the water is passed through and can have a faster rate than if it was just the one unit.

The only thing I'm trying to find is composite decking boards so I can build a mount for them right over the sump, like an H-frame kinda, because it leaks a bit when changing the bulb.

 

[Oberst Oswald]

I bought a https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/emperor-aquatics-smart-uv-25-watt.html for a 67 gallon tank because I have a killer-type dino problem that I can't get rid of. Hope the UV will destroy them. But let me tell you this... spare no expense on getting a big enough quality unit if it will keep you from getting Dinos. I have a UV Unit for my outside garden pond and without it I would not have a pond anymore. How I wish I would of installed one on my 2 year old tank because, if it kept dinos at least in control it would of saved me losing 75% of my corals which probably cost me over $1000.00+.

 

[brandon429]

If that tank 300g was mine, id only be using a pond sterilizer. by grossly exaggerating the ratings matching between the two, many wonderful cheats can be had. Id never own a tank larger than a nano reef wo UV, meant for a ten thousand gallon pond or better.

Oberst

It is likely to help. before you install it, clean your entire system of dinos by hand, painful detail work, and do a large water change (even though many say not to) then install UV, in that alignment of less mass you have a real chance.

 

[Oberst Oswald]

Thank you for advice. I am kind of worried (and hopeful) that the UV will kill them too fast and pollute the tank. Was debating doing a large water change before I start it up.

 

[brandon429]

yes that's part of the reason I advise pre work, pls see this comparative dino challenge thread:

he's not opting for the pre clean, but you can see in these powerful before pics how much that would tilt control back in his favor. he had a nano reef pretty much, the easiest to access, neat comparative study here at least Id be interested to know if your level of coverage is this rough