Next Big Project - Adding UV to my large tank

[Treefer32]

First step is identifying the business justification: WHY a UV?
My primary goal for the UV is to manage parasites. I don't QT, and although I don't know if I've lost fish to parasites. I'm getting rid of a couple of agressive fish in the next couple weeks in the hopes that I can finally bring my fish population to around 40. (Currently at 18-20 in a 340 Gallon display). Parasite management is the goal.

Current setup:
340 gallon display w/75 gallon custom sump
Skimmer, Algae turf Scrubber, and Red Sea Reefmat 1200
Pellet reactor (denitrification) and cannister filter full of matrix rock (denitrification)
Plumbing I have 1.5" hard plumbing off my Hammerhead External return pump rated at 5000gph
I run a manifold pushing water to my ATS, denitrification factories, and a bleed off to the sump and obviously to the display, based on my overflow capacity of 2400 gph, I'm very near 2000-2400 gph going to the display

I'm looking for the right sized UV sterilizer and a good quality easy to maintain brand. I'm budgeting around $1500-$2000 for the project.
Equipment: Around $1000-1300 for UV (If possible?)
Additional plumbing with gate valve: $150 plus brackets etc
Apex Flow Meter to get a precise flow of water going to the UV for Parasite treatment: $150-$200
Labor: $200

I'm thinking of plumbing it off the 1.5" return line before it splits into 2 3/4" flex lines that go to the display. That would ensure that sterilized UV water is going to both outputs of the return flow.

I would use the gate valve with union to dial in water flowing through the UV and for easy removal to change the bulb.

Questions I have is just on the variety of UV Sterilizers:
1. is what size is needed?
I've seen the double 40 Watt Sterilizers where water flows through 2 pipes with 40 watt bulbs on each. Or one long one that's at 55 watt. Or fat pipes that are at 40 watts. Then I see other people saying no, you need 150 watt bulbs (which are much harder to find). Are not all UV bulbs created equal? I have a lot of room for different options, so, what is easiest to maintain and best for water treatment would be my ideal unit?

2. Are any brands better / easier to maintain the sleeves and bulb?


Then finally functionality:

From what I've seen there's two uses treating water for parasites and for treating algae. Slow flow rates for parasites and faster for algae. My question is why wouldn't a slower flow rate for eliminating parasites also still kill algae? BRS made it sound like you can only do one or the other with UV? I'm curious how UV sterilizers lose their algae killing power if the water moves through it slower? Seems counterintuitive to me?

Will the UV still kill algae cells and reduce algae build up on the glass if the water moves through it slower or does something magical happen where it no longer kills algae but can only kill parasites?

Summary
What size UV Bulb / brand / shape design (if any options are on the table) / Price for a 340 gallon display / 75 gallon sump system?
Lastly if treating for parasites will it still reduce algae build up on glass or is there a reason it won't do this effectively if running it to kill parasites?

 

[David_CO]

I use a 55W on a 160 gallon system and 40W on a 90 gallon frag system. flow rate is really what matters. the thing with UV is you really want to go as oversized as possible.

You dont need to block the water flow to replace the bulb, only when you clean the quartz sleeve which can be quite an ordeal. You will want to fully remove the unit from the tank IMO for this unless you have really good access to the UV unit.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

You have a large budget for UV.

I have used Aqua UV and Lifegard and have been happy with both but I currently use a Lifegard. I would add the largest Lifgard unit you could fit/afford. I would rather deal with a single lamp and I think your system is large enough that if you go with AquaUV you would need at least an 80-watt system which is a dual lamp which means twice the bulbs to replace, twice the sleeves to maintain, and more places for leaks. I would use a Lifegard ProMax 90 or 120. The 90 would be sufficient but there is no downside to going larger and the 120 is well within your budget.

https://www.marineandreef.com/Lifegard_Aquatics_Pro_MAX_3_Body_120W_Sterilizer_p/rrl31823.htm

At the parasite flow rate, you will sterilize algae and bacteria, but the generation time of algae and bacteria is so much shorter than parasites that low flow rates are not very effective.

Generation time is the time needed for the given organism to complete its life cycle and reproduce. So for Ich, the generation time is 30 days. If Ich enters the UV at any time in these 30 days then the UV will sterilize the pathogen and render it unable to reproduce. Over time this will eliminate or greatly reduce Ich.

Unfortunately for algae and bacteria, the generation time is often less than a day and sometimes a matter of hours. Unless the pathogen passes through the UV and is sterilized before it reaches its full reproductive potential the pathogen will still be able to reproduce which means more algae and bacteria in the system.

Fortunately, Algae and Bacteria are smaller and easier to sterilize so less UV exposure is needed to render the pathogen sterile. The consequence is that a UV sterilizer will have a very hard time controlling both parasites and algae/bacteria at the same time. In theory, if you purchase an extremely oversized unit that can circulate lots of water and expose it to a lot of UV light then it could control both parasites and algae but this is not economically viable for most people.

 

[Treefer32]

You have a large budget for UV.

I have used Aqua UV and Lifegard and have been happy with both but I currently use a Lifegard. I would add the largest Lifgard unit you could fit/afford. I would rather deal with a single lamp and I think your system is large enough that if you go with AquaUV you would need at least an 80-watt system which is a dual lamp which means twice the bulbs to replace, twice the sleeves to maintain, and more places for leaks. I would use a Lifegard ProMax 90 or 120. The 90 would be sufficient but there is no downside to going larger and the 120 is well within your budget.

https://www.marineandreef.com/Lifegard_Aquatics_Pro_MAX_3_Body_120W_Sterilizer_p/rrl31823.htm

At the parasite flow rate, you will sterilize algae and bacteria, but the generation time of algae and bacteria is so much shorter than parasites that low flow rates are not very effective.

Generation time is the time needed for the given organism to complete its life cycle and reproduce. So for Ich, the generation time is 30 days. If Ich enters the UV at any time in these 30 days then the UV will sterilize the pathogen and render it unable to reproduce. Over time this will eliminate or greatly reduce Ich.

Unfortunately for algae and bacteria, the generation time is often less than a day and sometimes a matter of hours. Unless the pathogen passes through the UV and is sterilized before it reaches its full reproductive potential the pathogen will still be able to reproduce which means more algae and bacteria in the system.

Fortunately, Algae and Bacteria are smaller and easier to sterilize so less UV exposure is needed to render the pathogen sterile. The consequence is that a UV sterilizer will have a very hard time controlling both parasites and algae/bacteria at the same time. In theory, if you purchase an extremely oversized unit that can circulate lots of water and expose it to a lot of UV light then it could control both parasites and algae but this is not economically viable for most people.

Thanks for the information, I looked at the Lifegard aquatics and emailed their support. Their fact sheets and instructions do not list any flow rates for treating for protozoa. Only for algae and bacteria. I emailed them asking for salt water aquarium flow rates to treat for parasites and protozoa. They responded back with the same instructions I had read and two videos on installing it on a pond. It does not appear it's for salt water applications or if it is, they are unable to provide fact sheets on what flow rates treat for parasites.

I'm unable to find larger than the dual 40 watt that BRS sells. So, wondering what people use on larger tanks. I was hoping to have only one ballast but, it seems it's easier to do 2 or 3 bulbs than one large bulb for some reason.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

Thanks for the information, I looked at the Lifegard aquatics and emailed their support. Their fact sheets and instructions do not list any flow rates for treating for protozoa. Only for algae and bacteria. I emailed them asking for salt water aquarium flow rates to treat for parasites and protozoa. They responded back with the same instructions I had read and two videos on installing it on a pond. It does not appear it's for salt water applications or if it is, they are unable to provide fact sheets on what flow rates treat for parasites.

I'm unable to find larger than the dual 40 watt that BRS sells. So, wondering what people use on larger tanks. I was hoping to have only one ballast but, it seems it's easier to do 2 or 3 bulbs than one large bulb for some reason.

We have all sizes of Lifegard UV in 5in and 3in bodies. I have made a flow chart showing the kill rates. I have asked Lifegard to make one and they have procrastinated so I have created one based on their spec sheet. The chart is below.

 

[Treefer32]

We have all sizes of Lifegard UV in 5in and 3in bodies. I have made a flow chart showing the kill rates. I have asked Lifegard to make one and they have procrastinated so I have created one based on their spec sheet. The chart is below.

Thank you so much for this. Everyone says to pay attention to the manufacturers spec sheet yet if there isn't one what do you do? Heh.

My question then is I want to treat 350 gallons of water volume. (Roughly 75 gallon sump, half full, plus 340 gallon display - displacement - probably 300-350 gallons.

If I went with the 120 watt and used a flow meter and unions with gate valve to control the flow through the UV off my return to my display and dialed in around 1300-1400 gph is that overkill? When that is over half my turnover to the display or would I have really sterilized water?

I've had a few break outs (about 60 days a part) where several of my fish are covered in what I presume to be ich. None have died yet, but, I fear after 5 years of no Ich treatment and only 1 to 2 50% water changes a year, I'm probably not managing the parasite very well. My plumbing is all 1.5" from the return to the display.

I know overkill is probably the best route going forward, plus at the 1300 gph rate, wouldn't that kill algae fast enough too to limit what grows on the glass? Even with the different lifecycles between Algae and parasites?

At 1300 gph that's 4 times my tank volume in an hour. Meaning most of all of my tank's display water will have gone through the UV 4 times in a single hour?

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

With UV there really isn't any downside to overkill except maybe plankton killing but there is no practical way to kill parasites and not plankton.