Tips For Keeping UV Light Quartz Sleeve Clean?

[PeterC99]

Cleaning the Aqua 57 Watt UV light quartz sleeve is a chore - Dismantling from return, removing from sump, unassembling the UV Light, cleaning quartz sleeve, reassembling the light, clipping back into sump, and reassembling to return. Then it’s the important check that nothing is leaking. Takes at least a half hour and I find that I need to clean every 2 months.

Appreciate any tips to help keep the quartz sleeve clean! Is there any substance that can be put on the quartz sleeve to prevent the build up of dirt while not impacting the lights functions?

Thank you.

 

[AlexG]

Do you have any pictures of the buildup you are getting? Normally when I pull my sleeve on my Emperor aquatics (Pentair) UV I don't have much if any buildup on the quartz sleeve. If its just detritus that comes off easily then maybe trying to flush the UV with high flow water for a few minutes might be a solution. If its a hard stuck on build up that requires an acid to remove then I don't think there are any solutions out there other than cleaning. The only other option is a sleeve wiper but I have not seen one that is saltwater safe since they normally use a metal rod that will corrode in saltwater.

 

[PeterC99]

Do you have any pictures of the buildup you are getting? Normally when I pull my sleeve on my Emperor aquatics (Pentair) UV I don't have much if any buildup on the quartz sleeve. If its just detritus that comes off easily then maybe trying to flush the UV with high flow water for a few minutes might be a solution. If its a hard stuck on build up that requires an acid to remove then I don't think there are any solutions out there other than cleaning. The only other option is a sleeve wiper but I have not seen one that is saltwater safe since they normally use a metal rod that will corrode in saltwater.

Sorry I don’t have a picture - will take one next time I clean the sleeve and attach to the thread.

It’s a nasty hard white coating on the quartz sleeve. It doesn’t just wipe off. I have to soak the sleeve in vinegar for 1/2 hour. After the vinegar soaking it wipes right off and the sleeve looks new again.

 

[piranhaman00]

I recently changed the bulb on my 40 watt pentair and the sleeve was barely dirty after 1 year of constant use.

How do you clean your sleeve?

 

[PeterC99]

I recently changed the bulb on my 40 watt pentair and the sleeve was barely dirty after 1 year of constant use.

How do you clean your sleeve?

Soak the sleeve in vinegar and water. After 30 minutes the white film just wipes off.

Cleaning the sleeve every 2 monthly. By that time it’s almost completely covered by that white film.

 

[jk_s124]

Where and how mount the unit may be something to think about. Having to completely dismantle and remove the unit from within the stand sounds like the chore. Maybe mounting on the back of the stand vertical and on its own return pump and line, or the existing one, would work better. This way you only have to turn off the pump it’s attached to, wait a few minutes for it to drain, then unscrew the top and pull out the sleeve and bulb.

 

[PeterC99]

Where and how mount the unit may be something to think about. Having to completely dismantle and remove the unit from within the stand sounds like the chore. Maybe mounting on the back of the stand vertical and on its own return pump and line, or the existing one, would work better. This way you only have to turn off the pump it’s attached to, wait a few minutes for it to drain, then unscrew the top and pull out the sleeve and bulb.

Have the 90 gallon aquarium setup in my living room against a wall. Reconfiguring UV light would be difficult and probably upset the wife if it was on the outside of the stand.

Wondering if it could be that I dose 120ml of 2 part every day right before the return? Could I be getting some chemical reaction that is causing this white stuff to harden on the quartz sleeve?

 

[piranhaman00]

Soak the sleeve in vinegar and water. After 30 minutes the white film just wipes off.

Cleaning the sleeve every 2 monthly. By that time it’s almost completely covered by that white film.

Thats crazy, try dosing after the UV, sounds like something being dosed is precipitating on the sleeve. I have a different UV running for 16 months before taking it down and no white film.

 

[PeterC99]

Thats crazy, try dosing after the UV, sounds like something being dosed is precipitating on the sleeve. I have a different UV running for 16 months before taking it down and no white film.

Thank you - should have figured this out long ago. Moved my Alk/Cal drips out of sump and to top of aquarium.

 

[piranhaman00]

Thank you - should have figured this out long ago. Moved my Alk/Cal drips out of sump and to top of aquarium.

Yup that was the issue

 

[Mielo]

Hi there. Sorry to hijack this thread, but I inherited a used SUN SUN CUV-136 UV steriliser and want to clean it. I am however, experiencing a problem removing the quartz sleeve from the plastic unit as it does not want to budge. I do not want to exert too much force as I am scared I might break it.

Any suggestions on how I can safely remove it?