UV Quartz Sleeve Totaly Calcified

[OsiViper]

What would cause this kind of calcification so quickly? This the tank has been up with the UV on for probably 2-3 months. I'm assuming it's calcification because the only way I could get it off was to soak it in vinegar, and even then I was scrubbing it with a clean kitchen scrubber.

Temperature 79
pH around 8
Alk is steady around 8.5-9
Calcium is mid 400's (can't get it to go down)
Magnesium is 1400

 

[bubbaque]

I think it happens when you leave the U.V. on when your return or whatever pump is turned off. The bulb gets so hot it cools the stuff to it.

 

[OsiViper]

I think it happens when you leave the U.V. on when your return or whatever pump is turned off. The bulb gets so hot it cools the stuff to it.

Ahh ****, that's probably it. I meant to program the UV outlet to turn off when the return pump goes off but I totally forgot.

 

[ReefHog]

I clean mine every six months. Mine runs 24/7 and shuts off when there is no flow. I use citric acid. Works better than vinegar and faster. I fill a pvc pipe with RO/citric acid mixture and in the sleeve goes for 20 minutes.

 

[Cory]

What would cause this kind of calcification so quickly? This the tank has been up with the UV on for probably 2-3 months. I'm assuming it's calcification because the only way I could get it off was to soak it in vinegar, and even then I was scrubbing it with a clean kitchen scrubber.

Temperature 79
pH around 8
Alk is steady around 8.5-9
Calcium is mid 400's (can't get it to go down)
Magnesium is 1400

Wow thats a lot! Higher temperatures increase calcium carbonate precipitation. The same thing happens on heaters. If your flow is too slow, it will be too hot and that will form the calcium deposits. What unit is it?

 

[OsiViper]

Wow thats a lot! Higher temperatures increase calcium carbonate precipitation. The same thing happens on heaters. If your flow is too slow, it will be too hot and that will form the calcium deposits. What unit is it?

Sterilizer is Aqua Ultraviolet 57 Watt.
It is WAY oversized for my system, but the entire tank flow goes through it which is around 980-1000 GPH.

I think the problem is what bubbaque said, I had forgotten to turn the UV off when I stopped the return pump for feeding or maintenance; especially longer maintenence when I'm doing a more thorough cleaning and pump was off for 30+ minutes.

 

[Cory]

Sterilizer is Aqua Ultraviolet 57 Watt.
It is WAY oversized for my system, but the entire tank flow goes through it which is around 980-1000 GPH.

I think the problem is what bubbaque said, I had forgotten to turn the UV off when I stopped the return pump for feeding or maintenance; especially longer maintenence when I'm doing a more thorough cleaning and pump was off for 30+ minutes.

Did you notice the more algae growth because it got covered and working less or the same as day 1?

 

[OsiViper]

I actually started getting bad algae over the past week. Doing a larger water change, cleaning tank and sump was the main reason I decided to check it. It has a window at the end where you can see some UV light spill so you know it's on. Problem is I have cabinet lighting that turns on in the sump when the door opens, and with that light on you can't see the UV. I decided to check it when doing the maintenence, and normally it's a bright violet color, but it was a dull white light that was almost too dim to see even in the dark.