UV Sterilizer bulb usage

[DaddyFish]

FWIW -

AquaUV kinda dodged the question but said "we designed the unit to run 24/7 and that is our recommendation".

I don't really see any issues running it 12/hrs per day and your probably get 2x the life from the bulb....

One of the problems with cycling UV on/off is thermal expansion and contraction of the air surrounding the lamp. I have multiple tanks, all running UV, some run 12/24 some 24/24. The units that cycle off for 12-hours tend to draw in much more moisture/water around the quartz sleeve seal and into the lamp chamber.
That may not be an issue for AquaUV or other brands of choice, but so far it has been a real factor in longevity of my units.

 

[Malcontent]

 

[zalick]

Wow, up to 6hrs lost life per on/off cycle is significant.

 

[DaddyFish]

I must turn the UV off during the daytime on one of my tanks. The only alternatives would be to use a smaller UV in a diverted and slower flow circuit or invest in both the cost and space requirement of a chiller, neither of which I want to do. The 36-watt unit I'm currently running on that tank will heat the tank to 83F with a 75F ambient room temperature. It would take a lot of 6-month UV bulb replacements to offset the cost of a chiller!

 

[StlSalt]

Interesting. Thanks for the answer to my question.

 

[canadianeh]

I didn’t know that the sleeve needs to be clean periodically! How to clean the sleeve?

 

[zalick]

I didn’t know that the sleeve needs to be clean periodically! How to clean the sleeve?

I take mine out and soak in vinegar or citric acid. Then clean any deposits with a soft cloth. Don’t want to scratch it up. I think they need to be replaced periodically too if the get cloudy.

 

[OnPointCorals]

I had been cleaning my quartz every 6 months. It always at that time had full precipitate build. I started checking at the 3 month mark. Same thing. I recommend cleaning every 3 months. It’s seems there’s been many months I have run the UV with it doing nothing because this full coverage build up.

I soak in either citric acid or vinegar for an hour then the buildup easily is removed.

 

[canadianeh]

I take mine out and soak in vinegar or citric acid. Then clean any deposits with a soft cloth. Don’t want to scratch it up. I think they need to be replaced periodically too if the get cloudy.

I had been cleaning my quartz every 6 months. It always at that time had full precipitate build. I started checking at the 3 month mark. Same thing. I recommend cleaning every 3 months. It’s seems there’s been many months I have run the UV with it doing nothing because this full coverage build up.

I soak in either citric acid or vinegar for an hour then the buildup easily is removed.

and you guys run your UV 24/7 like I do? If you do, when do you change your bulb?

 

[StlSalt]

and you guys run your UV 24/7 like I do? If you do, when do you change your bulb?

I run mine 24/7 and it seems like the accepted industry standard is to replace it once a year. I do replace the UV bulbs in both my tanks every year. This year I tried the cheaper bulbs you can find on Amazon and haven't noticed any differences as far as my tanks go.

 

[canadianeh]

I run mine 24/7 and it seems like the accepted industry standard is to replace it once a year. I do replace the UV bulbs in both my tanks every year. This year I tried the cheaper bulbs you can find on Amazon and haven't noticed any differences as far as my tanks go.

Can you share the link to Amazon?

 

[StlSalt]

Can you share the link to Amazon?

Depends on what kind of UV Sterilizer you're using. Search using the model of your skimmer.

Amazon product

Vs.

Amazon product