UV Sterilizer Flow Rate?

[kyley]

Hi All,
I have an Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt UV sterilizer for my 120 gallon mixed reef. According to their website, they suggest 800-1,200 GPH for a reef tank. That seems really high though (and I'm not sure I can even manage that with how I'm splitting my return pump flow). What do you run yours at, if you have a similar situation?

Note, I mainly want to prevent cyano/dinos, but secondarily keep any potential Ich or other parasites in check. Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[theMeat]

Classic 25 Watt
MSRP* $432.38 - $461.20 USD
Fresh Water Sterilizer 500-1200 gals / Flowrate – 1200 gph for 30,000 µw/cm2
Fresh Water Clarifier to 4000 gals
Salt Water Sterilizer to 150 gals / Flowrate – 400 gph for 90,000 µw/cm2

 

[Stephen Olner]

On mine the recommendation that i found, i ran a 150GPH pump and its controlled any ick as well as Dinos . But that was for the UV i had

 

[dwest]

Hi All,
I have an Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt UV sterilizer for my 120 gallon mixed reef. According to their website, they suggest 800-1,200 GPH for a reef tank. That seems really high though (and I'm not sure I can even manage that with how I'm splitting my return pump flow). What do you run yours at, if you have a similar situation?

Note, I mainly want to prevent cyano/dinos, but secondarily keep any potential Ich or other parasites in check. Thanks,
--Kyle

I run my 57 watt aqua uv for dino control. I use a mj1200 to pump about 200 gph through the unit.

 

[dwest]

Hi All,
I have an Aqua Ultraviolet 25 watt UV sterilizer for my 120 gallon mixed reef. According to their website, they suggest 800-1,200 GPH for a reef tank. That seems really high though (and I'm not sure I can even manage that with how I'm splitting my return pump flow). What do you run yours at, if you have a similar situation?

Note, I mainly want to prevent cyano/dinos, but secondarily keep any potential Ich or other parasites in check. Thanks,
--Kyle

For dinos you want to put 1-3 system volumes per hour through it. I’d go for 200-300 gph.

 

[kyley]

Classic 25 Watt
Salt Water Sterilizer to 150 gals / Flowrate – 400 gph for 90,000 µw/cm2

Thanks, I saw that in their PDF (with a range from 400 GPH to 1,200 GPH and a recommendation of 800-1,200 for a reef tank or 400-480 for fish only) here:
Aqua UV
I'm trying to see if others think this is where I should be? Would lower flow be fine since my tank is a bit smaller? 800 would be hard for me to achieve, but 400 or 600 shouldn't be. I would like to avoid killing off copepods and such (which apparently can happen with really low flow??)...

 

[theMeat]

If you want to damage parasites 400 gph range is what is recommended . If you’re only looking at damaging algae or bacteria you can go higher gph

 

[dwest]

Thanks, I saw that in their PDF (with a range from 400 GPH to 1,200 GPH and a recommendation of 800-1,200 for a reef tank or 400-480 for fish only) here:
Aqua UV
I'm trying to see if others think this is where I should be? Would lower flow be fine since my tank is a bit smaller? 800 would be hard for me to achieve, but 400 or 600 shouldn't be. I would like to avoid killing off copepods and such (which apparently can happen with really low flow??)...

My pods are thriving while using my 57 watt uv at 200 gph. You’ll be happy at 400.

 

[jporter17]

I have a 57W Aqua UV plumbed into my return line feeding the sump. 100% of my water goes through it prior to entering the sump for filtration. Been very happy with this configuration for over 6 months now. I don't know what my flow is through it, but I like to keep a good amount of flow going through the sump. JP

 

[kyley]

Hi All,

For now I set it up with my Jebao DCQ-10000 return pump (2600 GPH) split 3 ways (return to tank, feed algae scrubber, feed the UV), but there isn't enough power to get much more than 500 GPH through the UV this way (I timed it to calculate flow), and it works best (lower power to the pump) at around 400 GPH or less. So, I'm considering installing a dedicated pump for the UV - or just leaving it as-is?

My pods are thriving while using my 57 watt uv at 200 gph. You’ll be happy at 400.

Very good to hear, thank you. The tiny copepods are doing well? And you've kept cyano / dinos from taking hold?

I have a 57W Aqua UV plumbed into my return line feeding the sump. 100% of my water goes through it prior to entering the sump for filtration. Been very happy with this configuration for over 6 months now. I don't know what my flow is through it, but I like to keep a good amount of flow going through the sump. JP

Hmm, I like that idea. Basically drain pipe -> UV -> Filter Sock?
Seems like it would be difficult to get a lot of flow through it with just gravity? And not very adjustable... But I like not having to use more electricity / another pump to power the UV! Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[theMeat]

@ Kyle
When you have a uv fed off a pump that is split/manifold you’re guessing gph. Adjust the flow on any one of those lines fed by that pump, and the flow on the remaining lines changes as well

 

[kyley]

@ Kyle
When you have a uv fed off a pump that is split/manifold you’re guessing gph. Adjust the flow on any one of those lines fed by that pump, and the flow on the remaining lines changes as well

Yeah, I realize that adjusting the flow on one will affect the others, and that's a good point. But I did actually measure the GPH (by timing how long it took the UV flow to fill a 5 gallon bucket), so I wasn't just guessing. Thanks,
--Kyle

 

[dwest]

Hi All,

For now I set it up with my Jebao DCQ-10000 return pump (2600 GPH) split 3 ways (return to tank, feed algae scrubber, feed the UV), but there isn't enough power to get much more than 500 GPH through the UV this way (I timed it to calculate flow), and it works best (lower power to the pump) at around 400 GPH or less. So, I'm considering installing a dedicated pump for the UV - or just leaving it as-is?



Very good to hear, thank you. The tiny copepods are doing well? And you've kept cyano / dinos from taking hold?



Hmm, I like that idea. Basically drain pipe -> UV -> Filter Sock?
Seems like it would be difficult to get a lot of flow through it with just gravity? And not very adjustable... But I like not having to use more electricity / another pump to power the UV! Thanks,
--Kyle

I’ve always had way more amphipods than copepods both before and after UV. I still have cyano, but I don’t see dinos.