UV STERILIZER HELP

[nycxdinorex]

Hi everyone. I have a Aqua ultraviolet 25watt sterilizer. I have it connect to a seperate dc pump so i can control the flow rate. I am wondering at what speed do i run it on a mixed reef for parasite control? I looked at the recommended gph from Aqua but is that only for algae? They say if i run it slower than 800gph it will kill the planktonic food supply in the reef tank. I attached a pic of their chart. It is true that running it at high gph is for algae control and lower is for parasites? How many gph should i run the uv? Any insight into this issue would help. Thanks

 

[Shirak]

Pentair recommends 180,000 µWs/cm² for parasites which would be about 200gph on the chart you posted.

 

[nycxdinorex]

Pentair recommends 180,000 µWs/cm² for parasites which would be about 200gph on the chart you posted.

Will going that slow affect my plankytons?

 

[Shirak]

Will going that slow affect my plankytons?

Not a problem. Only a small amount of the tank water is going through the UV. Phytoplankton within the tank will grow much faster than the UV can remove them.

 

[Spare time]

Anything that would damage parasites will be enough to damage types of planktonic food, hence why UV's create unnatural environments for corals. However, skimmers do the same thing. Any turnover that would actually help with parasites like marine ich would be enough to damage types of planktonic food.

 

[ssunthar]

Hi expert, just a side question.. wont the UV kill the good bacteria too? Thanks.

 

[Yazannreef]

I second what the guys said above. Running it around 200gph is the target goal. As far. As Killin plankytons , I wouldn't worry about it much as the planktons will have it's population attached to rocks and macro algae.

I would run the uv intake in the skimmer chamber and the out to the return Pump chamber and skip the fuge section.

 

[Yazannreef]

Hi expert, just a side question.. wont the UV kill the good bacteria too? Thanks.

No, good bacteria is not free floating in the water. It is embedded in your rocks/sand..
So you beneficial bacteria is safe,!!

 

[ssunthar]

No, good bacteria is not free floating in the water. It is embedded in your rocks/sand..
So you beneficial bacteria is safe,!!

Wow, thank you very much.

I am running a 5ft mixed reef tank with total volume of 650 liters. Any good UV that i should consider if my objective is to mainly get rid of unvanted parasites?

 

[Yazannreef]

Wow, thank you very much.

I am running a 5ft mixed reef tank with total volume of 650 liters. Any good UV that i should consider if my objective is to mainly get rid of unvanted parasites?

It depends on your budget. Aquaticlife life turbo twist 12x is what I used and it to help help with Ich in the past. It worked great for me. I actually have one used one for sale!!! Pm if interested

 

[Yazannreef]

Here is the chart for parasite eradication requirement

 

[Billldg]

The Uv will not kill the good bacteria in your tank. The good bacteria mainly stays on the rock and sand substrate and not in the water column. A UV sterilizer will only work on what is in the water column. I currently use a Pentair 40w UV sterilizer and I am using it for Dino control. I have to keep my turnover thru the UV sterilizer at around 950 gph. with the same UV sterilizer I would need to keep the flow for Ick and such at around 250 gph.

 

[ssunthar]

It depends on your budget. Aquaticlife life turbo twist 12x is what I used and it to help help with Ich in the past. It worked great for me. I actually have one used one for sale!!! Pm if interested

Thank you very much, love to get it from you unfortunately, I am in Singapore.

 

[ssunthar]

The Uv will not kill the good bacteria in your tank. The good bacteria mainly stays on the rock and sand substrate and not in the water column. A UV sterilizer will only work on what is in the water column. I currently use a Pentair 40w UV sterilizer and I am using it for Dino control. I have to keep my turnover thru the UV sterilizer at around 950 gph. with the same UV sterilizer I would need to keep the flow for Ick and such at around 250 gph.

Thank you very much for the info and recommendation.