Where to put pump for UV sterilizer????

[Tezzie]

Hello everyone

Just a quick question

Where should I put the pump for my UV sterilizer in the sump? I can put it in the chamber where the water comes in, chamber where the protein skimmer is or the chamber where the return pump is? That would be the inlet and I’m guessing the outlet should go in the same chamber as well

Also should UV be on 24/7 or just during the night?

 

[Uncle99]

For sump, into UV in first section and out UV in return chamber, otherwise you’ll just be resterilzing much of the same water, so somewhat less efficient.

UV works tons better when pulling sterilizing and return waters directly from DT.

I don’t employ UV, it sterilizes both good and bad algaes, I want to keep the good.

I do use it if I have an excess (green water) and just until clear.

 

[Reef.]

24/7 but depends on why you are using it, seems pointless to have it on just part of the time if using for algae dino or clear water as when off you just give those things a chance to regrow…the only reason to have it on just overnight is it may give a slight ph boost but think it would be so small it wouldn’t make much difference.

 

[Tezzie]

For sump, into UV in first section and out UV in return chamber, otherwise you’ll just be resterilzing much of the same water, so somewhat less efficient.

UV works tons better when pulling sterilizing and return waters directly from DT.

I don’t employ UV, it sterilizes both good and bad algaes, I want to keep the good.

I do use it if I have an excess (green water) and just until clear.

So put pump in chamber where water comes in before the filter sock and out is last chamber where return pump is?

 

[Uncle99]

So put pump in chamber where water comes in before the filter sock and out is last chamber where return pump is?

After filter sock.
The thinking is I grab the DT water when it enters, sterlize, then put the return sterlized water downstream. Is a bit more efficient than taking from sump and returning to same place, but much less efficient than direct DT sterilization.