Are There Any 5-Stage Canister Filters with Powerful UV Sterilizers?

Hello--

I've been having great results with a stand-alone UV sterilizer in my tank. It's a new unit and the pump/power head went out. It's still under warranty, but I found out there are 5 stage canister filters with UV sterilizers as one of the stages.

Although my current filter has been awesome, it is over 5 years old and so I'm thinking that instead of replacing the stand-alone UV sterilizer, that I'll get a new canister filter with one built in.

The problem is, I have a 60 gallon tank and all of the 5-stage filters I've seen only sport a 9 watt UV sterilizer. My current sterilizer is 24-watts.

I've got a about a week to decide, but I'd rather get a 5-stage because the stand-alone is a beast in my tank and kind of ugly because it's so huge.

Any thoughts here?

Thanks,

1eyedbicher said:

I have a 5 stage Aquatop w/uv but like You said only 9wt bulb....I did not have high expectations for its performance(I did not buy the filter for the UV but if its already there ? ok) ....Bulb went out shortly after purchase...and I really saw no noticeable benefits when it was on.....I personally have not seen any cans with higher than 9wt built ins. It seems to Me ,from what I have read here ,for serious uv a stand alone unit is the best/only option. Yours is still under warranty? and You are happy w/ current filter? Sounds like You are good .

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OK, thanks. I just wish it wasn't such a huge eye sore in the tank.

Ryan_R said:

An inline UV is the way to go with a canister filter running it.... or an external in-line pump. That'll keep hardware in the tank to a minimum.

My problem with built-in "UV" is that not only are all of your eggs in one basket, but you don't know how the UV is "paired" to filter flow. I imagine that very few filters have flow slow enough, or UV "big enough" to kill parasites. For me, UV is for fish health and not just pretty clear water. That's why I have my 18W Turbo Twists slowed to the parasite level of kill!

-Ryan

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Yup. The 24W green monster I have has really made a big difference.

Thanks,