UV sterilizer for 500 gallons

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
My advice is to buy 3 tmc vecton 600's or use google to find if a larger one is available.

Here is the first 600 I found on a google search http://www.google.co.uk/products/ca...a=X&ei=tSrzTqOXAaii4gSKmcSNCA&ved=0CEoQ8wIwAg


£72 per unit and they do 600 litres therefore 3 needed for 500 gals. Check the flow rate for the product (retailer can tell you or google it) and buy a pump with the correct flow rate for 1 unit then daisy chain the 3 together) personally I think you could get away with 2 and run them nice n slow. Eheim do some good pumps, their flow rates are low compared to things like hydors but I find the cheaper pumps to be louder. Ideally get a pump with a profiler. I also make sure that I do not run it on the main returns for the sump as you would have to turn off the lamps when doing water changes.
 
Sik.10a said:
Agreed
Flow rate u can run does not increase by adding more uvs.
I understand both cases here but I would not run all 4 in series.
It would work better if u split the flow into 2 from the pump then have 2 at half flow per line instead of 4 at full flow. So if using 4000L pump each uv wen pump is split runs 2000L max.
Flow rate is closer to specs for uv then to work the best- makes more sense that way to me
Click to expand...

if what you are saying is true why is the only difference between a 8w and a 55w the lenght of the tube yet the flow rate on a 55w uv is much higher on a 55w

what you also need to take into account is the loss of flow rate when pumping throw a chain of uv

you maybe pumping 10000lph throw it but at the return part you are only getting 7000lph meaning you can run a much faster pump throw a chain of uv

what the difference in running 2 uv back to back or 4 if you look at the main systems in a maidenhead aquatics store they all run big banks of uv back to back with many more than 4 on the marine systems with massive pumps
 
Maidenhead run the same system I used to run in my shop, it was a bank but the flow was split across multiple tubes, not in series. At least thats how we did it and saw the same set up in a maidenhead near me.

Agree with you on the length of tube but disagree that a daisey chain allows for a flow rate 4x that of the manufacturers spec, the flow rate at the end is not the relevant factor it is the flow rate overall I.e. if the manufacturer specifies 500 gph max for a 55 watt bulb then that is the end of it IMO. I may be wrong but will contact tmc and find out...they are the industry leaders.

4 uv in a line is a very different set of circumstances to 4 in parallel as on 1/4 of the flow is going over each tube therefore 1/4 flow rate and 4 times the burn.


A55w tube is longer than an 8w as you cannot fit 55w in an 8w size, the flow rate can be higher as you have more burn time but there is a limit. The flow rate is designed to work with "up to" a certain size tank as you get more passes per hour, double he tank volume and the passes drop, this is why they state a flow rate and a tank size. In an ideal world if the uv said 250gals per hour on a max 250gal tank then you ae 4 pumps at 250 on a 1000 gal tank.
 
Agreed, flow rate is the key here and whether u want to follow manufacturers specs or just make up ur own.
Jus because a shop does it, doesn't make it right.

I'm not saying it's wrong but jus IMO

I'd be interested to see if u would get 4x the burn but wat for? In theory, when in series if the flow rate is right the first uv is doing all the work and the other uvs arnt doing much at all as they are just all backups from the first...

In parallel all uvs are working to their full potential as they are all first in line
 
all im saying is with more uv running back to back you can run a faster flow rate which is is to see as you will have the same contact time if you run a slower pump throw a lower watt uv
 
It will have the same contact time in terms of seconds in front of a uv...I.e. time it takes to get from water being in front of a uv source to the time it isn't AGREED but the water is at a high velocity all of the time therefore it is not in front of the same piece of the uv wavelength for the same length of time, this I openly admit to not knowing if the same thing. TMC VECTON 600 says in the advert that flow rate is "CRITICAL" and that you should take advice on this. Interesting debate.
 
:grinno:1 x 25w is 1ft long with 4 x 25w the total unit size is 4ft so the contact time will be longer if you run the same size pump yes or no meaning if you run a larger pump throw a bank of 4 you will have the same contact time as you would if you run the smaller pump throw a 25w

like i said the only difference between a 8w and a 55w is the lenght of the unit but the 55w lets you push more water throw and thats what the makers say not just me

a 55w uv is about 3ft long and 4 x 25w back to back are 4ft

come on toby think about it :grinno:
 
T1's argument is correct. Running it faster with more bulbs actually get you a fraction more dosage. Not much more but not a bad thing. However, higher flow means higher pressure which results in blowing seals and hoses sooner. Some manufacturers actually put restrictors on the input/output to prevent higher flow rate. Daisy chaining multiple units or not still result in head pressure loss which is not efficient.
 
Well, I am sure women have told you before but it ain't all about the length Lol.

My point is that if you flow 10 times the manufacturers rating then adding many units in a row does not solve the problem, the massive flow over the first leaves it ineffective.


Othink we are debating some different issues and will not get to the end of this.
 
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