uv sterilizer

[Austin1234]

so my coralife 12x just crapped out. water leaked past quartz sleeve and burned out bulb, cant find a replacement sleeve. trying to decide what direction to go. buy another coralife 12x and have spare parts (plus just bought another bulb) or maybe one of the jebao stainless 36w or 55w off amazon. anyone have experience with them? price on the 36w is pretty reasonable. its for a 600 gal tank

 

[Trouser Cough]

I have used several of the Coralife units in the past and they generally work ok.

The issue is the reflectance factor. The idea w/ any light source is that you need to bounce the light off of the interior surfaces of any cavity in order to fill the room w/ light and achieve max brightness.

A UV sterilizer can be compared to a room in your house. Consider a room in your home that has white walls and a white ceiling, and the floor is a reasonably light and reflective color as well. Now envision any light fixture(s) in it that currently light that room adequately.

Now paint all the walls black and use the same fixture(s).

You'd easily need three times the light in order to have the same working light level in the room.

That's why I shifted over to the stainless Jebao units. After a couple years of having used them I'm a fan and won't buy another Coralife as that black ABS or PVC housing they provide can't have the efficacy of a far more reflective stainless tube and where UV is concerned all you're buying is light... and more light for the same operating cost is nearly always better.

 

[Austin1234]

I have used several of the Coralife units in the past and they generally work ok.

The issue is the reflectance factor. The idea w/ any light source is that you need to bounce the light off of the interior surfaces of any cavity in order to fill the room w/ light and achieve max brightness.

A UV sterilizer can be compared to a room in your house. Consider a room in your home that has white walls and a white ceiling, and the floor is a reasonably light and reflective color as well. Now envision any light fixture(s) in it that currently light that room adequately.

Now paint all the walls black and use the same fixture(s).

You'd easily need three times the light in order to have the same working light level in the room.

That's why I shifted over to the stainless Jebao units. After a couple years of having used them I'm a fan and won't buy another Coralife as that black ABS or PVC housing they provide can't have the efficacy of a far more reflective stainless tube and where UV is concerned all you're buying is light... and more light for the same operating cost is nearly always better.

Would you think the 36w ss jebao would be sufficient? As in as good and the 36 w Coralife?

 

[Trouser Cough]

The 36W Jebao stainless UV Sterilizer is theoretically better than the black plastic Coralife 36W unit and in my experience it is built better as well. Opening the carton on the stainless one can initially seem a little confusing IIRC. I think it may have been poor documentation or similar.

Product efficacy though seems at least enough of a step up that I donated all of my Coralife UV sterilizers to friends and replaced them w/ three Jebao stainless models. I like them.

 

[Austin1234]

The 36W Jebao stainless UV Sterilizer is theoretically better than the black plastic Coralife 36W unit and in my experience it is built better as well. Opening the carton on the stainless one can initially seem a little confusing IIRC. I think it may have been poor documentation or similar.

Product efficacy though seems at least enough of a step up that I donated all of my Coralife UV sterilizers to friends and replaced them w/ three Jebao stainless models. I like them.

I ordered one thank you for your input!