Hi guys i just recently installed a 36 watt uv sterilizer to my tank which is about 700 to 800 gallons. I bought the uv sterilizer in the hopes of killing off an algae bloom but when i got back from a vacation the tank suddenly balanced itself out.. Nevertheless i still planned to install the system for other uses which is to kill off other harmful stuff and of course to prevent algae blooms from happening again. Anyway so i attached a pump which pumps about 350 gallons per hour. The hose that connects the pump to the uv measures about two feet high. im no good with calculations and have only brushed the surface on how uv sterilizers work, but is the pump's water pressure adequate to kill off algae and other bad bacteria in the water? Thanks pls ask additional questions if you need more info.
36 watt uv sterilizer question
- Thread starter darboy
- Start date
I would refer to the manufacturer of the UV unit. Most of them will make claims as to what the UV will destroy given specific flow rates.
See the last page of this PDF (see link below) for Coralife's 36W UV's specs.
At 290GPH they claim it will kill parasites.
At 680GPH they claim it will kill algae
At 1550GPH they claim it will kill bacteria.
http://coralifeproducts.com/Files/Product/turbotwist-instructions.pdf
See the last page of this PDF (see link below) for Coralife's 36W UV's specs.
At 290GPH they claim it will kill parasites.
At 680GPH they claim it will kill algae
At 1550GPH they claim it will kill bacteria.
http://coralifeproducts.com/Files/Product/turbotwist-instructions.pdf
Here is a very good article on UV sterilizers.
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html#whatsize
Especially helpful is this chart:
View attachment 829396
Level One Sterilization is the most common and recommended aquarium application. To achieve this on an 800 gallon tank, you need a minimum turnover rate of 1.5 times an hour. That comes out to 1200 gph. Generally speaking, you will 1 Watt for every 20-30 gph which comes out to at least 40-60 Watts. So the bare minimum to achieve Level One Sterilization on an 800 gallon tank would be 40 - 60 Watts at 1200 gph.