I am considering buying one. Who has a recommendation on a brand foe me? If I get it - it will be on a 400 Gallon tank.
Thanks, Arkangel77
Thanks, Arkangel77
Best UV sterilizer ?
- Thread starter Arkangel77
- Start date
The first thing you need to figure out is what you want the UV sterilizer to do, i.e., clarification or Level One Sterilization (most people don't even consider Level Two Sterilization). Here is the definitive article on UV sterilization. It contains more information than you will want to know, but it is extremely informative. With UV sterilizers, flow rate and dwell/exposure time are critical. Turnover rate is also important.
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html
If you decide to go with Level One category C: On your 400 gallon tank you would need a flow rate of 400 to 600 gph. Going with a 1.5 turnover rate, you would need 30 - 40 Watts. Keep in mind that every UV sterilizer comes with its own recommendation for flow rate.
I really like my Lifeguard Aquatics UV sterilizer. I have a 40W UV sterilizer (max flow rate 1500 gph) on the return end of a FX6 filter (563 gph) on my 300 gallon tank. This combination gives me the turnover rate and wattage for Level One Sterilization. This would also work on a 400 gallon tank. The only downside is that the Lifeguard Aquatics UV sterilizers are tall - 39" so won't fit in a stand.
https://www.marinedepot.com/Lifegar...riums-Lifegard_Aquatics-RB5171-FIUVUU-vi.html
We have floor to ceiling picture windows and skylights in our living room, so our tank gets partial sunlight all day. We quickly developed a green water problem when the tank was set up.
With the UV sterilizer, the water cleared up Very quickly. The UV sterilizer is on the floor behind the tank.
Running a UV sterilizer is peace of mind for me. The gruesome injuries my fish get slamming into tank lids) heal very quickly. I keep no medications on hand any more for various diseases and ailments. I would not run a tank without a UV sterilizer. On my big tank system which is still a work in progress, I will be running two 120W UV sterilizers off the returns of two Ultima II 4,000s/ReeFloBarracuda Gold pumps. The flow rates, wattage, turnover rates all fit together for the Level One Sterilization I want on my big tank.
To rehash: decide what you want the UV sterilizer to do. Once you decide on the flow rate you want (the faster the flow rate, the more wattage you will need) you can calculate the minimal wattage you will need. In theory, if you went with the bare bones minimum - turnover rate of 1 which is a flow rate of 400 gph, you could get by with 20W, but that would depend on the UV sterilizer. Each brand has their own recommendations. Here's a 40W UV sterilizer for 260 gallons or less with a maximum flow rate of 262 gph.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/emperor-aquatics-smart-uv-40-watt.html
I'm beginning to remember why I went with the Lifegard Aquatics
.. my 40 W UV sterilizer is almost overkill compared to the emperor.
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html
If you decide to go with Level One category C: On your 400 gallon tank you would need a flow rate of 400 to 600 gph. Going with a 1.5 turnover rate, you would need 30 - 40 Watts. Keep in mind that every UV sterilizer comes with its own recommendation for flow rate.
I really like my Lifeguard Aquatics UV sterilizer. I have a 40W UV sterilizer (max flow rate 1500 gph) on the return end of a FX6 filter (563 gph) on my 300 gallon tank. This combination gives me the turnover rate and wattage for Level One Sterilization. This would also work on a 400 gallon tank. The only downside is that the Lifeguard Aquatics UV sterilizers are tall - 39" so won't fit in a stand.
https://www.marinedepot.com/Lifegar...riums-Lifegard_Aquatics-RB5171-FIUVUU-vi.html
We have floor to ceiling picture windows and skylights in our living room, so our tank gets partial sunlight all day. We quickly developed a green water problem when the tank was set up.
With the UV sterilizer, the water cleared up Very quickly. The UV sterilizer is on the floor behind the tank.
Running a UV sterilizer is peace of mind for me. The gruesome injuries my fish get slamming into tank lids) heal very quickly. I keep no medications on hand any more for various diseases and ailments. I would not run a tank without a UV sterilizer. On my big tank system which is still a work in progress, I will be running two 120W UV sterilizers off the returns of two Ultima II 4,000s/ReeFloBarracuda Gold pumps. The flow rates, wattage, turnover rates all fit together for the Level One Sterilization I want on my big tank.
To rehash: decide what you want the UV sterilizer to do. Once you decide on the flow rate you want (the faster the flow rate, the more wattage you will need) you can calculate the minimal wattage you will need. In theory, if you went with the bare bones minimum - turnover rate of 1 which is a flow rate of 400 gph, you could get by with 20W, but that would depend on the UV sterilizer. Each brand has their own recommendations. Here's a 40W UV sterilizer for 260 gallons or less with a maximum flow rate of 262 gph.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/emperor-aquatics-smart-uv-40-watt.html
I'm beginning to remember why I went with the Lifegard Aquatics
.. my 40 W UV sterilizer is almost overkill compared to the emperor.
I tend to not recommend UV sterilizers and usually opt for additional mechanical or bio filtration.
Paco mom I could fit / rig something up for the Lifegard Aquatics 40 Watt UV. How long have u had yours? How has it held up over time? I am still testing to try and figure out what I need. I don't want to spend a bunch of money and do a Bunch of work on something that wont fix my problem or something that wont last.
Twelve years.
OK, you mentioned a problem. I just read your other thread. It really sounds like an uncycled tank and/or a bacterial bloom. The way you are feeding, unless the fish are really tiny and unless you are doing massive daily water changes, the nitrates should be high. The other thing that it could be is inadequate mechanical filtration. But if the tank is uncycled, you would have measureable ammonia and/or nitrites which you don't. As an ignorant newbie, I bought another tank, filled it with water and turned the filters on. The water was cycling through the filters right? I moved over some fish to their new home to alleviate crowding in the first tank. The water got cloudy. Water changes did not take care of the cloudiness. One day (Thanksgiving Day) we came home to a terrible stench permeating the whole house. Yep, a huge bacterial bloom from that uncycled tank. We had to put the fish back into the first tank to save their lives. I had to use bleach to get rid of the horrible stench on my hands and arms.
Your cloudy water and the low nitrates sound like a weird cycling issue (weird because of the lack of ammonia and nitrites) If it was insufficient mechanical filtration, you would see particulates in the water, and a water change would help that situation.
The UV sterilizer would only help if a bacterial problem is present.
The 40W Lifeguard UV sterilizer is not the cheapest UV sterilizer on the market. Getting replacement bulbs and ballasts and protective sleeves can almost add up to the cost of a new UV sterilizer. Amazon has the best prices for replacement bulbs and ballasts.
https://www.f3images.com/IMD/UserManuals/RB5175.pdf
I believe in Lifeguard UV sterilizers and will be using two 120W units on my big tank.
You already have two unused FX5s. If you have sufficient biological media with your Ultimas and sponge filters, you could fill an FX5 with mechanical media and hook up a Lifeguard 40W UV sterilizer to the return and have a water polisher with the UV sterilizer.
OK, you mentioned a problem. I just read your other thread. It really sounds like an uncycled tank and/or a bacterial bloom. The way you are feeding, unless the fish are really tiny and unless you are doing massive daily water changes, the nitrates should be high. The other thing that it could be is inadequate mechanical filtration. But if the tank is uncycled, you would have measureable ammonia and/or nitrites which you don't. As an ignorant newbie, I bought another tank, filled it with water and turned the filters on. The water was cycling through the filters right? I moved over some fish to their new home to alleviate crowding in the first tank. The water got cloudy. Water changes did not take care of the cloudiness. One day (Thanksgiving Day) we came home to a terrible stench permeating the whole house. Yep, a huge bacterial bloom from that uncycled tank. We had to put the fish back into the first tank to save their lives. I had to use bleach to get rid of the horrible stench on my hands and arms.
Your cloudy water and the low nitrates sound like a weird cycling issue (weird because of the lack of ammonia and nitrites) If it was insufficient mechanical filtration, you would see particulates in the water, and a water change would help that situation.
The UV sterilizer would only help if a bacterial problem is present.
The 40W Lifeguard UV sterilizer is not the cheapest UV sterilizer on the market. Getting replacement bulbs and ballasts and protective sleeves can almost add up to the cost of a new UV sterilizer. Amazon has the best prices for replacement bulbs and ballasts.
https://www.f3images.com/IMD/UserManuals/RB5175.pdf
I believe in Lifeguard UV sterilizers and will be using two 120W units on my big tank.
You already have two unused FX5s. If you have sufficient biological media with your Ultimas and sponge filters, you could fill an FX5 with mechanical media and hook up a Lifeguard 40W UV sterilizer to the return and have a water polisher with the UV sterilizer.
I actually Sold those FX5s last week.
I was about to post this on the other thread - 1st time I have seen these results!
this is 1 week after a small water change
PH 6.6-6.4 - never bin that low b4.
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrate 0.0
Nitrite 0.0 ???
Phosphate 5ppm - this has not changes in a week! I tested right after water change.
the water is a little cloudy but its bin way worse in the past. I am skipping this weeks water change and going to monitor the perimeters and see what happens
I was about to post this on the other thread - 1st time I have seen these results!
this is 1 week after a small water change
PH 6.6-6.4 - never bin that low b4.
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrate 0.0
Nitrite 0.0 ???
Phosphate 5ppm - this has not changes in a week! I tested right after water change.
the water is a little cloudy but its bin way worse in the past. I am skipping this weeks water change and going to monitor the perimeters and see what happens