I have a 125 gal tank with geos and acaras my filters are 2 fx6 with custom media setup. I wanna add a UV that i would be able to plum to both filters. I need ideas and recommendations on how to do it and what UV light i should get to do it. I'm new here as a member but i lurk and read a lot of the posts and you all seem to know a lot from experience and ideas . Thanks in advance for any help
Need help with uv ideas
- Thread starter havoc0083
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Personally I don't really see any practical benefit in plumbing your UV into both FX6 -- in fact with probably even 1 FX6 you're likely going to need to dial down the flow if you want to get some protection from bacteria and other pathogens. If your aim is algae control then maybe don't have to dial down the 1 FX6 but in both cases it depends on how many watts your UV light is as well.
A green killing machine will help with algae but unfortunately such smaller internal UV will do little if nothing for bacterial/pathogenic control, the flow rate is too fast and the light too small.
I truthfully don't know how accurate their figures are but for my (inline) UV sterilizers I use the flow rate chart on American Aquarium's UV page, about 1/3 the way down: http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html
A green killing machine will help with algae but unfortunately such smaller internal UV will do little if nothing for bacterial/pathogenic control, the flow rate is too fast and the light too small.
I truthfully don't know how accurate their figures are but for my (inline) UV sterilizers I use the flow rate chart on American Aquarium's UV page, about 1/3 the way down: http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html
This is great info.
Unless your uv unit is huge your dwell time (the time the uv is in direct contact with a sample of water) is the most important thing. So plumbing both fx6 to it will only reduce its effectiveness more then 1. The higher functioning organisms need a super strong uv or a lot of dwell time to be effectively sterilized. Algae is pretty easy to kill with uv but things like ich and other protozoa are really difficult to effectively control with uv. In any case you never want fast through a uv. Which is one reason its pretty ineffectual in overall tank health.
What are you wanting to use it for?
Im lookin for ich and protozoa they are main reason even if i have to buy 1 unit at a time and plumb to 1 filter at a time
Do your research. You'll need a very large unit or units for that at low flow or super good units with very high output for higher flow.
If you havent read the link
islandguy11
left you should. Gives a pretty good assesment of uv sterilization.
I had two 4' units on my breeding rack for clowns when I was breeding them. Flow through this two was about 250gph so all my water went through both in an hour. It was probably effective at killing most things but I spent around a $1000 on the two units. Actually I took a second to look for the model and I found it or one really close to it same company.
webbsonline.com
Yeah I had two of those. Technically it was set up on my entire system as it was all linked but the breeding racks only got around 250 gph and all the water going to the racks went through those first. I can tell you it killed pods so imsure it would kill most things at that level. But really any lower light level or higher flow rate is a waste of time and I believe now that those on my system were also a waste.
If you havent read the link
islandguy11
left you should. Gives a pretty good assesment of uv sterilization. I had two 4' units on my breeding rack for clowns when I was breeding them. Flow through this two was about 250gph so all my water went through both in an hour. It was probably effective at killing most things but I spent around a $1000 on the two units. Actually I took a second to look for the model and I found it or one really close to it same company.
Aqua Ultraviolet 57 watt UV, 2" ports, white, w/unions
Ultraviolet Sterilization is a proven, dependable, and effective method for controlling and eradicating algae spores, bacteria, and protozoa in the water source. Ultraviolet alters or disrupts the DNA and RNA of target organisms. The targeted organisms can be eradicated effectively without any...
webbsonline.com
To be effective, flow rate, turn over rate, dwell time have to be taken under consideration. Here is a definitive article on UV sterilization which discusses clarification, Level One and Level Two Sterilization. It's probably more info than you want to deal with, and over the years, the article has changed and become more confusing with category A,B,C added.
UVC Sterilization | How Aquarium & Pond UV Sterilizers Work
Information how a TRUE Aquarium, Pond UV Sterilizer/clarifier work. Category A, B, & C Sterilizers. Affect on green water, disease prevention, & Redox
www.americanaquariumproducts.com
This table from the article is helpful.
The trouble with using a UV sterilizer with your FX-6, is that with the relative high flow rate of the FX-6, you will need more wattage to achieve Level One Sterilization. Each UV sterilizer comes with a maximum recommended flow rate. It's kind of fun to figure out wattage based on flow rates. I actually run a 40 W Lifegard Aquatics UV Sterilizer with my FX-6 for Level One Sterilization.
If you are determined to run the UV sterilizer with your FX-6, you will need at least 36-40 Watts, depending on the UV sterilizer. If you had a slower flow rate with 1.5 times/hr turn over rate, you could get by with under 10 Watts for Level One Category B Sterilization. It comes down to what you want. If more is better, go for it. I'm a member of the more is better school too. My big system is still not set up, but I have two 120W UV Sterilizers that I will run with Ultima II 4,000 filters with Reeflo Barracuda Gold pumps all of which are still in their boxes. And the recommended flow rates match the flow rates of the Barracuda Gold pumps. Could I have gotten by with less wattage? Yes, but my heart was set on running Ultima II filters.
It's much easier to have your UV completely separate from your FX's..... I would go with more UV than is recommended for the pump size you get...... UV either needs more time or more light to be affective. A UV filter coming off of an FX6 would have to be HUGE!!!
I use the sun sun Jup 23 13w uv filter.
Only time my fish is sick is when the cichlids overturn my filter and water goes in the uv light and it leaks electricity.
Other than that, I am of the view that it has been helpful in reducing algae, green water and diseases
Only time my fish is sick is when the cichlids overturn my filter and water goes in the uv light and it leaks electricity.
Other than that, I am of the view that it has been helpful in reducing algae, green water and diseases