UV powered by FX5

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rodger

rodger

Polypterus
MFK Member
Apr 29, 2008
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Kansas City
I have an 18 watt UV filter that I had planned on having my FX5 flow through it. I got to thinking............... since this thing shuts off for 2 minutes everyday to purge the air from it, will this thing overheat during that time? Will the heat buildup shorten the life of it? My thought is, that since it isn't a real high power unit the heat won't be that big of a deal. Your thoughts please. I have no experience with UV.
Thanks
 
You want water to flow slowly through your UV...too fast (as it would with an FX5) and the dwell time (or time that the UV has to kill bad stuff) is too short.

Just set up a dedicated small pump for your UV...

Matt
 
dogofwar said:
You want water to flow slowly through your UV...too fast (as it would with an FX5) and the dwell time (or time that the UV has to kill bad stuff) is too short.

Just set up a dedicated small pump for your UV...

Matt
Click to expand...

Though I have no experience with an FX I did have a UV sterilizer and as dogofwar^ said water needs to be exposed to the U.V. for a certain duration of time for it to be useful. I'm assuming since you said the FX would be powering the unit your talking about a inline sterilizer. The flow rating is usually on the sterilizers box and is dependent on the wattage of the unit usually and as dogofwar said I think the FX's flow might be too fast. As for overheating The sterilizer's I've had didn't run hot and since there'll still be water in the line during the purge process it shouldn't over heat in my opinion.
 
The flow rate on the FX is very low. It is under a 36" tall stand with a 32" tall tank on it. I actually had considered pulling it off because it isn't doing much filtration other then biological. It has a 70" head considering the pump is on the floor. Fluval doesn't rate their filters for head, and mine is an example of why.
 
rodger said:
The flow rate on the FX is very low. It is under a 36" tall stand with a 32" tall tank on it. I actually had considered pulling it off because it isn't doing much filtration other then biological. It has a 70" head considering the pump is on the floor. Fluval doesn't rate their filters for head, and mine is an example of why.
Click to expand...

Rodger, i had the same concern, i think the lines still keep the water in them or at least the uv will, as i have had my UV running on mine for the last 5-6 months and have no problem. Mine has been sized for my tank size, and i am running a 25w wave wlim on mine, tank is 280 gallon or so .
 
If you buy a uv that matches the flow rate of the fx5 how could it not work well? What would the issue be? I only ask because I'm planning this exact same thing.
 
keepinfish said:
his concern is because the fx5 shuts down every 24 hours to purge air. during that time, didnt want bulb to overheat.
Click to expand...

I get that. But the 1st 2 replies stated that it wouldn't work well with the fx5 in general.
 
ElectricBlueSeanBurch said:
I get that. But the 1st 2 replies stated that it wouldn't work well with the fx5 in general.
Click to expand...

No one of them suggested to check the flow rates on the U.V. boxes sterilizer to make sure the flow rate would be appropriate for the wattage. I only suggested that he check because of the wattage specified, but you probably rushed reading and assumed hope I've cleared up my statement for you.


koltsix said:
Though I have no experience with an FX I did have a UV sterilizer and as dogofwar^ said water needs to be exposed to the U.V. for a certain duration of time for it to be useful. I'm assuming since you said the FX would be powering the unit your talking about a inline sterilizer. The flow rating is usually on the sterilizers box and is dependent on the wattage of the unit usually and as dogofwar said I think the FX's flow might be too fast. As for overheating The sterilizer's I've had didn't run hot and since there'll still be water in the line during the purge process it shouldn't over heat in my opinion.
Click to expand...
 
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