UV Question

[UNDEFINED EK 808]

I have a 55 gallon divided with 2 flowerhorns. I run a fully loaded fx6 outer sponges on all trays, (starting from top to bottom) tray 1 & 2 fluval blue filter floss bright water bio media and fluval blue filter floss. Tray 3 fluval white filter floss 2 bags fluval clearmax & zeo -carb fluval white filter floss.

I'm thinking of running a 18 or 36 watt Jebao inline. I'm guessing im getting somewhere around 450-500gph setup the way i am. I want to control algae but more so parasites thats why i want to bigger. Ive had a really bad case of Ich and it keeps coming back. Do any of you pros see any problems with this and if so please list reasons . Thanks in advance!

 

[duanes]

The way UV is able to kill parasites is with detention time.
UV controls single cell algae using very little detention time.
Some more advanced multicellular parasitic animals have cells walls that require considerably more UV exposure to control.
In other words a very low flow passing the bulb.
In this case, a line teed off from the main line and normal flow, where a controlled flow (slowed flow with a valve) that lasts minutes in stead of seconds, to do adequate damage to the parasites cells organelles.

 

[Rocksor]

Yeah, you will need a dedicated low flow pump to kill free swimming ich that just hatched. The flow amount will depend on the wattage of the UV lamp.