Running UV Sterilizer without pump?...

[ScubaDre]

I got a great deal on a 36W turbo twist sterilizer yesterday and hooking it up this weekend. This sucker is much bigger than I expected which is good, here is my question? To make it the most effective the flow should be slow so I thought of running tubing (I will try different sizes) directly from overflow through UV light and then into sump, no pump needed! since syphon action will push water through, this should work right ???
Any drawbacks... not looking to debate advantages of UV just the piping question and if any advantages running befoe or after sump/return?

 

[strgazr27]

The issue with doing it that way is you have no way of varying the flow through the UV. The amount of flow determines the amount of sterilization that takes place.

 

[jdino]

Only drawback I see is the height of intake. If power goes out and return pump goes out siphon will continue and might flood overflow, unless it is high enough to break the siphon in the event of a power failure, the same as the overflow.

 

[ScubaDre]

The height might be just below overflow so flooding not an issue. By using different size tubing I can control flow and with an added valve I can control on/off. Adding it before sump makes sure my pods in refugium are safe, no pump saves space... gotta be a reason most people don't do it this way?

 

[beerfish]

A UV should run after mechanical filtration (i.e. skimmer, filter socks, etc.).

Also, with a 34w, you're looking at around 200gph for it to be effective. Unless your return pump is a Maxijet 900, you'll have too much flow going through it for the overflow to be at all effective.

 

[ScubaDre]

Ball valve should control flow. Why after filtration? I've heard UV light can hurt pods which I keep in my sump

 

[beerfish]

Ball valve should control flow. Why after filtration? I've heard UV light can hurt pods which I keep in my sump

Putting a ball valve on your overflow is asking for a flood.

If the tube that the water runs through gets gunked up, the light won't get through and your sterilizer is useless. Putting it after other filtration minimizes this.

 

[ScubaDre]

Not attaching to overflow, just placing tube to UV just below water level in overflow partition inside tank. If it gets gunked up the flow would just slow or stop so a flood is impossible.

 

[beerfish]

If you want to try it go ahead.

UV lights are great if you set them up properly.

If not, they don't do anything and all you have is a fancy light show in a tube for your water to watch.

 

[under10minutes]

Im glad this topic got brought up. I bought the same vu last weekend and haven't set it up yet. From what ive read, and please confirm, the best way to set it up is right after skimmer into return section of sump? Bypassing refugium all together. Please confirm. Thx!

Also, for the 36w unit is a maxi900 enough or should i use something larger like a. 1200?

 

[beerfish]

Im glad this topic got brought up. I bought the same vu last weekend and haven't set it up yet. From what ive read, and please confirm, the best way to set it up is right after skimmer into return section of sump? Bypassing refugium all together. Please confirm. Thx!

Also, for the 36w unit is a maxi900 enough or should i use something larger like a. 1200?

If you can set it up like you described it should work well, although if you feed UV filtered water into the fuge, you'll be fine as well. The MJ900 or even 600 should work fine. You want a very slow flow so that the water passes through the light long enough to kill everything.

 

[Aquadicted]

it doesnt matter that much where you plug your uv... as long as you get all the water to pass through your UV.

there is more than one way to skin a cat or whatever the old saying goes