UV sterilizer inline or in sump?

[ClarkInAustin]

I have a 58 gal reef/fish tank with a 10+ gal sump. I have a pump in the sump that moves the water through the system at a 300 gph (nominal).

I would like to add a UV sterilizer to help control algae and occassionally protect from parasites when new fish are added.

Should I put an 18W UV unit inline with the main pump (to handle the 300 gph flow), or put a smaller unit (9W) that draws from the sump and empties back into the sump using its own loop and lower rate pump. I don't want to hang anything on the main tank.

My main concern is that a small unit working in the sump won't catch enough of the water flow to effectively control algae or parasites. Is that true?

Thanks!
Clark

 

[Anonymous]

I used a UV on a tank one and did not find much benifit. You could add the smaller on a loop in the tank and get the extra flow plus the UV.

 

[Anonymous]

You want the flow through the UV to be slow.

I'd suggest you run it off its own PH from the sump, or inline after a low-flow canister filter or such.

Also, it's better to run cleaner water through it...meaning not straight from the overflow, but in the sump after the skimmer, carbon, etc.

Jh

 

[ClarkInAustin]

Thanks

So in general do people often run equipment off of additional loops? I thought all of our filters, skimmers, etc stuff all had to be in one loop to really work...

Clark

 

[Anonymous]

>...I thought all of our filters, skimmers, etc stuff all had to be in one loop to really work...

No. It just help with certain setup since it may simplify the plumbing.

 

[mike90]

i just bought a 9W UV Sterilizer on Friday. I ran it with its own pump in the clean water part of the sump. Maybe its just me but I really think I see an impovement in the water clarity already. Hopefully it will stay that way.

I had a problem with new fish always dying after like a week of being in my tank. All my current fish are fine though. The LFS told me the UV would help. Does everyone agree with that?

 

[Anonymous]

Not necessarily.

UV has varying degrees of effectiveness depending on how it's used and what is expected of it.

It will not keep disease at bay if there are fundamental husbandry problems.

But if water params. are in order, than it can help reduce occurences of disease and algael outbreaks.

I bought mine to lessen how often I have to clean the glass (acrylic) of algae. And it seems to have worked somewhat.

How's that for a wishy-washy answer?

 

[Anonymous]

I have a UV Sterilizer but I'm going to have to see how strong it is.

I've heard that it does kill diseases and algea but it also kills the good bacteria that you need in your system.

Anyone agree with that answer?

 

[brandon4291]

That statement is accurate Crissy but not all of your nitrifiers are in the water column, those among the folds and crevices of the system can do the filter job and there are plenty of them... more than what is in suspension. Your UV will only kill the suspended bacterial cells.

Personally I like UV and would consider using it on a larger reef setup for the reasons mentioned above. I'll never forget how it helped me get a handle on some freshwater problems I was having. After my algae remained when I changed the factors selecting for it's growth (see my previous responses on algae war) the UV really helped eliminate it altogether by interrupting the sporulation/transfer phase (when algal particles are distrubuted to seek new attachment points) and it never came back. Most of our corals are spot-fed, or fed by larger particle detritus and foodstuffs, so the elimination of fine microplanktors shouldn't really affect our systems unless you are rolling with crinoids and other specialized filter feeders...most of the systems I see on here would do fine with or without UV support. And, don't think it kills the whole tank instantly, I know people who use UV and still add DT's. The DT's gets killed off in a day or two depending on UV specs, but in the interim time some animals can utilize it. Even the dead cells are benficial until they have been degraded (which doesn't take much time after UV exposure)

Hope this helps
B

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for clarifying that Brandon. I have a 25w UV sterilizer. Would that be too strong for a 100 ga reef.

Let me know.

Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

Not necessarily.

UV has varying degrees of effectiveness depending on how it's used and what is expected of it.

It will not keep disease at bay if there are fundamental husbandry problems.

But if water params. are in order, than it can help reduce occurences of disease and algael outbreaks.

I bought mine to lessen how often I have to clean the glass (acrylic) of algae. And it seems to have worked somewhat.

How's that for a wishy-washy answer?

It was my cure for Ich (cryptocarian). I'm a big fan.

 

[Anonymous]

Cool! I'm glad to hear that!