UV Sterilizers

[Mickey_owen7]

Can any one tell me anything about UV sterilisers?? How many watts is needed for a 200litre tank? Also whether it would be strong enough to kill parasites such as flukes and worms.

[taksan]

Its not about the liters but rather the liters per hour that is flowing past it.
What filter are you using?

[lpiasente]

Can I pop on this thread as well? I have been looking around uv s. 2 x ehiem 2217 on a 4x2x2. Do you run it 24/7?

[iro11a]

Yeah i was also wondering i got one uv Jebao 240volts 18w running on my 4 foot tank at the moment but im upgrading to a 6x2x2 soon and i'm going to be running two canisters is it possible to just use the one UV rather than using one for each canister or would took much water be flowing though the UV for it to handle because as most of you know UV's aren't that cheap.

If i was to use just the one i would have a T intersection for the flow going inwards to the Uv then back out to another T intersection flowing out back into the tank any thoughts on if this would work?

Jono

[ILLUSN]

for any uv to be usefull you need to know the realworld flow rate of your pump. Not the testrate written on the box. You want 1w/20l of flow. Eg an eheim 2217 has a realworld flow of about 600l/h you need a minimum of 30w uv, so you would use a 36w unit. You only really need 1 uv per tank.

[TW]

eheim 2217 has a realworld flow of about 600l/h you need a minimum of 30w uv, so you would use a 36w unit. You only really need 1 uv per tank. Maybe mine aren't enough then. I have eheim 2028 & 2026, both with 25w UV.

Is this not enough :?: :?: :?:

Robyn

[ILLUSN]

more would be better, if you want to keep paracites down, 1w/50L is ok for bacteria but it wont kill flukes.

[Mickey_owen7]

more would be better, if you want to keep paracites down, 1w/50L is ok for bacteria but it wont kill flukes.

Will 1watt/20litre kill flukes??

[lpiasente]

What does the unit look like? My lps said WHAT!!!!!! What do ya want one that big for the unit is a big as ya tank. So now I am confused I thought it was a little addition.

[ILLUSN]

more would be better, if you want to keep paracites down, 1w/50L is ok for bacteria but it wont kill flukes.

Will 1watt/20litre kill flukes??

1w/ 20L/H OF FLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ie IF YOUR PUMP FLOWS AT 20L/H YOU NEED 1 WATT OF UV A 2217 WHICH FLOWS AT 600L/H NEEDS 30W of UV

[Mickey_owen7]

LOLZ.... yeah bad wording. Thats what i meant. (1 watt/ 20 litres of flow).
Just to make sure. :suppose i've got a canister filter which runs at 500l/Hr
Then i need a UV sterlizer (which is strong enough to kill flukes)... of 500/20 = 25watts. :D I think i've got it lol ;)

[Daniella]

I would get at least 25 watt and not those cheapo units like jebo or the green killing machine. Those are not really good for killing parasites.

It's very hard to kill parasites with a UV. that won't get the parasites that fall in the gravel, or attach to plants. Some will even lay eggs directly on the gill so yike!

It will probably get a percentage of the free swimming flukes so that it might help fishes not get reinfected or massively infected, but it won't kill it all.

Here is a chart of what exposure is needed to kill different parasites like ich. No spec for flukes but I am guessing similar to ich?

a 25 watts with a flow rate of 100gph shoudl work well. If you ave higher flow rate then get a stronger UV. Those can be expensive.

I have a Laguna 2000 (25 watts) and it's a monster. 26 inches long! I could barely hide it in my cabinet but it fight tight. Those spin the water inside so that exposure time is longer so that helps too. they are around 130$ and made for pond but work well for aquarium too. Gamma are good too but more expensive.

I am currently experimenting with flukes and my UV to see (not using med for now) if I will be able to control flukes with UV only and lots of water change - gravel vaccum. I sure hope so.

If not then I will use Prazipro again, sigh. that made my fish totaly wako.

[Daniella]

sorry here is the link to the chart for the required amount of UV radiation to kill parasites:


http://www.emperoraquatics-aquarium.com/microorganismdosages.php

this site has a load of info on UV for aquarium and parasites.

Basicaly a flow rate of 150gph at 25 watts should give 190,000. Mine at 100gph should be around 285,000 or something like that.

The hardest thing to kill is the costia, at near 300,000!

[ILLUSN]

thats an excellent 2 posts by Daniella, if we apply the 1w/20L/H rule to the above system

100(US)gph = 400L/h there for the minimum wattage you'd need is 20W (20x20 =400), a 25w is perfect as its even that little bit higher

still reffering to the above chart you see that even that wattage is still not enough to kill all the bigger protozoa.

[Davo]

ILLUSN,

I have a De Bary 25w UV and was wondering if it will be any good on my 800 litre tank in relation to the watt per litre rule etc.

Thanks,
Dave

[ILLUSN]

25w couple it to a 500l/h pump and your all good

[Davo]

ILLUSN,

I currently have a Eheim 2280 (1700 lph) on the tank and I am looking at putting a Eheim 2260 in also. Do you think that either filter will be suitable for the De Bary 25w or will they be too big?

Thanks,
Dave.

[ILLUSN]

the uv needs to be coupled to a seperate pump, if you hook up either of those filters to the uv your wasting your money, use your 2 filters on your tank but grab yourself a small pump something like the eheim compact 600 (you can dial down the flowrate) and hook that up to your
debarry.

[Old Dave]

Some people say the tube needs to be changed every so often.
Wotcha reckon??

Old Dave

[ILLUSN]

chinease tubes every 6 months, jap tubes (phillips) 9 months, electronic balast tubes 12 monts