Recommended UV Sterilizer for 180gal tank

[adrian31@outlook.com]

Anyone have experience with UV Sterilizers for 180gal or larger tank? I've been looking at Aqua Medic UV Sterlizers 18-Watt, 36-Watt and 55-Watt. I'd like to get the highest capacity unit for my 180gal that will fit in my aquarium cabinet with my sump.

Can I plumb the UV Sterilizer's input & output into the sump's refugium (using a pump to supply the input)? If so then I guess it's just a matter of how large a unit will fit in my aquarium cabinet.

Thanks in advance,
Ken

[Ryan925]

Anyone have experience with UV Sterilizers for 180gal or larger tank? I've been looking at Aqua Medic UV Sterlizers 18-Watt, 36-Watt and 55-Watt. I'd like to get the highest capacity unit for my 180gal that will fit in my aquarium cabinet with my sump.

Can I plumb the UV Sterilizer's input & output into the sump's refugium (using a pump to supply the input)? If so then I guess it's just a matter of how large a unit will fit in my aquarium cabinet.

Thanks in advance,
Ken

I would plumb one inline on your return so all of your water flows through it. Look at the aqua ultraviolet or emerpor aquatics. They can operate with a pretty significant flow. When I get my sump in action I will be going with an aqua uv 25 or 40 watt unit.

The key to uv is proper flow rate

[adrian31@outlook.com]

I would plumb one inline on your return so all of your water flows through it. Look at the aqua ultraviolet or emerpor aquatics. They can operate with a pretty significant flow. When I get my sump in action I will be going with an aqua uv 25 or 40 watt unit.

The key to uv is proper flow rate

Hi Ryan,

Alright so I'll call my plumber to get this done right. I'll also see if they can build something to attach the UV Sterilizer to the cabinet ceiling since there's not much room left in there. Sounds good, thanks for the advice.

Ken

[Ryan925]

Hi Ryan,

Alright so I'll call my plumber to get this done right. I'll also see if they can build something to attach the UV Sterilizer to the cabinet ceiling since there's not much room left in there. Sounds good, thanks for the advice.

Ken

I believe these units have mourning brackets but I could be wrong. Will have to look again.

How many gph are you running?

[adrian31@outlook.com]

I believe these units have mourning brackets but I could be wrong. Will have to look again.

How many gph are you running?

My pump is 1100gph. I'll look for a model that corresponds to this flow rate.

[farebox]

I know for sure the Emperor Smart-lite 40W model comes with mounting brackets. I ran the output from my Mag 9.5 (950W) straight thru it, had a valve to slow flow rate to about 600GPH. Worked out great. https://youtu.be/6H1VT_BYfyk?list=UU...NDj7FYpxr6OSrQ

[Ryan925]

I know for sure the Emperor Smart-lite 40W model comes with mounting brackets. I ran the output from my Mag 9.5 (950W) straight thru it, had a valve to slow flow rate to about 600GPH. Worked out great. https://youtu.be/6H1VT_BYfyk?list=UU...NDj7FYpxr6OSrQ

From what I read the flow rate requirement of the lite were pretty low. If you exceed the recommended flow rate it may clarify water but it won't sterilize. I think the 40w is 600 gph

[adrian31@outlook.com]

I know for sure the Emperor Smart-lite 40W model comes with mounting brackets. I ran the output from my Mag 9.5 (950W) straight thru it, had a valve to slow flow rate to about 600GPH. Worked out great. https://youtu.be/6H1VT_BYfyk?list=UU...NDj7FYpxr6OSrQ

Hi Roland,

Thanks for the info.

Ken

[adrian31@outlook.com]

From what I read the flow rate requirement of the lite were pretty low. If you exceed the recommended flow rate it may clarify water but it won't sterilize. I think the 40w is 600 gph

So I take it that it's better to err on the side of lower flow rate requirement, i.e., I should look for a unit that requires > or = 1100gph?

[Ryan925]

So I take it that it's better to err on the side of lower flow rate requirement, i.e., I should look for a unit that requires > or = 1100gph?

Personally I would want a unit that could handle the desired flow of my return pump so that it doesn't have to be throttled down

Slower through the uv is ok. Faster is not

[adrian31@outlook.com]

Personally I would want a unit that could handle the desired flow of my return pump so that it doesn't have to be throttled down

Slower through the uv is ok. Faster is not

Right, thanks.

[adrian31@outlook.com]

Personally I would want a unit that could handle the desired flow of my return pump so that it doesn't have to be throttled down

Slower through the uv is ok. Faster is not

Ryan,

Looking in more detail at some of these units I notice that the recommended flow rate is much lower to 'control parasites' than to control algae & bacteria so looks like I need to get a pretty big one for my setup, like around 130watt, if I want it to also control parasites.

I sent an email to my contact at fishtanksdirect to see if he can recommend one since that's where I bought my tank setup. I'll let you know if provides any useful info.

[Ryan925]

Ryan,

Looking in more detail at some of these units I notice that the recommended flow rate is much lower to 'control parasites' than to control algae & bacteria so looks like I need to get a pretty big one for my setup, like around 130watt, if I want it to also control parasites.

I sent an email to my contact at fishtanksdirect to see if he can recommend one since that's where I bought my tank setup. I'll let you know if provides any useful info.

You could also plumb it with a bypass and use the bypass to regulate flow through the unit. Then you are still running your full gph for your tank turnover

[adrian31@outlook.com]

You could also plumb it with a bypass and use the bypass to regulate flow through the unit. Then you are still running your full gph for your tank turnover

My guy at fishtanksdirect recommended an Emperor Aquatics 80watt unit but I see the max flow rate for protozoans is 600gph which is near half my pumps flow rate. The 150watt unit controls parasites at 1,060gph but the unit is 70" which is too big. I guess if I want to also control parasites I should get the strongest unit that my tank cabinet can accommodate and use the bypass to decrease the flow.

I really wonder which alternative is best:

1. Utilize my pump's full flow rate through the UV unit and control only algae & bacteria, or
2. Restrict the flow rate through the UV unit by about half but control algae, bacteria, and parasites?

[Ryan925]

My guy at fishtanksdirect recommended an Emperor Aquatics 80watt unit but I see the max flow rate for protozoans is 600gph which is near half my pumps flow rate. The 150watt unit controls parasites at 1,060gph but the unit is 70" which is too big. I guess if I want to also control parasites I should get the strongest unit that my tank cabinet can accommodate and use the bypass to decrease the flow.

I really wonder which alternative is best:

1. Utilize my pump's full flow rate through the UV unit and control only algae & bacteria, or
2. Restrict the flow rate through the UV unit by about half but control algae, bacteria, and parasites?

I would say plumb a bypass which is really easy. Then you can use the largest unit that you can fit and still get the full benefit of the uv. Even if you are only running 50% of your return water through I would say that's pretty effective.

I do UV on swimming pools and we always install a bypass to ensure effective flow rate