36 W Coralife Turbo Twist UV - good?
- Thread starter Salty150
- Start date
slief
RC Sponsor
I'd pass on the Coralife Twist and get an AquaUV Classic 25 watt. Watt for watt, it's a much better UV, can handle more flow more efficiently and has a much better bulb. The AquaUV is infinitely better in every respect and will last you a lifetime. Plus, the bulbs won't need to be replaced as often which will save you money in the long run. I'd also suggest getting one with a wiper so you can keep the sleeves clean without having to take the UV apart to do it.
That said, talking wattage is kind of useless without knowing the system size and what kind of flow you have at your disposal for the UV. Then there is your intended usage for it because that will have a direct impact on the flow requirements.
That said, talking wattage is kind of useless without knowing the system size and what kind of flow you have at your disposal for the UV. Then there is your intended usage for it because that will have a direct impact on the flow requirements.
Salty150
New member
Yeah, I was looking at the Emperor Aquatics Smart UV 25 Watt also...
slief
RC Sponsor
EA was bought by Pentair somewhat recently. Their support has gone to hell in a handbag. Finding knowledgeable pre sales or post sales people there when it comes to reef tanks is all but a thing of the past. AquaUV on the other hand is always a phone call away. Their support is 2nd to none and they manufacturer some of the best bulbs in the industry. They are a standard in the commercial UV filtration indusustry. I'd pass on EA and go with AquaUV. You won't get a better unit and you certainly won't find better tech support and parts availability. Their products are widely distributed where as EA can only be bought from a small few places.
slief
RC Sponsor
Glad to help. FWIW, there is very good reason why you never hear anything bad about AquaUV.. They make a great product and back it with great support. They also have done their homework in terms of developing a great product that is designed to work very well and last a lifetime. My AquaUV 114 watt unit is over 6 years old. I have a 25 watt one on my office tank that's over 10 years old. They are very well made, have great ballasts and they have developed their own bulbs. They are the leaders in the industry and not the followers.
They aren't any higher. The devil is in the details and will lead you astray.
The EA rates are based on higher kill rates more suitable for fresh water. That's all. Rates that aren't recommended for reef. AquaUV suggests sterilization rates no greater than 90,000 µw/cm2 for salt water where as the flow rates discussed by EA result in sterilization rates as high as 180,000 µw/cm2 which will eradicate any planktonic life that passes through it and is actually counter productive to a reef tank. Sadly EA doesn't provide any data relevant to our hobby where as AquaUV provides plenty. Another reason why AquaUV is the brand to go with.
Also, the AquaUV units are slightly more efficient as there is more water flowing in contact with the bulbs due to the way the bulb ends are positioned and the location of the inlets relative to the bulbs usable surface. The AquaUV bulbs are arguably better too and will still be around 90% efficiency after a year. Still, when you compare the flow based on sterilization rates, you will see that the flow requirements watt for watt are very similar relative to sterilization rates between the two brands.
slief
RC Sponsor
Can you setup a line of your return pump via a manifold? Also, you can go a little higher in flow. As I mentioned, UV will not eliminate ich in a tank. It can slow down the cycle by eliminating some of it from the water column but it isn't a cure or even a means of truly controlling it. If you run multiple tanks and run the UV between the tanks, it can prevent the spread from one display/system to the next but don't expect miracles from it. As for a pump, An Eheim 1260 with a valve on it would work fine but the fittings in and out of the UV might just produce enough friction loss going through the UV to slow it down to the 400-450GPH range.
SBV
New member
Gotcha. Yes I know it will not cure ich by its own but just want one to help in the arsenal. I try to qt everything but Ive had some issues in the past with weeks of qt. Thanks agin for the response. Going to order a 25watt today.
