Help with finding a pump that matches 18W Coralife Turbo-Twist UV Sterilizer...?

[Salty150]

I need help matching a correct pump with the 18W Coralife Turbo-Twist UV sterilizer...

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4393+7999&pcatid=7999

It says it has a 5/8" or 3/4" fitting and a 200-400 gph flow rate.

I would like to keep it closer to 200 gph - as I would like to not only use the UV to help "reduce" any problems with algae, etc. - but also to help "reduce" any problems with ich, bacteria, etc...

 

[Jim.mer]

That is one piece of equipment that is not useful in the Salt Water hobby, They do more harm than good.

 

[laga77]

That is one piece of equipment that is not useful in the Salt Water hobby, They do more harm than good.

I disagree with that statement. When set up properly, UV can be a useful tool in maintaining a healthy tank. That being said, a 18 watt unit is way too small to do any good. I am not sure if 18W will even kill algae let alone bacteria and ich. I run 55W UV on my tanks with a 150-200 gallon per hour flow.

 

[Salty150]

They do more "harm" than good...?

It has been argued for years both ways...

I have rarely heard that they do more "harm" than good.

What I have heard is that they may not do as much as most people think.

And that a UV in connection with proper aquarium care/maintenance, etc. - can be very helpful in "reducing" - not eliminating - but reducing algae, ich, bacteria, etc...

 

[Salty150]

I run 55W UV on my tanks with a 150-200 gallon per hour flow.

Wow...

 

[slief]

That is one piece of equipment that is not useful in the Salt Water hobby, They do more harm than good.

I don't agree at all! i've been keeping salt water tanks for over 27 years now and reef tanks for over 20 years. I've run UV filters on my tanks for virtually all 20 years. The short times that I didn't run them when my bulbs were out or when I didn't have it turned on for months at a time, I noticed an increase in certain nuisance algae. That said, I didn't notice any upside to not running them and instead only a downside. On my current system, I run a 114 watt AquaUV unit with medium flow relative to the UV units capability. I am not in the what I like to refer to as full kill range but instead a happy medium between that and polishing. On my fish only systems, I run the UV's at the lower end of the flow range.

From a reef tank perspective, they certainly aren't essential but they are also rarely detrimental in any way. While it is true that some pods can be killed by the UV, fact is that most pods remain in the live rock and substrate and as a result, healthy pod populations should not be impacted. The upsides are that they do provide good improvements in water clarity. This is something I have seen first hand on all my tanks. They can also help in reducing or eliminating free floating parasites that pass through the unit. They also help reduce algae that is waterborn as well as reducing bacterial blooms.

As I said, in 20 years of running them, I have yet to see any downside to having a UV filter on a reef tank. Having said that, I would only run a good quality UV filter like an AquaUV or Emperor Aquatics unit. I don't consider the Coralife Twist to be in the same class and as such, wouldn't even consider one of those for my system as they don't provide the same contact time as a quality unit and won't be as effective as a result.

 

[Jim.mer]

They're a short cut, or a band aid solution. You can create a successful Reef with out one, using The best water quality RO/DI unit with lots of Live Rock, Sump, Refugium and great tank maintenance SYSTEM, They kill and that's enough for me to stay away from them. But to each there own.

 

[slief]

They're a short cut, or a band aid solution. You can create a successful Reef with out one, using The best water quality RO/DI unit with lots of Live Rock, Sump, Refugium and great tank maintenance SYSTEM, They kill and that's enough for me to stay away from them. But to each there own.

I wouldn't consider them a short cut or a band aid. They are just one of the many tools at our disposal (over and above good husbandry) to help maintain better conditions in our tank. Just like protein skimmers, ozone, GFO, carbon, ATS's, refugiums etc.. Personally, I run my system with over 1000 pounds of live rock, a great skimmer, a very healthy refugium with a good DSB, GFO, Carbon, 0 TDS RODI water along with great maintenance.. Like I said, in my experience, UV is only a part of the equation and certainly not a necessity but despite having a very well thought out system, I have seen first hand the benefits from UV and never seen a downside. And yes, you can certainly maintain a successful reef without one just as you can with one. The same can be said about any one of the above items I mentioned be it a skimmer, refugium, sump etc. As you said.. To each their own.

 

[tkeracer619]

A turbo twist will not kill crypto, not even close.

A 55w sterilizer at 200gph may kill it but it would need to be a small tank for any effect to be realized.

http://www.emperoraquatics.com/harmful-waterborne-pathogens.php#pathogen-uv-doses

UV is only useless if you use it improperly, I'm going with 90+ % of people in our hobby use them improperly.

 

[Salty150]

So the 36W Turbo-Twist with a 100 gph pump won't work...?

 

[tkeracer619]

I would have my doubts based on the design, it doesn't hold the water close to the bulb limiting the uv penetration plus it has plastic twists on the inside that reduce contact time. They are more of a water clarify-er.

 

[Salty150]

I would have my doubts based on the design, it doesn't hold the water close to the bulb limiting the uv penetration plus it has plastic twists on the inside that reduce contact time. They are more of a water clarify-er.

Ah...