How Long Do You Run Your UV Sterilizer???

[Bemmer]

Hey guys and gals,
I just installed my 57w Aqua UV Sterilizer. I am running it with a Mag5 pump via a 1/2 hose intake and 3/4 hose output. The pump is pulling the water from the sump and send it through the sterilizer and pushing it back into the main tank. My question is for the initial startup period how long should I run the sterilizer for the first couple of days to two weeks before I can run it 24/7? I have heard that I should not run it continously to start out.

Thanks

 

[Bebo77]

why cant you run it 24/7 to begin with?

 

[snowlancer2720]

i run mine 24/7 since i bought it, i never had any problems.

 

[fabbss]

I've ran mine 24/7 since the day I got mine also. No problems

 

[hawaiianwargod]

I also run it 24/7. No issues at all.

 

[Bemmer]

I had heard that the water clears up so dramatically that you can actually bleach the corals in the tank because the light penetrates so drastically through the clearer water. It was suggested that I acclimate the sterilizer over a week's time so the water clarity occurs over a period of time.

BUT, it sounds like it may not be an issue. Just checking.
Thanks

 

[Bebo77]

i have heard that about ozone but not a UV

 

[grouper25]

Just curious , I am setting up an Aqua too. Should the flow go to the tank once steriized or go back to the sump which seems somewhat redundant. Have heard it both ways.

Thanks,
Grouper25

 

[Bemmer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8124668#post8124668 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bebo77
i have heard that about ozone but not a UV

Gabriel,
Yes, I have heard that ozone will clear the water. Are you currently running a UV sterilizer? If so, you don't notice a difference in the clarity of your water?

 

[Bemmer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8125743#post8125743 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by grouper25
Just curious , I am setting up an Aqua too. Should the flow go to the tank once steriized or go back to the sump which seems somewhat redundant. Have heard it both ways.

Thanks,
Grouper25

Hey John,
I currently have a Mag5 set in the sump on the skimmer side. The 1/2 braided hose come across the top of the sump over to the UV sterilizer. Then I have the output hose go back into the main tank on the opposite side.

R-

 

[USC-fan]

also run mine 24/7. Only turning it off to clean it.

 

[IndyMatt]

I run mine 24/7 and have noticed the water is a lot clearer.

 

[Carman34L]

i used to run my 24/7 before i sold off my setup. I had it hooked up through a MJ 400 ran as little water through it as I could. I wanted to sterilize/clarify and I only had a 15 watt so I did not run to much flow through it. It would feed off the sump and dump in the fuge.

 

[Bemmer]

Thanks all. I have decided to run mine 24/7.

 

[bawla47]

another thing too, the bulbs life will be substantially decreased if you run your UV on and off all the time. they are designed to be run all the time.

 

[BeanAnimal]

With a small UV you can't run it too much. There simply is not enough power to hurt anything. From what I have read (and we have talked about at club meetings) most Hobby UVs are WAY to small to casue harm.

You need to keep them VERY clean and replace the bulbs on a regular basis, dirty UVs with weak bulbs don't do much at all.

 

[UCanDoIt]

I've been replacing mine every 6-7 months, do they last longer than that?

 

[mavgi]

it's depend on the bulb .aqua uv said you can keep the bulb 14 month. if you clean and run it filtered water you can run at least 12 month.

 

[CamBarr]

24/7

 

[yeffre]

alternate flow through uv sterilizer

alternate flow through uv sterilizer

Can you alternate flow through UV sterilizer? For example 12 hours at 400 gph and 12 hours 2400 gph for a 600g system. That way the single uv sterilizer can kill bacteria and algae as well as parasites such as ick. This is a new tank set up and purely a preventative measure to avoid problems in the future.