UV 80 Watt Emperor Aquatics - Review, plumbing and effects to Reef Aquarium
- Thread starter rldcpa
- Start date
AcroporAddict
There is no substitute.
I have the Emperor 150 watt Smart HO UV as well, and I installed it because I have 6 tangs in the tank. I flow about 500 gallons and hour through the UV. Total volume is about 450 net gallons. A good rule of thumb is one times the total net tank volume flow an hour to get the exposure strength to kill marine ich. Tank is 465 gallon SPS tank and a 155 gallon sump. The UV has a separate pump that pulls water upstream and returns it downstream, so all the water coming out of the UV goes back into the DT. The way I have it installed makes it easy to remove the quartz sleeve for decalcifying and bulb replacement.
I'd forget about trying calculate flow rates based on the size of your tank and sump. Buy a UV rated for your size tank and adjust the flow to about 80GPH or less. The slower the better as long as you do not have a big problem with heat.
Get good pumps like MP40's and run nutrient export mode all night long at the highest power setting your rockscape and corals can stand. It's good at getting everything on the sand and in the rocks free floating up into the water column and eventually down through your sump and through your UV.
Getting a UV to control disease after it is already present is probably too late but can't hurt to try and sterilize them seeing they must be active and floating around. Best thing to do is to get a UV going for a couple months running it 24/7 with lot's of power heads and pumps keeping things stirred up into the water column.
After a couple months then add your healthy fish and your chances of them getting ich or some other disease ir dramatically reduced.
Best defense is a good offense so be prepared and do the right thing before you add fish. You can QT them for 6 months and after you drop them in your DT they can still get ich.
QT are a tool, but not the answer. We all know how hard it is to catch a fish in a reef aquarium. Damn near impossible without stressing the sick fish as well as the healthy ones so much that they all get sick.
Just my observations...
Get good pumps like MP40's and run nutrient export mode all night long at the highest power setting your rockscape and corals can stand. It's good at getting everything on the sand and in the rocks free floating up into the water column and eventually down through your sump and through your UV.
Getting a UV to control disease after it is already present is probably too late but can't hurt to try and sterilize them seeing they must be active and floating around. Best thing to do is to get a UV going for a couple months running it 24/7 with lot's of power heads and pumps keeping things stirred up into the water column.
After a couple months then add your healthy fish and your chances of them getting ich or some other disease ir dramatically reduced.
Best defense is a good offense so be prepared and do the right thing before you add fish. You can QT them for 6 months and after you drop them in your DT they can still get ich.
QT are a tool, but not the answer. We all know how hard it is to catch a fish in a reef aquarium. Damn near impossible without stressing the sick fish as well as the healthy ones so much that they all get sick.
Just my observations...
plumbing Options for UV in Sump
plumbing Options for UV in Sump
I'm about 6 months into being a Reef Lover ! Reef Central has been so helpful ! I've learned so much and found this UV thread very very helpful
I've got a 90 gallon tank....about 90 pounds of live rock and 100 pounds of live sand
a ton of flow in the DP .. some cromis, shrimp, rabbit face, clowns, clean up crew and a few easy chorals.... Kessel A360W LEDs.. love them.. my goal is to have easy corals... and a mixture of easy fish.
Eshopps sump with single built it overflow feeding it.. ultra clean sump... no to a fugue... i'm the ultra simple and clean type
managed by an Apex controller
I'd like to add an Emperor Aquatics 25W Lite.. rated to support up to 90 gallons... no issue bumping up to a larger one.. but its going to be very tight space wise if I go bigger.. I"m trying to keep it contained ... versus is this really a big enough UV
so two questions... will the 25W light be big enough... and I really like the KISS (keep it simple stupid) approach. My idea is to add a dedicated small pump for the UV... and feed the intake to UV from the skimmer side of the sump-- and return it back to the skimmer side...I have space for a second filter sock I could return the flow into the sump with....
for two reasons 1) less risk to having flood potential... it's all contained in that loop.. i can turn it on and off... it's kinda a separate loop 2) have the export cooked stuff from the UV have a chance to get picked up by the skimmer before gets into my nitrate cycle.
this seems like the lowest risk approach.. with the downside being recycling the flow some. at rates like 400GPH.. do I really care.
thoughts and advice everyone.... I want to keep my tank modularized to keep it as simple as I can... low risk... and in chunks I can turn on and off via the Apex when I travel for work...
I'd love everyone's advice
special thanks to reef central... I learn so so much here
plumbing Options for UV in Sump
I'm about 6 months into being a Reef Lover ! Reef Central has been so helpful ! I've learned so much and found this UV thread very very helpful
I've got a 90 gallon tank....about 90 pounds of live rock and 100 pounds of live sand
a ton of flow in the DP .. some cromis, shrimp, rabbit face, clowns, clean up crew and a few easy chorals.... Kessel A360W LEDs.. love them.. my goal is to have easy corals... and a mixture of easy fish.
Eshopps sump with single built it overflow feeding it.. ultra clean sump... no to a fugue... i'm the ultra simple and clean type
managed by an Apex controller
I'd like to add an Emperor Aquatics 25W Lite.. rated to support up to 90 gallons... no issue bumping up to a larger one.. but its going to be very tight space wise if I go bigger.. I"m trying to keep it contained ... versus is this really a big enough UV
so two questions... will the 25W light be big enough... and I really like the KISS (keep it simple stupid) approach. My idea is to add a dedicated small pump for the UV... and feed the intake to UV from the skimmer side of the sump-- and return it back to the skimmer side...I have space for a second filter sock I could return the flow into the sump with....
for two reasons 1) less risk to having flood potential... it's all contained in that loop.. i can turn it on and off... it's kinda a separate loop 2) have the export cooked stuff from the UV have a chance to get picked up by the skimmer before gets into my nitrate cycle.
this seems like the lowest risk approach.. with the downside being recycling the flow some. at rates like 400GPH.. do I really care.
thoughts and advice everyone.... I want to keep my tank modularized to keep it as simple as I can... low risk... and in chunks I can turn on and off via the Apex when I travel for work...
I'd love everyone's advice
special thanks to reef central... I learn so so much here
Fairly straight setup, but you may need to go to the local hardward store to get the type of plumbig connections you want/need to set it up. Once you followed all the instructions and done the testing for leak and it all passes it's just a matter if determining if you are going to hard plumb it in with pvc or just just flex hose like I did.
I have 40 WATT and it is a monster so I ended sitting it on the floor behind my tank. I have no roon in my tank stand or sump for something that is almost the same length as the tank itself.
I have the RSM 500S and I do not use the stock skimmer so that freed up the valve that was dedicated for the skimmer. I simply connected the input hose to the UV to that valve so I can easily control the flow.
The slower the better but make sure you watch your temps because if you run it very slow it means more time the water will spend in the tube getting heated up by the UV bulb. I noticed a one degree increased and have been running it 24/7. Sumer is upon us so I may have to get a chiller but hoping I can control the temps without one because we keep our house pretty cool.
The output from the UV back to the sump is pretty simple. I ran in through the hole in the top corner where the wires from the sump are fed over to the power supply drawer or in my case where I have my APEX equipment mounted. Just make sure you secure the hose down so that there is no chance that it could pop out of your sump and drain your tank onto the floor. My output flows directly into the middle chamber of my sump where my skimmer sits.
I hope this helps but it's late and I'm about to go to bed so I'm typing fast and there may be some errors or forgetting something.
Feel free to ask for clarification if you need any after reading the mess I just typed.
I have 40 WATT and it is a monster so I ended sitting it on the floor behind my tank. I have no roon in my tank stand or sump for something that is almost the same length as the tank itself.
I have the RSM 500S and I do not use the stock skimmer so that freed up the valve that was dedicated for the skimmer. I simply connected the input hose to the UV to that valve so I can easily control the flow.
The slower the better but make sure you watch your temps because if you run it very slow it means more time the water will spend in the tube getting heated up by the UV bulb. I noticed a one degree increased and have been running it 24/7. Sumer is upon us so I may have to get a chiller but hoping I can control the temps without one because we keep our house pretty cool.
The output from the UV back to the sump is pretty simple. I ran in through the hole in the top corner where the wires from the sump are fed over to the power supply drawer or in my case where I have my APEX equipment mounted. Just make sure you secure the hose down so that there is no chance that it could pop out of your sump and drain your tank onto the floor. My output flows directly into the middle chamber of my sump where my skimmer sits.
I hope this helps but it's late and I'm about to go to bed so I'm typing fast and there may be some errors or forgetting something.
Feel free to ask for clarification if you need any after reading the mess I just typed.
thank you Lakelivn.... sounds like you've done similar to what I plan... pull the water and return the water in the skimmer section.. I like this option because this pump can't overrun my return pump
I'm lucky in that I have a spare bulk head for a second sock... I'll install a bulkhead and go with flex pipe just like you did
I have the same problem-- my stand is 42 inches.... pretty sure I'm going to go with the 29" 24watt lite.. its rated for 90 gallons... we can compare notes on who made the best choice lol
I'm lucky in that I have a spare bulk head for a second sock... I'll install a bulkhead and go with flex pipe just like you did
I have the same problem-- my stand is 42 inches.... pretty sure I'm going to go with the 29" 24watt lite.. its rated for 90 gallons... we can compare notes on who made the best choice lol
AcroporAddict
There is no substitute.
There is absolutely no reason to just set your flow rate to 80 GPH or less and just leave it there. You set the flow rate to the proper exposure time to kill marine protozoans, like marine ich, and anything slower than that is wasteful of electricity. You want to process as much volume through the UV at the proper exposure level as you can. If the particular UV you use has the proper exposure level at a flow rate at 80 gph, then fine, but if you are getting the proper exposure level at 250 gph or whatever the rate is for the wattage UV you use, then go with that.
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sowildpaul
New member
Your post above is a little old but I wonder where you got the hooks for your 150 watts UV unit which is 71" long and 5" diameter if I am not wrong.I have the Emperor 150 watt Smart HO UV as well, and I installed it because I have 6 tangs in the tank. I flow about 500 gallons and hour through the UV. Total volume is about 450 net gallons. A good rule of thumb is one times the total net tank volume flow an hour to get the exposure strength to kill marine ich. Tank is 465 gallon SPS tank and a 155 gallon sump. The UV has a separate pump that pulls water upstream and returns it downstream, so all the water coming out of the UV goes back into the DT. The way I have it installed makes it easy to remove the quartz sleeve for decalcifying and bulb replacement.
I also purchased a Emperor Aquatics 40 Watt unit for my 180 display with a 40 gallon sump. It was one of the better purchases I have made. The main reason I purchased it was I read on the web site it would kill Dino's, if ran on a slow GPH I also like the idea of avoiding bacteria that cause fish to get sick. I have 6 tangs and as of today I have not once had Ich or any other disease (knocking on wood as I type) it is going to be 1 year old in Jan so I will be replacing the bulb and cleaning the unit,so Maitenance is a breeze.
neuro
the cat did it
I picked one up also, 40 watt display model. I'm feeding it with a mj1200 from the pump return section, and the output of the emperor UV is going through a BRS deluxe GFO unit and ends up in my skimmer section. I'm not restricting any flow.
Because it's the display version, the center tube is a clear pvc instead of black, so it's super bright when it's on. I went ahead and purchased silver thermal insulation (or whatever it is) and cut it to wrap around it. Mylar would have been better, but this setup is way awesome.
It's been about a month or so since I've installed it. So far, I can't tell if it's working or not. Nothing has changed in my tank for the better. I don't have any tangs, but a relatively high bioload.
Because it's the display version, the center tube is a clear pvc instead of black, so it's super bright when it's on. I went ahead and purchased silver thermal insulation (or whatever it is) and cut it to wrap around it. Mylar would have been better, but this setup is way awesome.
It's been about a month or so since I've installed it. So far, I can't tell if it's working or not. Nothing has changed in my tank for the better. I don't have any tangs, but a relatively high bioload.
reelredfish
Member
So are you original guys still running yours? I am thinking about ordering one. While I know they are not a magic pill I have some ich going on and want to help prevent that in the future. Also the sparkling clear water is nice as well.
Raul-7
Member
Based on the documentation do you choose the suggested or maximum for dosage (ie. 180,000)?
I have the 40W unit and I feel Emperor Aquatics makes the best UV sterilizers for the hobby. I have an AquaUV on my other tank and it pales in comparison.
reelredfish
Member
These are supposed to be the best to brands nice to see someone that has some experience with both of them. Now I just need to figure out which of the Emperor Aquatics models to go with. Think my total water volume is 220 gallons.
krjackso
New member
Now in the market myself for this exact 80w model. Two big questions...
1. did you notice any dramatic decrease in algae? Its supposed to be a primary benefit of UV. I recently switch to a FOWLR since upkeep on my reef was becoming tedious (work travel, you know the drill). With that, I am hoping to reduce the number of times I have to go in and clean my glass.
2. Where did you find this model for $600? Best I can find is $699.
Thanks for the write-up. Love the convo around install and the pics. Helps with some ideas Im cooking up too for my setup.
1. did you notice any dramatic decrease in algae? Its supposed to be a primary benefit of UV. I recently switch to a FOWLR since upkeep on my reef was becoming tedious (work travel, you know the drill). With that, I am hoping to reduce the number of times I have to go in and clean my glass.
2. Where did you find this model for $600? Best I can find is $699.
Thanks for the write-up. Love the convo around install and the pics. Helps with some ideas Im cooking up too for my setup.
To be honest I've discontinued using mine. I did not notice a difference in algae growth and now believe that there are cheaper and easier ways to accomplish algae control. I originally bought mine because I was paranoid about parasites like ich and was just getting ready to add some new tangs which are notorious for ich.
It's been quite a while now and no parasites so it may have worked but maintaining the huge UV was just too big a PIA for me. If I had a large sump room where I could hang the UV and easily get to it to clean I would probably still run it because it obviously did not hurt anything. However, because these things are so huge I had to lay it behind my display tank and getting it in and out was tough and I finally decided not worth the trouble.
It's been quite a while now and no parasites so it may have worked but maintaining the huge UV was just too big a PIA for me. If I had a large sump room where I could hang the UV and easily get to it to clean I would probably still run it because it obviously did not hurt anything. However, because these things are so huge I had to lay it behind my display tank and getting it in and out was tough and I finally decided not worth the trouble.
pciscott
Pirates Cove Reef
I run the 80 watt EA model on my 600 total system on a closed loop plumbed into a bypass with a Profilux flow sensor(Set at 1700LPH). This allows me to dial the flow with the turn on a gate valve. I still get algae on the glass when my nutrients are hi, but all my fish are fat and healthy. I lost most of my fish to a velvet outbreak a few years back and that is why I added the UV. My unit is mounted horizontal in a fish room and the first year I would clean the sleeve every other month on the inside. When I did a bulb replacement after the first year I took the sleeve out and it looked clean on the inside and outside after not doing anything with it for 4 months. So my new maintenance is cleaning it once a year when I change the bulb. I have very healthy fish and they never seem to get Ick outbreaks when stress is hi with new additions. The water is crystal clear and I clean my glass twice a week.
I think the benifit of running the unit on closed loop verses through sump is that I notice less calcium deposits on the interior of the large UV verses my coral quarantine system where the UV is plumbed into the sump where I dose my 2 part.
I got my units at BRS and try to stock up when they offer large discounts a couple times a year. I think when I bought my 80 watt they had a 20% off EA products.
I have noticed less outbreaks of ick and plan on continuing the use on both my systems. I change the bulbs once a year as recommended by Emperor.
I think the benifit of running the unit on closed loop verses through sump is that I notice less calcium deposits on the interior of the large UV verses my coral quarantine system where the UV is plumbed into the sump where I dose my 2 part.
I got my units at BRS and try to stock up when they offer large discounts a couple times a year. I think when I bought my 80 watt they had a 20% off EA products.
I have noticed less outbreaks of ick and plan on continuing the use on both my systems. I change the bulbs once a year as recommended by Emperor.
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