UV light basics

[BigBearMD]

So I've tried to search about UV lights but I'm not finding the answers I'm looking for.

I know there's debate over the utility to start with but for those that have them how often/long do you run them?

Are you running the light 24/7 or a couple of hours a day or just when the water gets a little cloudy?

Specifically I have a biocube 32. I've seen bad reviews of the light burning out in a few weeks to a couple of months. I was wondering if this was people just running the light too much or just a faulty product.

Thanks for your input.

 

[slief]

If you're reading about UV sterilizer bulbs burning out after a couple weeks or even a few months then those reviews are based on poor quality UV Sterilizers. A good quality UV unit should last a long long time bulbs should not burn out prematurely. I run an AquaUV 114 watt dual bulb unit I have been running 24/7 for several years and never had a bulb burn out. I change my bulbs once a year. I've been running their UV sterilizers for a couple decades now and never had a bulb prematurely fail. It's all about quality bulbs & quality ballasts. The same cannot be said about cheap UV units though.

 

[BigBearMD]

I'm looking at the coralife UV light for the biocube. I'd like to keep everything contained in the back unit for the time being.

Is running the UV light 24/7 the only way to get the real benefit from it? I was thinking about a couple of hours a day just to know down any developing bacteria or algae. Since it'll be coming through the only pump I'll have all the water pass through several times over a few hours.

 

[SBV]

24/7 on the uv. My recommendation is to go Aqua Uv. It will be the last one you ever buy. Buddy has the Coralife and it looks like a fisher price toy comparing it to my Aqua Uv. Get what you pay for.