UV Sterilizer - worthwhile?

[Trigg3rhappy]

Greetings All and thanks in advance for sharing your opinions and experience.

I have no experience with a UV sterilizer. Is anyone using one and are the benefits justified for us FO people?

I'm replumbing a 500 gal. system. It will have many of the obvious pieces like a giant wet/dry sump with bioballs, an enormous oversized skimmer, chiller, ozone in a fluidized reactor, carbon in a fluidized reactor and phosphate media in a 3rd fluidized reactor. There is no opportunity with this setup to add a refuge or any other type of container.

Thanks again!

 

[techigirl78]

I did not find it particularly useful. Just one more piece of equipment to keep up and bulbs to replace for me. After taking it off, I didn't notice much of a difference.

Why the bioballs? Maybe replace that area of your sump with a refugium?

 

[limitdown]

Yes, it's worth it. I run both a UV sterilizer and ozone generator. Although UV isn't a holy grail in itself, it's one more piece of equipment that can help improve the quality of life for your fish. Also, UV sterilizers are not that expensive and replacement bulbs aren't too pricey either.
For a 500g, you're probably looking at a 72watt+ unit.

 

[Trigg3rhappy]

Why the bioballs? Maybe replace that area of your sump with a refugium?

There isn't enough vertical clearance for a refugium.

For a 500g, you're probably looking at a 72watt+ unit.

I looked at the sizing chart for Aqua Ultraviolet brand and they recommend between a 160watt and a 200watt. Overkill is definteately my style but 160-200 is more than twice 72. Could this be right?

 

[danorth]

It is not just the wattage, but the exposure time to the light.

Big light, faster flow, more of the tank water can be treated more often.

Small light, use slower flow rate to increase exposure time, less turnover of water through UV making it less effective perhaps. I don't know how many times water needs to go through a UV to be considered effective. Once a day? Once an hour?

 

[predator 1]

I would recommend UV every time. I run 2x Aquamedic Helix Max 55w in tandem, the water is channeled in a "Spiral motion, to offer maximum exposure. I would go as far to say they are worth their weight in Gold.

 

[bluedevils32701]

ya i agree with predator....mine makes my aquariums pristine!

 

[Trigg3rhappy]

So I'm down for plumbing one in. Any sizing recommendations? What are you currently running for what size of system?

 

[phk36]

you may need to run a few threw each other

 

[phk36]

i have 45 watts on my 180 and i think i need more