UV Steralizer

Sprout579 · 11-09-2005, 03:20 PM

I have a coralife 9w uv steralizer that I T'd into my return with a 3/4" from the return to a 1/2"tube to the steralizer then T'd back to the return. I have a fairly new reef that is still in the process of getting set up. How often and for how long should I run the steralizer to help keep counts down but not kill off all the helpful bacteria and stuff in my tank.
I have read a bunch of stuff about UV Steralizers being bad in reefs due to the corals and killing off their food. But have also read articles about it being good in moderation to keep the water to a lower bacteria and parasite load. Unfortunately I already bought the steralizer so if it will help I would like to use it but if not I gues I can return it or sell it. I figure if its use is well regulated it could be beneficial but I have no clue how much time I should have it on for so that it doesent over work my tank. Does anyone have any input on this???

40gal Oceanic Stretch Hex / 10gal sump/ fuge

rangerfan · 11-09-2005, 03:43 PM

well i think it depends on what you are going to inhabit the reef before you decide if it is not good. i have the same UV on my 30 gallon softy tank and i wouldnt have it any other way it is a good thing to have to break down some of the chemical bonds of all the stuff your corals are realeasing. they all hate each other and would love to kill each other in case you were wondering. i run mine all the time because i never saw a difference when it wasnt on and when it was except for less algae growth on the glass and clearer water when it was on. so i say run that badboy

Geoff · 11-09-2005, 04:03 PM

the best thing to do with a UV clearifier that small is to plumb it just before the skimmer. the UV light will help break down DOC's, making the skimmer much more efficient.

G~

Sprout579 · 11-09-2005, 04:05 PM

cool, well thats what I wanted to hear. It nevers feels good to spend $75 for nothing. I will put some soft corals and LPS in my tank. like hammer corals and fun moving corals, I like the ones that look like anenomes. No SPS only have a 130w PC. So far I just have a cleaning crew, a cleaner shrimp, Royal Gramma, Clown, and a brittle star. How long did you wait before turning the Steralizer on the new tank?

Sprout579 · 11-09-2005, 04:08 PM

I'm not sure how I would connect it in that position. The only place I really have room is by Ting into the return. I have an AquaC Remora that hangs on the back of my inlet section of my sump and the tubing from my overflow is to large to T into.

Geoff · 11-09-2005, 04:13 PM

oooh, that makes things a bit more complicated.

let me think on that for a minute.

G~

Geoff · 11-09-2005, 04:15 PM

can the skimmer hang on the sump?

G~

rangerfan · 11-09-2005, 04:18 PM

why dont you just run both inlet and outlet in main tank i dont have a sump so i was forced to but i just put them in a corner and covered them up with rocks..

Sprout579 · 11-09-2005, 04:21 PM

the onlu other place I could put the skimmer would be on the fuge but that would look ugly and kinda be in the way when I need to get to the back. My sump is setup in a 10g tank. I put two baffles 7.5"high. The baffles are in a T making three chambers. The right is the inlet from the tank, the left back is the return where my steralizer is mounted above the sump and the front left chamber is the refugium and my light for the Fuge sits on top. its tight under my tank cause it is a stretch hex tank with matching hex shaped cabinet

Sprout579 · 11-09-2005, 04:24 PM

I could possibly run another hose from the back of my overflow so there would be a seperate hose running from the tank through the steralizer and into my sump inlet where the skimmer is but then I would have two hoses leaving the tank and am not sure how that would affect the water flow seeing as the water would have to syphon from the back part of the overflow unless I drilled another hole in the overflow and ran the hose from the bottom like the main line is.

Sprout579 · 11-09-2005, 04:25 PM

is it really so bad to T it off from the return?

Geoff · 11-09-2005, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sprout579

is it really so bad to T it off from the return?

as in Tee the return directly into the pump for the skimmer, then through the UV then into the skimmer itself?

in order for the breakdown of the DOC's to be usefull i really needs to be directly in front of the skimmer.

i can not come up with an elegant solution. if we can not find a way to do it directly in front of the skimmer than it really does not matter where it goes.

G~

reef_noob · 11-09-2005, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sprout579

is it really so bad to T it off from the return?

The issue is that the uv breaks down organic compounds. Ideally, you are then skimming these out right away. By returning them back to the tank you are missing out on an opportunity to remove excess nutrient from the system.

rangerfan · 11-09-2005, 04:54 PM

oops i just noticed you had a hex you cant really hide tubes behind the tank sorry well i tried to give you a simple answer oh well

Sprout579 · 11-09-2005, 05:04 PM

so you are saying I should remove the screen (the plastic thing that keeps crap out of my maxijet 1200 for the skimmer) from the pump on the skimmer and put a hose run from the output of the steralizer and just pull the water through the steralizer via the maxijet 1200 and directly into the skimmer so the steralizer will be taking water from the sump through the steralizer into the maxijet and directly into my skimmer then back into the sump so go through the fuge an/or the return pump back into the main tank. Would that be robbing the skimmer of power because the pump has to pull the water through about a foot more of hose before it enters the pump or shouldent that matter???