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Cytuj• The key to success is CORRECT water flow; including Contact Time, Cleanliness of the Bulb and/or Quartz Sleeve, water particulates, and water temperature.
As well when all these Basic Factors are taken together (dwell, flow, distance, etc.), most internal/submersible, HOB UVs fail at TRUE UV Sterilization (level 1 or 2) and these types of so-called UV Sterilizers in reality are at best UV Clarifiers!
As a Clarifier; For Algae Control (Green Water and some Cloudy Water), 40-50 gph per watt is effective to maintain effective exposure for effective UVC sterilization/radiation (depending on model UV’s design).
High Efficiency (High Dwell/Exposure) UV Sterilizers such as the TMC Pond Advantage with long contact time as per the wattage and lamp can easily run as high as 50-60 gph per watt. The even higher efficiency (& dwell time) Pro Clear UV 30 can go 70+ gph per watt.Generally even the lower end models commonly sold at discounters such as Amazon can perform Clarification, albeit at much lower flow rates, which is why many of these models are incorrectly named and inappropriately come up in Google Searches as UV Sterilizers when in FACT these are UV Clarifiers ONLY, NOT Level 1 or Higher UV Sterilizers!
Simply put, in clarification, algae cells are not killed (as the UVC strength and dwell time is not enough to kill), rather they are clumped by the UV energy, which causes the algae "clumps" to either fall out of the water column into the substrate or get picked by the filter(s).
For this reason, this is why in my controlled tests, I have had Level 1 Sterilizers clear and aquarium in less than an hour that it took a UV Clarifier as long as ONE DAY TO CLEAR!!In the end, even of clarification is all you seek, using one of the many UV Clarifiers sold (again often masquerading as a UV Sterilizer), you will still achieve MUCH BETTER results with a True level 1 capable or higher UV Sterilizer!
*As a TRUE Level One Sterilizer; Generally for bacterial control (& many virus), as well as improved Redox Balance a flow rate of 15-25 gph per watt (75-95 liters per hour, per watt), sometimes as high as 30-35 gph per watt for high efficiency UV Sterilizers such as the TMC Vecton UV.
*As a Level Two Sterilizer; For single cell parasite control (such as Cryptocaryon) as well as a few “stubborn” viruses, a flow under 10 gph (or even less) is necessary. This is often not 100% for all parasites of this type, so a UV Sterilizer should not be relied on as the sole preventative for these parasites!
My observations and tests over the years has shown about a 10-15% improvement of level two over level one Sterilization. While level one provides a definite difference over clarification for over all fish/aquarium health, the difference from level one to two is not as noteworthy.
It is also noteworthy the incidence's of Ich/Crytocaryon are lower with level one over clarification or no UV at all, not because this level kills the parasite, but only that the fish is generally in better health to fend off the infestation
Here are a few BASIC points as to what a Properly Installed, Well Designed TRUEUV Sterilizer (or Steriliser) Can Do for your POND or AQUARIUM:
- Clear Green Water in Aquariums or Ponds when run in parameters for clarification.
Clarification is the most simple use of a UV Sterilizer and in fact many if not most UV Sterilizers are ONLY capable of clarification, which is why many are misnamed "UV Sterilizer" when in fact these lower end models are actually just "UV Clarifiers".- It is noteworthy that a true level 1 capable UV Sterilizer will also clear green water in ponds much more quickly and maintain water clarity MUCH better than a basic UV Clarifier!!
- Kill most suspended bacteria and many viruses in the water column when run at level 1 or 2 Sterilization, while not affecting bacterial colonies in filter media and substrate
- Improve Redox Balance in aquarium or pond in part by lowering oxidative stress and thus improve the fish’ ability to fight disease (this has been proven in well researched human studies too)
- AID in the control of parasites such as Ich or Cryptocaryon by improving immune function and at very low flows can more directly aid in parasite control in the water column, although not on fish directly (that requires Level 2 Sterilization; under 8-12 gph per watt, which is still not 100%).
- Stop the spread of toxic red tide dinoflagellates which can make humans very ill and has recently been shown to infect home/office marine aquariums.
These red tide dinoflagellates have been shown to be effectively destroyed by either level one or higher UV Sterilization or an ozonizer connected to a Protein Skimmer (much more so than by chlorine).
Reference: Red tide toxins found in home aquarium- Unfortunately many of the UV Sterilizers flooding the market for under $50 including "Hang on Back" (HOB) and many "In Tank" Submersible UVs at best can ONLY control algae and very limited bacterial blooms, these CANNOT perform the level one Sterilization needed for true disease control and aid to Redox Balance due to flow rate & design as well many utilize lower cost medium pressure UV bulbs.
FACTORS DETERMINING THE BEST UV STERILIZER FOR LEVEL 1 STERILIZATION:
Understanding the following points is ESSENTIAL prior to purchasing ANY UV Sterilizer.
It is also noteworthy that many UV Sterilizers CANNOT achieve these points & in Fact are ONLY clarifiers and thus are a waste of money if one desires TRUE level 1 UV Sterilization (or higher)!!• Flow rate
• Dwell time (related to flow rate)
• Water Turnover in pond or aquarium per hour
*As well the circulation pattern can affect UV Sterilization effectiveness
• Distance of UV Lamp from UV Sterilizer containment 'wall'
• Temperature of water
• Pre-Filtration including Turbidity of water & a healthy bio filter.
If turbidity is high and bio filtration is low, you could require double rated UV. In ponds in particular, it often takes double the normal rated size UV Sterilizer if bio filtration is poor and turbidity if high just to clear green water.(A) Water Flow, Dwell/ Exposure Time; UV Sterilization Levels
This is easily the most important simple aspect of proper UV Sterilizer set up and all the gimmicks (like “twists” and “wipers”) will not help a poorly installed UV with high flow rates of water passing through the unit without proper exposure time at the correct distance from the UVC Lamp/Bulb.
In fact this is where most UV Sterilizers installed in ponds fall short as pond keepers will place (as an example) a 9 watt UV powered with a 1000 gph pump which is 2-4 times the effective flow rate for a pond installation (often as per very poor directions by the manufacturer).
This problem is also common among reef aquarists with high flow rate sump pumps attached to UV Sterilizers incompatible with the flow rate, resulting in the common and incorrect statement that "the UV Sterilizer was useless".Flow Rate & Turnover Rate Table:
This table assumes:
- Low water turbidity, meaning pre-filtration & a healthy bio filter.
A UV Sterilizer will easily work twice as hard or more (requiring double the normal wattage or more) if your bio filter is not adequate and water turbidity is high; this is especially a common problem with ponds.- A water temperature between 20 C (68 F) and 40 C (104 F)
- A gap of 3 cm or less between the bulb or quartz sleeve and the wall of the unit
- A reasonable dwell time, as most low cost, filter equipped UVs, and submersible UVs have poor dwell time
Reference: UV Sterilizer Dwell Time- A GOOD water flow pattern inside the aquarium or pond.
- A clean Quartz sleeve/lamp
- A hot cathode Low Pressure UV bulb/lamp with less than 6 months continuous use (NOT an old or cheap medium pressure UV bulb now so often sold on the Internet for $10 or less!!)
If a medium pressure bulb is used (commonly sold at discounters), you will need divide the maximum flow rate by 1/3 to 1/4.
Example: If you use a 9 watt UV lamp commonly sold on eBay for $6-$12, an optimum flow rate goes from 225 gph to under 75 gph for minimum level one sterilization!
Otherwise, lower flow rates and higher turnover WILL be required
UV Clarifier/Sterilizer Categories used in this table:
Category C; Basic Economy UV Clarifiers commonly sold via discounters, Amazon, etc. with low dwell time, low output UVC (7%) lamps, poor contact design (especially HOB UVs), often or little no pre-filtration
Category B; Many Compact UVs such as the AAP/SunSun Terminator & CUP, Tetra, Turbo Twist with reasonable dwell time, HO 35% UVC lamps, assumed pre filtration
Category A; High Dwell time UVs such as the TMC with the highest dwell time, HO 35% UVC lamps, & assumed pre filtration
FACTS (& MYTHS) ABOUT UV STERILIZATION;
Here are few things UV Sterilization will NOT do:
- UV sterilization will not cure infected fish of bacterial or fungal diseases- mostly MYTH. A UV can aid in cure by killing bacterial pathogens in the water column and fungal spores. As well cure can be helped by improvement of water quality and of the Redox potential (which is much more important than many realize based on scientific research).
- A UV sterilizer will not kill ich trophozoites or similar parasites already on the fish- TRUE; however then most medications don't either, but the use of UVC can again slow the spread of ich tomites in the water column (but usually not out right kill ich tomites).
HOWEVER by virtue of water quality improvement (such as Redox Potential/Balance) and lowering of pathogenic bacteria, the fish has more natural resistance to fight Marine Cryptocaryon or FW Ich.
This is a fact as per controlled tests I performed in the 1990s!
This is why simply improving fish immunity by running a UV Sterilizer at Level 1 often helps with Ich prevention and why a GOOD UV Sterilizer should be a considered just one tool for Ich prevention, NEVER the only tool.
Even when run at a low flow rate (8-12 gph per watt depending upon UV Sterilizer for level 2), a UV Sterilizer cannot kill all Ich or Crytocaryon Tomites or Oodinium Dinoflagellates in the water column, as it is impossible to force all these Tomites to pass through the UV.
However increasing the aquarium turnover rate through the UV Sterilizer (2-3 times per hour or more), increases the number of these Ick Tomites or Dinoflagellates killed.
As well pre-filtration, especially with a micron filter placed before the UV Sterilizer can further improve effectiveness of the UV. A micron filter of 10 microns is very effective by itself, but can lower flow since it is very fine, so often a 50 micron pre-filter will suffice when combined with a high dwell time UV run at level 2 Sterilization
Quarantine and/or fish baths should be a major part of Ich/Crytocaryon prevention, especially in marine aquariums!
The bottom line is I have often observed two extremes when is come to aquarium keeper views about the use of UV Sterilizers for Ich/Cryptocaryon prevention:
One is they will solve all your problems, and Two they are useless.
NEITHER view is correct as a good, properly installed UV is an invaluable tool in prevention, but NOT the ONLY tool.- A UV sterilizer will not kill beneficial bacteria- TRUE; when used correctly, bacteria such nitrifying aerobic bacteria are effective when attached to a surface of high water flow such as the sponge of a sponge filter, not when in the water column.
In fact relatively new scientific evidence shows nitrifying bacteria to be sticky and adheres to the surfaces like glue this is why the myth of UV Sterilizers killing beneficial bacteria is just that, a myth.
It still may be best to turn off a Sterilizer unit when introducing bacteria in liquid form to seed a new aquarium.
As well, best results are achieved if the UV Sterilizer is place AFTER a filter when placed in line.
Example; if used with a canister filter or Fluidized Sand Bed Filter, the level one capable UV Sterilizer should be the LAST device prior to water being returned back to the aquarium.
Better results yet are achieved if the filter running ahead of the UV is a micron filter.- UV Sterilization will NOT kill off copepods- TRUE; copepods and other small life forms in a Reef or Nano Reef Aquarium are generally not harmed in any real numbers by a properly installed UV Sterilizer.
This is one of the more laughable myths about the use of UV Sterilizers in reef aquariums as these copepods live at or near the bottom of live rock piles (making a pile with small pieces is best for copepods), they are not active in the water column. If properly installed, the UV should have at least a fine pore sponge filter media as a pre-filter, which will further stop the “ingestion” of these and other minute life forms (the UV benefits from pre-filtration as well by being more efficient).
What is interesting about this myth is that many who spread this misinformation use filters such as the Ocean Clear Micron Filters systems (which are excellent micron filters), these filters will filter out any copepods that get caught up in the water column and “sucked” into the filter.
As well even “pods” that do manage to find their way into the UV Sterilizer are rarely killed due to size as the typical flow rate of 20+ gph is not low enough to kill them (you would need at least 8-12 gph per watt.
The bottom line here is that I have maintained MANY Reef aquariums with UVs with growing copepods, anemone and other creature populations. Honestly this is one of the worst urban myths in the aquarium hobby about UVs (mostly spread on the internet in misinformed forums which never conduct or read scientific evidence to back up these absurd statements). The only truth to these statements is that UV Sterilizers can destroy some microscopic food sources needed by some of these organisms (usually planktonic algae, although timers that turn the UV on during certain hours is an easy remedy for this possible problem).
However Phytoplankton can be killed by correct use of a level one capable UV Sterilizer.
The simple fix here is to switch off the UV Sterilizer when adding Phytoplankton to an aquarium for about 1 hour.
Tak w skrócie po naszemu:
Lampa o tej samej mocy i parametrach może słuzyć jako klaryfikator wody, sterylizator 1go i 2go stopnia, zależnie od ustalonego przepływu.
Klaryfikator wody usunie zmętnienie spowodowane glonami, ale nie zniszczy komórek tylko spowoduje że będą "zlepiać się" w większe grupy, które już zostaną wyłapane przez inne filtry.
Sterylizator 1go stopnia zniszczy komórki glonów, oraz większość bakterii i wirusów. Poprawi też balans reakcji redox, co obniża stres u ryb i poprawia odporność. Polecany akwarystom.
Sterylizator 2go stopnia usunie dodatkowo pozostałe patogeny, pozostawiając jałową wodę. Znajduje zastosowanie w publicznych basenach.
Autor zauważył wyraźną różnicę po stosowaniu klaryfikatora i sterylizatora, jednak w przypadku porównania sterylizatorów 1go i 2go stopnia, uznał że 10% wzrost wydajności nie jest warty niemal 100% wzrostu ceny.
Żaden sterylizator nie usunie wszystkich patogenów z systemu, mimo że jest świetnym uzupełnieniem ochrony, nie zastąpi kwarantanny czy dipowania.