Best UV Sterilizer

[fishnugget]

I am looking for a good UV for my reef tank. Need help with bacteria outbreaks and algae.


What UV would you recommend?
& size for 210 gallon

[mavgi]

the aqua UV are the great uv :

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Aquauv

but you need to know that the flow to remove algae= higher and different then the flow to remove parasite =lower.

for 210 gallon tank you want at least 40watt .

[jtarmitage]

I second the Aqua UV. I just bought the 57watt unit for my 250.

[fishnugget]

any other thoughts

[sjm817]

If you want something less $ than the Aqua, you can get a 36W Coralife (http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ESU-AF77072&Category_Code=Turbotwist) for $155

[fishnugget]

Is Aqua that much better?

[tperk9784]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10129470#post10129470 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mavgi
the aqua UV are the great uv :

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Aquauv

but you need to know that the flow to remove algae= higher and different then the flow to remove parasite =lower.

for 210 gallon tank you want at least 40watt .

I have never understood how the come up with the recomended sizes for tanks.

Sure there is a max flow that will kill parasites and granted it is slower flow than to kill algae, but how do they determine the requirements for a certain sized tank? is it turnover rate?

Whats the criteria to say you want at least 40 watts for a 210?

Mavgi I am not directing this question specifically at you, it's just a general question.

[sirjohn]

The nice thing about the Aqua UV is that it is designed for high water flow, so you can plumb it directly on your return line and still obtain the benefits of parasite killing.

I purchased the 25 watt Classic model for my 92 gallon. Previously, I owned a Turbo-Twister on a 90 gallon. The Turbo-Twister seemed to work well. I have yet to install the Aqua UV on the 92 so I can't comment on its performance.

If you go by quality of construction, however, you definitely get what you pay for with the Aqua UV. Construction is top-notch.

[sjm817]

I'm far from an expert on UVs. I have seen some good posts here that go into some great detail on wattage and flow rates. I look at it fairly simply. Its all about exposure time. The longer something is exposed to the UV, the more chance it has to get fried. Water born algae is very easy to kill and doesn't need a lot of exposure, but more exposure doesn't hurt. Parasites need more exposure time to be killed. My thought is to use a low flow to maximize the chances of killing whatever goes through the UV. Even a modest 100 - 200 GPH flow will turn over a good size tank many times a day.

[SeanT]

Emperor Aquatic's UV's are far superior than Aqua UV's.

[SeanT]

Here are some comparison's.
http://www.uvcomparison.com/uvcomparison.php
http://www.emperoraquatics.com/uvdetective.php
I grant you that one is from the emperor site itself, but that doesn't make the information incorrect.

hth,
Sean

[SeanT]

Go here:
http://www.azponds.com/UV%20Sterilizers.htm?source=google

And scroll down untill you see:

Aqua Ultraviolet Exposed! (in red)

[sirjohn]

Um, every link you posted is from an Emperor Aquatics website (or a distributor pushing its products).

They are direct competitors, what would you expect them to say?

Perhaps the Emperor Aquatics UV is indeed better, but I would point to an unbiased source before concluding that they are "far superior".

[mavgi]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10133951#post10133951 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tperk9784
I have never understood how the come up with the recomended sizes for tanks.

Sure there is a max flow that will kill parasites and granted it is slower flow than to kill algae, but how do they determine the requirements for a certain sized tank? is it turnover rate?

Whats the criteria to say you want at least 40 watts for a 210?

Mavgi I am not directing this question specifically at you, it's just a general question.

i don't choose the size , when i check in their website they recommend 40watt up to 325 gallons of salt water and 25watt up to 150 gallon of salt water and because of that i said you want at least 40 watt for that size of tank.

you can look on that link to (check the :
Aqua Ultraviolet Classic UV Series )



http://www.aquaultraviolet.com/products.htm

[jtarmitage]

SeanT: The points brought up about the Emperor vs. the Aqua UV are compelling, and I do like the sound of it. I bought the Aqua without doing any research on the Emperor, and I may have gone that direction instead. The only real problem I see with the Emperor is the sheer size of the thing. For my system, I would need to go to the 65watt and that is huge. I really like the size of the Aqua that I bought, and I think that the claim about inlet and output spacing not being as efficient, while true, is overstated as the water will still continually flow down to the end of the unit and back up to the outlet. Not simply enter then exit, as Emperor suggests. Still, likely less efficient, just not to the degree they would have us believe. The Aqua is very well built, and I don't regret the purchase, even if the Emperor may be a bit superior.

[ddboy]

I am using the Aqua UV 57watts on my 150g. I like it because it is pretty small in size and I like the wiper option that they have. And another major advantage that I see it their replacemnt bulbs are offered almost any website out there.

[fishnugget]

ssws

[gasman059]

Lifegurad.