AquaUV sterilizer

[nycman]

I have been running an AquaUV 57W sterilizer on my 220 gallon system for a year. I asked advice on sizing and it seems the responders were thinking fish only, not reef, tank. Tank looks great, beat a cyano outbreak 6 months ago. Am putting very low flow through it and after reading a number of threads am thinking I am way over doing it - 250 GPH through 57 watts. I have it on an external network with its own dedicated external 800GPH pump. Can I buy a 25W bulb and ballast, replacing the same for the 57W and leave the housing and plumbing as is, but bump the flow to 800GPH? This way am not killing plankton. Does this seem like a good move? I can always put the 57W ballast and bulb back in action temporarily if the tank has an algae problem.

[saveafish]

As you put it. It works great. Don't play with things that work great. I'd leave it alone. Your tank is use to it running like it is.

[bblumberg]

Why not just increase flow through the 57 W you have already? That should do the trick.

[nycman]

Why not just increase flow through the 57 W you have already? That should do the trick.. My pump is rated at 790GPH so cranked all the way up it is above 90,000 microwatt seconds per square centimeter.

[slief]

As you put it. It works great. Don't play with things that work great. I'd leave it alone. Your tank is use to it running like it is.

+1. The tank is doing great. The flow may be pretty low but it’s not going to do any harm. As for putting a 25w bulb in it. I can’t imagine any good reason to do so.

[bblumberg]

. My pump is rated at 790GPH so cranked all the way up it is above 90,000 microwatt seconds per square centimeter.

I see. You would really need to pump up the flow to drop the output down to the recommended range. I am with Slief - if it is working well, then don't mess with success.

[bblumberg]

ps. And yes, you can replace the bulb and ballast with the 25 W version if that is what you want. The housing is the same.