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Help with New UV setup

The_Lazy_Reefer

Supporting Member
Hey just purchased the aqua uv 15watt off marine depot and will be plumping it from a T off my return pump. Anybody use this unit and have any pro tips on installation? Any info is appreciated TIA!
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At that flow rate it will be useful for bacteria and algae, but not for protozoa's. You will need to be in 75gph max range to inhibit Ich, etc. Frankly, you should use the 25w unit for your size tank.
 
Wha
At that flow rate it will be useful for bacteria and algae, but not for protozoa's. You will need to be in 75gph max range to inhibit Ich, etc. Frankly, you should use the 25w unit for your size tank.
what flow rate would you run the 25 watt at? I’ll probably return it and upgrade to the 25 watt if that’s what you recommend
 
Yea I’m going to be there so I will be sure to ask him his opinion on the topic.Good idea man! I went ahead and got the 25 watt version and will start it out at 180 gph(ish) and see how it goes. Or do you recommend starting it lower as I’m worried about over doing it.


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I thought I should add this isn't one of those "I'll watch it and see how it goes." By definition protozoan's are single cell and animals and we can't see them, but there's a lot of excellent science on UV and protozaons and how much exposure time is needed -- so we trust the science.
 
I thought I should add this isn't one of those "I'll watch it and see how it goes." By definition protozoan's are single cell and animals and we can't see them, but there's a lot of excellent science on UV and protozaons and how much exposure time is needed -- so we trust the science.
Ah yea I see your point there where there’s really no tell tale signs to help “dial” it in, so I’ll trust the science as you say and aim for about 130gph which if I’m off by a little bit either way will still be in the ballpark for effective for protozoan reduction
 
The one I just bought is 80w and four feet long. Exposure time is everything and the myth that you strip stuff out o the tank is ... well... a myth.
 
yeah UV isn't like a protein skimmer where it'll eventually get to all the water by cleaning up a little a time. All you do with UV is give stuff a suntan if you run it through too quickly and all the "turnovers" per hour you do isn't going to make it work any better.
 
Assuming your drain is throttled or runs partial siphon (sucks air), put it on the drain, not the return pump. Adding it to the return pump decreases the flow through the sump as the return pump now has to push against extra resistance. Putting it on the drain side gravity is doing the work for you.
Downsides to this:
1) Obviously that doesn't apply if you are near capacity on your drain, but if that's the case you have a ticking time bomb anyways.
2) Doesn't get everything if you have more than one drain, although that does make it easier to tune flow rate.
3) Consider plumbing in a way that is both easy to drain when you need to open it and change the bulb as well as a way where it stays full if the return pump dies. There was a recent thread about this.
 
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Definitly going for the recommended flow of 125ish gph. Here’s my sump and there’s a gate valve off the return I was planning to use and run the UV off that so I should be able to dial the flow in exactly with that. The L1 is only running on the 3rd led so theres plenty off oomph to spare so I think this should work nicely?


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Well I hit my first snag I think. So I grabbed a 3/4 schedule 80 union to connect to the plumbing on the return.(bought the tank used so I just assumed it was normal. I noticed that the piece on the return currently should have an o-ring? Or are there unions in the world without them. I’m considering just putting an o-ring inside and telfoning the hell out of the threads to see what happens


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