ultra violet sterilizing

[shern]

Greetings all, I currently run a 250g and am noticing some green water within my tank, I cannot solve the lighting problem too well as its in direct sunlight. I was advised to use a uv sterilizer but I cannot find any decent ones for such a large tank. I run a fluval fx6 and I don't see any intakes or outs for a uv sterilizer. please list any recommendations or ideas, thanks all

 

[pacu mom]

Wattage and flow rate go hand in hand when selecting a UV sterilizer. Here's an easy reading article on UV sterilization.

UV Sterilization Selection Guide

Select the right UV Sterilization system for your aquarium based on aquarium size & waterflow rate with the LiveAquaria® “UV Sterilization Selection Guide”

www.liveaquaria.com

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I hooked a 40W UV sterilizer to the return end of my FX-6. The flow rate of the FX-6 was compatible with the recommended flow rate of the UV sterilizer I chose. This is the model I have. Since I bought mine years ago, they have come up with other models. I will say that replacement parts - bulbs, ballasts and quartz sleeves can be almost as costly as buying a new UV sterilizer.

Lifegard QL-40, 40 Watt UV Sterilizer 120VAC

Aquariums, Zoos, Universities,Aquaculture, Filtration, Life Support Equipment , Supplies

myaquaticsolutions.com

Our living room outside wall is basically a wall of picture windows and there are two skylights in the room that keeps our tank in the sun all day. We developed a green water problem very quickly.


The UV sterilizer cleared up the water very quickly


Redox potential helps their major injuries to heal quickly, and I keep no medications for them. I wouldn't run a tank without UV sterilization.

There are many different UV sterilizers, but you will probably need 40W if you want more than just clarification.

 

[https://www.cichlid-forum]

Greetings all, I currently run a 250g and am noticing some green water within my tank, I cannot solve the lighting problem too well as its in direct sunlight. I was advised to use a uv sterilizer but I cannot find any decent ones for such a large tank. I run a fluval fx6 and I don't see any intakes or outs for a uv sterilizer. please list any recommendations or ideas, thanks all

It sounds like you’re dealing with an algae bloom in your 250-gallon tank, which can be a common issue for tanks that receive direct sunlight. A UV sterilizer can indeed help control the algae by killing the microscopic organisms as they pass through the light.

As for integrating a UV sterilizer with your Fluval FX6 canister filter, there are a few ways you could approach this:

Inline UV Sterilizer: Some aquarists have had success using an inline UV sterilizer with their Fluval FX6. This involves connecting the UV sterilizer to the output hose of the canister filter so that the water passes through the sterilizer before returning to the tank. You would need to ensure the sterilizer is compatible with the size of your hoses and that it is suitable for the volume of your tank.

Separate Pump for UV Sterilizer: Another option is to use a separate pump to run water through the UV sterilizer. This would allow you to control the flow rate through the sterilizer independently of the filter.

UV Sterilizer with its own Pump: Some UV sterilizers come with their own pumps, which can simplify installation. However, you would need to ensure the sterilizer is suitable for the size of your tank.

 

[Trouser Cough]

A note on health... (yours) pertaining to UV sterilizers:

Some UV lamps are well known for producing large amounts of ozone which can be highly problematic for humans and will irritate lungs. I have no equipment to measure ozone density however, consider doing what I do for lamp changes which is to remove the fixture from it's bracket, take it outdoor to open it up, R&R the old lamp and replace the fixture back into its bracket.

When it comes to daily operation I've made a giant logical leap in assmuming there to be no ozone leakage as there's no water leakage. As a belt and suspenders man though it seems like a good idea to take a few precautions during lamp change procedures. Ozone is an oxidant known to be highly damaging to mucosal and respiratory tissues in animals and known to cause lung damage at concentrations as low as 0.1ppm. If you're wondering how that applies to the earth's atmospheric ozone layer, that layer exists in concentrations between 0.2 - 0.8ppm. It doesn't take much and why concerns are not better publicized is anyone's guess. I've even had one buddy that smoked like an old stove and he'd be a human chimney blasting down the road in his pickup. That truck curiously never smelled like smoke; not even slightly. He had this odd looking device that was always plugged into the accessory / cig lighter in the dash and it was an ozone generator w/ a prop to circulate the air. As soon as you got in his truck though you could smell the ozone concentration.

He rec'd it as a gift from his daughter and neither of them were sharp enough to have ever asked "hey... I wonder what this little thing is trading me for the chance to completely remove a strong and nasty stench"?

Ozone is like bleach in your lungs.

 

[duanes]

What is your nitrate reading?
Although sunlight can indeed cause algae, in many cases, is the combination of sunlight and nitrate that causes algae blooms, because nitrate is super food for algae
My tank gets 6 hours of direct tropical sun every morning (it is outside), and no bloomshave yet happeedn, probably because I do enough water changes, to keep nitrate levels undetectable.
And the heavily aquatic planting in the sump eat nitrates almost as fast as the fish and filtration produce them.

 

[DMD123]

I run a 300 gallon with three FX6's and would get the green water tinge without a UV. I ended up custom plumbing a 36W TurboTwist unit on one of the Fx6 and my water is clear.

If the custom plumbing thing is a bit too much for you, the other idea would be to try Fluval's new in line clarifier designed for the FX series of filters. Pretty easy to hook up but not sure if the 6 watt will clear things up enough.

https://fluvalaquatics.com/us/shop/product/fx-uvc-in-line-clarifier-series

 

[Something Fishy Here]

I just started using one of these gkm24 submersible uv sterilizer a bit over a month ago but love it so far. Just plug it in and hang it in the tank. I set mine on a timer to run 6 hours a day, and no green tinge to the water since then. Simple and 24w with a decent fire rate to be effective according to most websites.