Pump for Aqua UV 25w

[mak5487]

I won an Aqua UV 25w classic UV sterilizer ( https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/25-watt-classic-uv-sterilizer-black-body-aqua-ultraviolet.html?qty=1) and am looking for a pump to run it. I have a ~120 gallon system with sump. I don't have a ton of space in my sump and thought this pump ( AI Axis 90 https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/axis-90-centrifugal-pump-925-gph-aquaillumination.html?qty=1) might be enough to run the UV. I haven't done a ton of research into UVs because I hadn't intended on buying one. Thoughts?

 

[KrisReef]

How are you going to plumb the UV? Just recirculating in the sump or from sump to tank? Reason I ask is I don't know what the head pressure will be and how that will slow down the water flow through the unit. The slower the flow the higher the kill rate.

For fish only the higher kill rate is good to keep parasites off but it also kills planktonic life that can be food for fishes?

 

[mak5487]

How are you going to plumb the UV? Just recirculating in the sump or from sump to tank? Reason I ask is I don't know what the head pressure will be and how that will slow down the water flow through the unit. The slower the flow the higher the kill rate.

For fish only the higher kill rate is good to keep parasites off but it also kills planktonic life that can be food for fishes?

It would be plumbed sump to sump. Thinking pull from the first chamber and exit in the 2nd chamber which is the refugium. Total height shouldn't be more than 2- 3 feet

 

[KrisReef]

It would be plumbed sump to sump. Thinking pull from the first chamber and exit in the 2nd chamber which is the refugium. Total height shouldn't be more than 2- 3 feet

GPH listed would keep the UV working without killing the good stuff in the water, according to their booklet. I love mine, wish I had won it like you did!

 

[mak5487]

GPH listed would keep the UV working without killing the good stuff in the water, according to their booklet. I love mine, wish I had won it like you did!

I was a little confused based on BRS website. Would I be looking for 400gph or the 1200?

 

[KrisReef]

Here is the issue. If you run it slow, it kills everything (or it has a better chance of killing everything) that gets blasted by the UV. At higher flows, less gets killed, which is good if you don't want to kill algae and pods that are beneficial.

So when you have a bug you want to kill, slow the pump down and kill everything, or buy a huge UV and run it at 800gph and still kill everything.

More or less, this is how I understand the application of UV light to bugs in the water column that we are trying to treat.

 

[mak5487]

Here is the issue. If you run it slow, it kills everything (or it has a better chance of killing everything) that gets blasted by the UV. At higher flows, less gets killed, which is good if you don't want to kill algae and pods that are beneficial.

So when you have a bug you want to kill, slow the pump down and kill everything, or buy a huge UV and run it at 800gph and still kill everything.

More or less, this is how I understand the application of UV light to bugs in the water column that we are trying to treat.

Ah that makes sense. I honestly don't have anything "bad" in my system to my knowledge. I buy fish from Dr Reef quarantine fish to help prevent things getting in my tank. The other option is to plumb it into my second return pump, but that pump starts sucking in air when the water level in the sump is too low. That happens roughly once a month. I don't know how that would impact the UV.

 

[KrisReef]

Ah that makes sense. I honestly don't have anything "bad" in my system to my knowledge. I buy fish from Dr Reef quarantine fish to help prevent things getting in my tank. The other option is to plumb it into my second return pump, but that pump starts sucking in air when the water level in the sump is too low. That happens roughly once a month. I don't know how that would impact the UV.

I would just keep it in the sump if the sump can handle the current? Otherwise, complications with return pumps can quickly create unneeded issues.

 

[mak5487]

I would just keep it in the sump if the sump can handle the current? Otherwise, complications with return pumps can quickly create unneeded issues.

I will go sump to sump setup. I don't see an issue but if it is pumping too fast I think it will just back flow from chamber 2 to chamber 1. Thank you for the advice

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Whatever pump you decide make sure it is a DC pump.

 

[mak5487]

Yes that makes perfect sense. Thank you

 

[Synthgp]

Yes that makes perfect sense. Thank you

@mak5487 i just bought a Aqua UV as well and am planning on a sump to sump install with a target rate of 400 gph flow rate.

What did you settle on for your pump? Any advice would be helpful!

Thanks

 

[mak5487]

@mak5487 i just bought a Aqua UV as well and am planning on a sump to sump install with a target rate of 400 gph flow rate.

What did you settle on for your pump? Any advice would be helpful!

Thanks

I haven't started this project yet. I started a project for water changes from my basement to my main floor and ran out of budget. Will be a couple months before I can purchase a pump. I liked the AI Axis pump because it was small and fit in my sump. I already have 2 return pumps, space is at a premium.

 

[Cpc83]

Sump to Sump is horrible idea. It's best to plumb into return with valves and bypass. The key uv is choose what you are targeting. If it's protozoa you want slow for that unit around 330 gph which and basically taking 24 hours to essentially run your complete tank volume thru the uv. If it's algea you want a high flow like 800gph and basically turn your tank over every 8 hrs. It's contact time to uv you are trying to reach longer the contact time the more intricate of organism you kill slower the simpler of organism. Sump to Sump never really will turn the tank over. You want your uv to contact water then go into tank as water that hasn't contacted uv flows into Sump.

 

[mak5487]

Sump to Sump is horrible idea. It's best to plumb into return with valves and bypass. The key uv is choose what you are targeting. If it's protozoa you want slow for that unit around 330 gph which and basically taking 24 hours to essentially run your complete tank volume thru the uv. If it's algea you want a high flow like 800gph and basically turn your tank over every 8 hrs. It's contact time to uv you are trying to reach longer the contact time the more intricate of organism you kill slower the simpler of organism. Sump to Sump never really will turn the tank over. You want your uv to contact water then go into tank as water that hasn't contacted uv flows into Sump.

Theoretically if my pump is in chamber 1 of the sump and discharges in champer 2, it would process the same amount of water as it would if it discharged to the tank. It shouldn't process the water twice as long as water doesn't backflow from chamber 2 to chamber 1. I guess you could say that the "clean" water is getting contaminated in chamber 2 before getting to chamber 3 to return to the aquarium. My flow rate through the sump is roughly 8-9x per hour (overflow supports 1000gph).

 

[Synthgp]

Theoretically if my pump is in chamber 1 of the sump and discharges in champer 2, it would process the same amount of water as it would if it discharged to the tank. It shouldn't process the water twice as long as water doesn't backflow from chamber 2 to chamber 1. I guess you could say that the "clean" water is getting contaminated in chamber 2 before getting to chamber 3 to return to the aquarium. My flow rate through the sump is roughly 8-9x per hour (overflow supports 1000gph).

This is my logic as well. I was planning on water from overflow (post-filter) to UV then lumped back to the chamber with the skimmer.

 

[Cpc83]

Theoretically if my pump is in chamber 1 of the sump and discharges in champer 2, it would process the same amount of water as it would if it discharged to the tank. It shouldn't process the water twice as long as water doesn't backflow from chamber 2 to chamber 1. I guess you could say that the "clean" water is getting contaminated in chamber 2 before getting to chamber 3 to return to the aquarium. My flow rate through the sump is roughly 8-9x per hour (overflow supports 1000gph).

Straight off aqua uv page you bypass part of flow going sump to Sump. You're actually better off getting a small pump, hose and j tube and sending water from 2nd chamber thru uv and to tank then going sump to Sump. 99% of people who actually know all the details of uv will say you need to be in return

 

[Synthgp]

I haven't started this project yet. I started a project for water changes from my basement to my main floor and ran out of budget. Will be a couple months before I can purchase a pump. I liked the AI Axis pump because it was small and fit in my sump. I already have 2 return pumps, space is at a premium.

Okay - thanks. I am a few months out as well…still cycling, so no bioload to speak of. With this tank being in my living room - managing noise levels are critical for family sanity.

 

[Blue Spot Octopus]

Thanks CPC, so have a dual return pump seems to be the best option.
So this first Tripp Lite IBAR2-6D Isobar 2 Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip, 6ft Cord, Right-An...
Then a DC pump
Then a J tube for a return.
The surge protector if you turn off one you turn both off.

And or plug the Tripp-Lite into this
Free 3-dayReef Octopus Delay Timer$59.99AquaCave.comFree 3-day30-day returns

 

[Mr Hughes]

I’m still confused at why a pump right after the filter socks running to UV and then in to the return chamber would have the “oh my god, I need a J hook” negative impact on UV performance. IMO, outputting the UV directly to the return pump is almost identical to returning to the tank as long as the return pump moves more water than the UV pump. Whether it gets mixed in the return chamber or in the tank should have an immaterial difference.

As far as pods are concerned, having the UV pump before a refugium should also have little to no impact since the crustaceans aren’t 100% in the water column. Using UV is a management tool and not one to eliminate so any impact to a multi-celled crustacean that you can visibly see should be minimal.