# little help setting up a UV sterilizer



## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

so i decided to get a UV sterilizer. i'm just trying to figure out if this one is good and how to plumb it in.

so the entire water volume is about 125ish gallons. according to this chart:

http://www.goreef.com/images/S/AquaUV_UV_Sterilizer_Sizing_Chart.jpg

i need a 15-25watt bulb? now i don't want to run a strong UV, so i'm looking at this 13 watt one:

http://www.amazon.ca/Sterilizer-Lig...qid=1365201869&sr=8-34&keywords=uv+sterilizer

- since i don't want to re-do my plumbing and route it in line, i was thinking about just mounting it inside the stand, and putting a maxijet 600gph pump to with connecting it with vynal tubing...(i think i need a 600gph through it? how much water should be flowing through it?)

and also, where in the sump should i put it? in the mechanical filtration section of the sump w/the skimmer? or the slower flow refugium on the other side?


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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

If I remember correctly I ran mine (Coralife 18w on a 150gl) inline with my reactor and I am pretty sure I just used a MJ 1200 to run both? The UV first then GRO/Carbon.
I say this because I have never had a more powerful pump in my sump other than my return pump. Mine was in with my skimmer. I hung it where I had the room in the sump.


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## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

ah thanks for the reply. 

so if your running a 1200 for two things, say split it and your have 600gph going through it that's enough? so a MJ 600 on this jebo should be ok? 

i was thinking about having it pump out from the skimmer section and return back into the same section..or is that a bad idea?


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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

A (Maxjet) MJ1200 is only 295 GPH. I am not sure about the skimmer idea? I had mine flow out to the next section which for me was my refugium.


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## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

ohh right i thought the 1200 was for the gph.

sorry let me clairify, on the far right of my sump has the main drain, with a filter sock and a skimmer. on the far left i have a refugium with rock, chaeto, and a much slower drain. they both go over baffles and meet the return pump in the middle.

so i was going to throw the UV pump in the section that has the skimmer, mount the UV to the top of the stand (incase the cheap unit leaks it'll drip down into the sump) and have it drain right back down into the same section with the skimmer. i just hope i'm not uv'ing the same water over and over.

i could always just run the UV return line across to the other side and have it drain into the refugium.

it's setup like this:


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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

I think either way you will be fine.


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## Flexin5 (Nov 12, 2011)

ah i gotcha. thanks for the help liz!


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## liz (Jan 16, 2008)

You are welcome but others may chime in with their ideas yet?


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Ideally you want the UVS inline with the return plumbing. This will process all the water entering the DT.

IMHO, I would place the UVS feed pump in the return pump section closest to the front, remove the Eheim screen and place the UVS output close the the Eheim input. The size UVS feed pump should match the GPH of the return pump (factor head loss). The wattage UVS should match the "zap/kill" rate you wish to achieve. This will get you the closest to an inline application without redoing your return plumbing.

Also keep in mind that it will only kill what goes through it.

HTH


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