Post by stuwillis on Jun 19, 2013 11:03:20 GMT -5
I am collecting rain here in west Houston (of which there is a great deal throughout the year, 3-6 in./mo.) in anticipation of supplementing my water use on tanks with primarily discus. I'm trying to figure out how best to filter the water so as to minimize contaminants.
I am interested in recommendations for UV sterilizers as a final stage in my filtering. The rain is collected off my roof, through gutter screens, goes past a first flush diverter (home made), and then is stored in elevated 55 gallon plastic drums outside. I am currently planning to filter the water through progressive sediment filters (down to 0.5 micron) and carbon block as it comes into the fish room before being temporarily stored in additional barrels for aeration, alternation of pH/hardness, etc. I expect the total flow rate into the room will be fairly low, less than 5 gpm, probably more like 1 gpm, with flow being regulated by a ball valve above the filters and a mechanical float valve in the barrels.
I don't have much experience with UV sterilizers, but after reading Carl's articles I am concerned about whether this flow rate through a UV unit would be too low, and the water might 'channel' through the unit (although exposure time might be great!). I am also suspicious of the units available for drinking water sterilization, as they don't list a lot of the information Carl's articles recommend to check (e.g. low- vs. medium-pressure, etc.), and just strike me as too much for show (at least for the price). Is using a UV in-line with the other filters a reasonable method to sterilize the rainwater as opposed to recirculating the water with a pump in the inside barrels (post-filter). The problem I foresee with the latter setup is that I would either need to have separate barrels for my RO-based water or else accept that there may always be some residual contamination in the mixing barrels.
Another question I have is about the use of an in-line heater, either a submersible heater in an in-line housing or a Hydor-type inline heater, to heat incoming water for the efficacy of the UV unit. Our outdoor temperature here in winter rarely freezes, but I will guess the temperature of the incoming water during this period will probably be in the 40s(F). How effective are these for low-flow situations?
Any thoughts or recommendations of models would be greatly welcomed. Thanks!
Stu
I am interested in recommendations for UV sterilizers as a final stage in my filtering. The rain is collected off my roof, through gutter screens, goes past a first flush diverter (home made), and then is stored in elevated 55 gallon plastic drums outside. I am currently planning to filter the water through progressive sediment filters (down to 0.5 micron) and carbon block as it comes into the fish room before being temporarily stored in additional barrels for aeration, alternation of pH/hardness, etc. I expect the total flow rate into the room will be fairly low, less than 5 gpm, probably more like 1 gpm, with flow being regulated by a ball valve above the filters and a mechanical float valve in the barrels.
I don't have much experience with UV sterilizers, but after reading Carl's articles I am concerned about whether this flow rate through a UV unit would be too low, and the water might 'channel' through the unit (although exposure time might be great!). I am also suspicious of the units available for drinking water sterilization, as they don't list a lot of the information Carl's articles recommend to check (e.g. low- vs. medium-pressure, etc.), and just strike me as too much for show (at least for the price). Is using a UV in-line with the other filters a reasonable method to sterilize the rainwater as opposed to recirculating the water with a pump in the inside barrels (post-filter). The problem I foresee with the latter setup is that I would either need to have separate barrels for my RO-based water or else accept that there may always be some residual contamination in the mixing barrels.
Another question I have is about the use of an in-line heater, either a submersible heater in an in-line housing or a Hydor-type inline heater, to heat incoming water for the efficacy of the UV unit. Our outdoor temperature here in winter rarely freezes, but I will guess the temperature of the incoming water during this period will probably be in the 40s(F). How effective are these for low-flow situations?
Any thoughts or recommendations of models would be greatly welcomed. Thanks!
Stu