Level 1 UV sterilizer with a 3-watt bulb?

[endlercollector]

I hope someone has some advice for me on how to achieve level 1 UV sterlization on smaller tanks with low gph.  

I've been battling a possible combination of TB and columnaris with a batch of Endler's by separating newborns and raising them apart from the older fish.  The younger generations have been living much longer than the first, but I want to feel more secure about their health.  I read an article by Diana Walstad in which she discusses how level 1 UV sterilization greatly reduced a TB problem that one of her tanks had, and so I've been reading Carl Strohmeyer's articles.  However, my big problem is that these are little fish in little tanks with low gph.  From what I calculate (and I'm terrible at math), I need a 3-watt bulb on 2 and a 6-watt bulb on another.  The few UV sterilizers that I've come across on the Internet with such a small bulb don't seem to meet my needs.  Does anyone here have any ideas?

The tanks in question are as follows:

1) 20-gallon with Penguin biowheel 150
2) 20-gal with Marina S20 (about 92 gph)
3) 10-gal Tetra Whisper 10 (90 gph)

The reason why I'm working with small tanks is because I'm keeping generations separate, and Endler's generally only live about 1 to 1.5 years.  I'm concerned about possible placental trasmission of mycobacteria and am focusing on dealing with females and fry.

Thanks for any ideas that you  may have!

[Carl]

Hi endlercollector and welcome to Everything Aquatic!

In my experience, generally it is tanks UNDER 10 gallons that finding a way made level one capable UV Sterilizer that will fit is a challenge.
However since your tanks are 10 gallons and above this should not be too difficult.

As an example I have a small 14 gallon aquarium with a 7 watt SunSun UV Sterilizer.

The problem is not that you need as small a UV as you noted, rather that the HOB filter you have currently running cannot run a UV Sterilizer so you will need either a separate additional power head/water pump/filter or an internal submersible UV, of which most are not level one capable

As for UV size, and as per UV Sterilization; Facts & Information, turnover will hardly be a problem since 1.5 times per hour is the minimum, as it can be higher.
So for a 10 gallon the minimum is 15 gph and the 20 gallon aquarium is 30 gph minimum.
Flow rate is probably the most important controllable factor, which means a high dwell time Vecton 8 watt, which requires a maximum of 35 gph per watt, could go as high as 280 gph, BUT it can be much slower too. You simply get even more effective UV Sterilization

Other considerations beside the flow and turnover rate:
*Low water turbidity (pre-filtration takes care of this)
*A water temperature between 20 C (68 F) and 40 C (104 F)
*A gap of 3 mm or less between the bulb or quartz sleeve and the wall of the unit
*A GOOD water flow pattern inside the aquarium. or pond.
*A clean Quartz sleeve/lamp
*A hot cathode Low Pressure UV bulb/lamp with less than 6 months continuous use (NOT an old or cheap medium pressure UV bulb now so often sold on the Internet for $10 or less!!)
If a medium pressure bulb is used (commonly sold at discounters), you will need divide the maximum flow rate by 1/3.


With the before mentioned SunSun 7 Watt UV, these are best at a maximum of 25 gph per watt, so 175 gph is the highest flow rate (but again lower is OK too)

The other option is the submersible, such as the SunSun CUP-609 9 watt UV. This has an adjusted flow rate of about 160 gph, which is fine for a 9 Watt UV Sterilizer (max would be 225 gph)

If you were to use a standard inline UV such as the Sunsun/Terminator or the Vecton (the best), you would need to connect it with other parts as noted earlier.

The pictures below show a few ways to connect (further information is found in the product and information resources I will provide at the end of this forum post)
Please click to enlarge




Product Resources:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/InternalUVSterilizer.html
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/CompactUVSterilizer.html
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/TMCUVSterilizer.html
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html

Carl

[endlercollector]

Thank you for all the information! After going over the pictures and articles, it looks like the Sunsun 7-watt kit is the best way for me to go on the 10 and 20 gallon tanks. Since this all looks more manageable than I'd thought before, would the Sunsun 9-watt kit work for my 29-gallon tanks?

[Carl]

Yes, the 9 watt kit would work for your 29 gallon, as would the 7 watt since it works well up to a 80 gallon aquarium

Carl

[endlercollector]

Thank you! I'm going to order some now
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