AquaMedic 11W UV-C steriliser

[michal_j]

Hello

I've read an article www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html and I found it very interesting - thank's for sharing that knowledge, becasue I've not found any decent article in the web about UV lamps before and Your article is IMHO on scientific level.

I am using AquaMedic 11W UV-C (http://www.aquamedicusa.com/product/helix-max-11w/). I exchanged the bulb to OSRAM PURITEC (https://www.osram.com/pia/products/specialty-lamps/ultraviolet-lamps/puritec-hns-germicidal-ultraviolet-lamps/index.jsp#), I don't know if it's well known producer in the US but in Europe it's on the same shelf as Philips.

My tank is 79 US gal (47 x 20 x 20 in) and it's overstocked mbuna tank.

UV-lamp is connected to the eheim 2217 which has 265ghp pump and in my application it has almost no head pressure because it's connected thrugh the bottom of the aquarium (http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/images/graphics/250gaquariumplumbing.jpg) so it's pumping around 160-180 gph, it's connected horizontally after the filter with the bypass valve to regulate the flow. I have second filter on a separate line and it's thermofilter eheim 2317.

That's how it looks like :



Originally it was supposed to be connected with hoses but i glued in with tangit pvc-u fittings and now it's much more reliable and tight.

As far as I understood my lamp will be "Category B" product since it has a compact bulb which is emiiting 3W of UV-C (11W is the total power so 3W is around 28%).

So for Level One Sterilisation it has to be 20-30gph per Watt and turnover 1 - 1.5 timer per hour.

In my case 11W x 20gph = 220gph and turnover is 160gph / 79g = 2,02 times per hour. 

As far as I understand it will be very good Level One sterilisation (since flow is a little higher than mentioned and lamp has more power than needed) ?

Is my setup ok ?

I understand that for having Level Two of sterilisation I have to increase the flow to let's say 237 gph but I will need ~ 30W UV-C lamp ?

Sorry for bothering but english is not my native language and I am not sure if I understood this correctly

best regrds
Michael

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Ok, I analyzed those calculations one more time and I think it supposed to be calculated like this :

79 gallon tank x 1,5 times = 119 gph (my turnover is higher and it's about 160 gph and as far as I understood a little faster flow is a good thing)

119 gph / 20 gph/w = 5,95 W

Since my unit is 11W I have good Level One Sterilisation is this correct ?

For real Level Two Sterilisation effect I need :

79 gallon tank x 3 times = 237 gph


237 gph / 8 gph/w = 29,62 W

best regards
Michael

[Carl]

Welcome to Everything Aquatic!

You appear to have a good High Output UVC lamp running in your Aqua Medic UV

I am familiar with the AquaMedic (they are no longer common in North America), these an entry level UV with poor dwell time, but your better UVC lamps should definitely help.

Based on your numbers, you should most definitely have level one Sterilization

Your Eheim 2217 likely will still be well below the rated flow rate of 265 gph, even with minimal head pressure
Reference:
www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2011/09/head-pressure-in-aquarium-and-pond.html

So you likely flow will likely be no more than 200 gph (which can be tested as per the above cited article)

You Aqua Medic UV Sterilizer with a HO UV lamp will likely achieve good level one sterilization at 20 gph per watt, meaning 220 gph or less would be perfect.
Your turnover is good as well.

Carl

[michal_j]

Thanks very much for Your reply

I bought this lamp about year ago and now, since I alredy have it I don't want to change it, but I found TMC Vecton on my local market

My AquaMedic has this helix feature but I already read at Your page that it's bad solution

Anyway Thanks for sharing this knowledge again.

Michael

[childofiam]

You need to measure your tank on the inside to get correct gallons. L X H X W X .004329 If you go by 79 gallons your formula will be off.

Richard

[Carl]

Jul 16, 2017 11:59:31 GMT -5 michal_j said:

Thanks very much for Your reply

I bought this lamp about year ago and now

Make sure to change this lamp every six months for optimum results

Carl

[michal_j]

I've already changed it 😀 it didn't came with that kind of bulb 😀

For calculations I should use actual water amount in my tank? If so it will be around 63 gallon.

[childofiam]

Jul 17, 2017 9:48:58 GMT -5 michal_j said:

I've already changed it 😀 it didn't came with that kind of bulb 😀

For calculations I should use actual water amount in my tank? If so it will be around 63 gallon.

Calculations are based on actual water in system. Don't forget to figure in the water inside of your filter and hoses and subtract substrate. On substrate, I fill a 5 gallon bucket with 5 gallons, mark the side of the bucket and dump the water out. Then I put my substrate in the bucket and fill it back up 1 gallon at a time and subtract that amount of water from 5 gallons. Example; If I put 2 gallons of water in with my substrate to reach the 5 gallon mark then I know that I have 3 gallons of water displacement in substrate. I do this when I set up a new tank overtime. This gives me accurate water amounts when I medicate as well. 

Take measurements of inside tank, add to that the amount of water in your filtering system and subtract the substrate displacement.

I need to make a video of this process....

Richard

[Carl]

Jul 17, 2017 10:38:40 GMT -5 childofiam said:

Jul 17, 2017 9:48:58 GMT -5 michal_j said:

I've already changed it 😀 it didn't came with that kind of bulb 😀

For calculations I should use actual water amount in my tank? If so it will be around 63 gallon.

Calculations are based on actual water in system. Don't forget to figure in the water inside of your filter and hoses and subtract substrate. On substrate, I fill a 5 gallon bucket with 5 gallons, mark the side of the bucket and dump the water out. Then I put my substrate in the bucket and fill it back up 1 gallon at a time and subtract that amount of water from 5 gallons. Example; If I put 2 gallons of water in with my substrate to reach the 5 gallon mark then I know that I have 3 gallons of water displacement in substrate. I do this when I set up a new tank overtime. This gives me accurate water amounts when I medicate as well. 

Take measurements of inside tank, add to that the amount of water in your filtering system and subtract the substrate displacement.

I need to make a video of this process....

Richard

You should share your video here!

Carl

[michal_j]

Isn't this a little to extreme? We are calculating c.a. 80% of tank volume, so 79 gal x 0,8 is around 63 gallon. Isn't that enough?

[Carl]

Jul 17, 2017 22:25:30 GMT -5 michal_j said:

Isn't this a little to extreme? We are calculating c.a. 80% of tank volume, so 79 gal x 0,8 is around 63 gallon. Isn't that enough?

Yes

Carl

[childofiam]

Jul 17, 2017 22:25:30 GMT -5 michal_j said:

Isn't this a little to extreme? We are calculating c.a. 80% of tank volume, so 79 gal x 0,8 is around 63 gallon. Isn't that enough?

I know that this seems to be a little to the extreme but for me... as I currently have over $2800.00 invested in Discus pairs plus extra ones growing out, I didn't want to make any estimates on water volume when it come to medicating any of my tanks. I know that not everyone needs to know exactly how many gallons are in their tank but overmedicating a fish can do harm in the long run.

Substrate can really throw your estaminets off. In the video Im trying to figure out how to post here... I have a 1 gallon pitcher filled 3/4 of the way with sand and you would think that only 1 quart would fill it on up but it takes a full half gallon of water to fill the jug. Think of this on a larger scale say with a 120 gallon tank that has 2.5 inches of gravel and drift wood. On my 75 gallon planted tank the substrate and driftwood inside of the tank came to just under 10 gallons of water. 

Richard

[michal_j]

So in my case it's not that important but I fully understand Your problem, Your numbers are impressing 😀 especially value of the fish 😀

[childofiam]

Jul 20, 2017 13:37:03 GMT -5 michal_j said:

So in my case it's not that important but I fully understand Your problem, Your numbers are impressing 😀 especially value of the fish 😀

I started out on this road of breeding discus almost 2 years ago and we are getting very close to producing spawns of our own. I even have purchased small discus in large quantities just to learn the ropes of growing them out. Made a lot of mistakes too that stunted their growth. One of the mistakes I made was over medicating and killing most of a group, the rest where stunted for life.

Richard

[michal_j]

Hello

I've changed my filtration system to DIY built system based on a high efficiency pump which is used in home heating system (domestic circulator). I want to change my UV to TMC Vecton 400 or 600.

For real Level Two Sterilisation effect I need :

79 gallon tank x 0,8 = 63,2 gallon of water

63,2 gallon tank x 3 times = 189,6 gph


189,6 gph / 12 gph/w = 15,8 W

Based on those calculations my actual (measured) flow can be adjusted from 237 to 528 gph (pump has 3 speeds) and I need only Vecton 400 ? So I need to set my pump to 1st speed to have 237 gph and use Vecton 400 with full 237 gph flow.

I will be very grateful for Your opinion Carl 

My questions are :

1) are my caluculations correct ?
2) Can I connect Vecton UV like on this picture or it must be in the horizontal position ?



best regards
Michael

[Carl]

Hi Michael;
Your best results with this model UV would be at 180 gph

As for positioning, while vertical still works, it does lower dwell time and thus effectiveness. If mounted this way I would go with the Vecton model 600

Carl

[michal_j]

Thank You very much for Your reply

So my options are :

a) if mounted horizontaly Vecton 400 at 180 gph
b) if mounted verticaly Vecton 600 also at 180 gph

?

Here are the pics of my current filtration system :

for mechanical filtration I have 20 micron filters and for biological about 2,5l of sera siporax



the pump pushes 237 gph @ 11W to 528 gph @ 45W (so it's quite energy efficient) and it's absolutely silent, I've got many different pumps and all of them were louder 



then I've got UV on a bypass to control the flow, slow flow section (for example for activated carbon) and water goes straight to the tank



regards
Michael

[Carl]

With the model 600 mounted vertically, you should still be able to get the flow up to 250 gph for effective level two sterilization (horizontally 300 gph)

Very professional looking installation!

Carl

[michal_j]

Thank You 😀 I did my best on this installation 😀

[michal_j]

Hello,

I want to ask one more question.

When I switch on my UV lamp water is cloudy? What could be the reason for this?

Let's say I got clear water in the tank then I switch on UV lamp and after 2-3 hours water is terribly cloudy it stays this way even after a week.

When I switch off UV after some time water will be clear again.

Best regards
Michael

[devonjohnsgard]

Oct 31, 2018 15:15:58 GMT -5 michal_j said:

Hello,

I want to ask one more question.

When I switch on my UV lamp water is cloudy? What could be the reason for this?

Let's say I got clear water in the tank then I switch on UV lamp and after 2-3 hours water is terribly cloudy it stays this way even after a week.

When I switch off UV after some time water will be clear again.

Best regards
Michael

What do you have do filtration again?

Usually, it's the opposite, but I wonder if you don't have much biofiltration, and the UV is zapping the small amount you have.

edit. I see your filters now going back through the thread. I wonder if they are not seasoned?