what is a UV filter and would having one be a good Idea??

Here's a link that kinda goes over what a UV is:


https://www.goldfishconnection.com/shop/det...tId=40&catId=23

hmmm.....are they all THAT expensive?!?!? if so, theres my deciding factor right there.....

Also, since im alwasy battling algae and nitrates, this would help??

how, exactly does one hookup?? i.e.how much extra $ am I gonna have to spend for more gadgets for it??

Here's a couple links of places that have UV's:


http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/parent..._id=3247;pcid1=

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/NavR...m?N=2004+113411


I'm not sure how they hook up, or if they need extra stuff.

There are pretty good models out there that aare cheaper than the one at golfish connection. The only things you will need are a pump, some tubing and perhaps some elbow connectors and or strainers and water returns. Oh, and of course, the uv unit.

All in all, after the cost of the unit and the pump, you will only be buying 10-20 dollars worth of plumbing and such to hook it up unless it comes with everything included like the units at GC.

Check this link out: recent thread on UV's and costs

Hope this helps

oooh...I glanced through that before, but never read it in depth....It def. explains alot...thnx

how many watts would I need for a 40 gallon tank?

If your thinking of a UV filter for a 40 gallon tank, You should get something like the UV filter in this link:

Turbotwist @ bigals

And to run this UV, you will need either a canister filter or you can just use a Powerhead with prefilter or an inline pump with prefilter.

Here's a good inline pump to use. You'll have to buy a separate intake and prefilter for it though.

inline pump (sits outside the aquarium)

With any of these filters, your going to want a flowvalve of sorts set-up just aft the pump before the uv, to control the flow to optimal levels.



These are added extras that make very nice touches to the project:

Here's an intake you can hook up for it:

intake tube and strainer kit

or this one:

eheim intake prefilter

and a nice return to jostle the water surface for more aeration would be nice, unfortunately, i can't find a suitable one for your application on that website.

Anyway, these are just examples of what you will need and what you might eventually want.

All in all, you'll see that the cost can get up there for all the extras, thats why its always recommended that UV's be used in conjunctuion with canister filters. You can get a canister filter that is suitable for just the uv for rather cheap. 70 dollars isn't all that much, right? the uv and the eheim together would run you about 150 total. With this canister, you would want a splitter with flowvalve to direct just the amount of flow to the UV that you need, the excess would flow forward to another splitter that fuses the two split lines bac together just before the tank.

ecco-eheim

Soprry if I got a technical on you for a sec. There are just soooo many different way to go about doing it. I just want to make sure you know your options.........

let me try to put this into something I can understand...let me know if I interpreted right

I need a UV filter....the terbie twist one that you recommended....I hook that up to a powerhead..say the aquaclear...I like their stuff...which I would stick in the tank....I would hook up a strainer thingie to the powerhead...that aquaclear prefilter?....then I would hook a hose to the water return on the UV and just stick that in the tank? or is there some other gadged to put the water back in teh tank?

I think a canister filter is outta the question right now....im as much strapped for space as I am for money....

or i Could use the magdrive pump you had in the last post and put that outside the tank justl ike I would a air pump?

the aquaclear powerheads have a built in flow adjuster thing, so I wouldnt need any extra plumbing for that??

Im gonna need alot of hose i guess??

Nope! see the good thing about the turbo twist is that it hangs on the tank (in back). Youll only need 6 foot of hose maximum. One to draw water from the tank, through the pump, through a flowvalve, through the UV and into the tank.

I dont have my UV running on my tank right now but I'll take a pic of it fully set upinfront of it. Be back in a minute.

Ok, here ya go:

[attachmentid=6503]


The way I have it set-up in the pic is just for visible purposes. Also, if you employ elbow connectors where you need the hose to wrap around the tank lid and stuff, you can have everything much neater looking and compact.


Does that help?

so the 'PH' is the powerhead/pump?? is a PH and a pump the same thing?

and the arm/nozzle thing is hte output from the uv. The turbo twist just clips to the back like that?

do they have to be that far apart? I like little, neat, compact htings....is that what you were talking about with the elbows and stuff?



wjould this even be a good idea for me to get/use??

When reffering to a tanks pH, we are talking about the water in the tank (is that what you meant?)

A powerhead is indeed what you see in the pic. What the arrow is directly pointing at is the prefilter. That plastic cage there is usually filled with filterfloss to filter out suspended debris before the water maks it to the UV. This cuts down on gunky buildup in the UV.

The arrow on the left is pointing at the water return.

What you get with the UV filter is just the clips and the uv unit, none of the hoses and connectors and returns and stuff. Those are extra.

No, you can use little elbows to bring everything together more compact like. In fact, if you decided to use a pump outside of the tank like I have suggested before, everything would be even less cluttered because all you need is an intake tube and an outlet tube in and out of the tank. Everything could be mounted under or behind the tank.


If you want impeccably clear water and virtually no bacteria, fungi, or parasites, I highly suggest using a UV. I'm not saying that everyone needs to have one. But, if you have had problems with bacteria, parasites or fungi in the past, A UV will greatly reduce the chance of it happening again.


Hope this helps!

oh, yes I was refering to PowerHead as PH....you helped me through a big real Ph problem when I first joined on here...that was the first I learned aobut PH.

hmmmm...very interesting...now the hunt for the best prices....and another job

Oh, thats right, Sorry! I remember now. I hope all is well in that department...........

basically, Big Als has the very cheapest prices going. Unless, of course, you can find a really good used one for cheap locally..........

Smack, just what kind of Algae are you having a problem with?

I just got a turbo twist 3x 9 watt for my 55 and its very good, does the job!


Very interesting Paul, I hooked mine up for portability purposes on my magnum, but its nice to know they will run off a powerhead unit too!

Ive got green algae....Ilet it grow all over the back adn sides, but its starting to just float around in little globs now....the waters getting a bit murky for me.....

What would be better?? run it off a external wate pump or a powerhead?

In my honest opinion, a canister filter or an external water pump are the way to go. You can go as far as to mount the UV and pump under the tank if you'd like a more clutter free back of the tank. This leaves more room for your filters and heaters and whatnots.........

Here's a quick diagram of what I mean:

[attachmentid=6511]

I think you will be pleased with your water clarity if you get a Uv unit. Thaey really do as they are advertised!

In the diagram above, You will need the UV, the pump, intake tube with sponge or some other prefilter (maybe the link I previously posted?), a handfull of elbow connectors, about 6-8 feet of tubing, and possibly a nice water return. Oh, and you'll need a flowvalve installed just after the pump, before the UV.

The thing about powerheads is that they donot have much power. If you ran a powerhead for the Uv, if the power went out and then back on, you might have to re-prime the UV by tilting it till water starts coming out. Air gets trapped in it and it needs to be explelled and the powerhead is often too weak to start the prime itself.

With the pump and setup I laid out above, water would be syphoned out of the tank down to the pump. The pump then only has to push the water back up. If the power went out, the syphon would still hold its prime even though no water is getting pumped back up. Once the power comes back on, the pump just resumes where it left off.

hmmm....That sounds good, since Im thinking about getting another (regular) filter for that tank.....Less clutter on the back....plus, my tank is stuck waaay in teh corner...I dont have room to work behind it....

So as far as water pumps go....whats the cheapest one that will do me good?

I never even knew they made water pumps for fish tanks....I figured filters just did that....

what is a flowvalve?? just those little switch things like on the python that starts and stops the water??

btw...the PH is doing good!

One like this would be absolutely perfect for your application:

Eheim

This pump pushes 79 gallons per hour with 4 feet of tubing above it (head height). And too boot, it comes with a sponge prefilter that you could attach to the end of an intake tube.

Yes, the flowvalve is exactly what you think it is. With the pump above, you would only need to ever so slightly turn the flow dawn a bit to get the 55 gallons of waterflow you need to kill everything that passes through the UV.

oooh, this project is gonna have to go on hold...I gotta buy a new car.....no extra $ for fishies now....

Aw shucks! Well, on the other hand, a nice new car for ya anyway!

wooo! im picking up 40 hour weeks this summer, so my UV set up is gonna be a reality really fast!!!!

Yay! finally get rid of my cloudy-ish water!!