Different Lamps For Different UV Aquarium Sterilizer

This post is a follow up of the previous post entitled “UV Aquarium Sterilizer | The Safest Way To Kill Algae“.

Quick Links

Let’s do a quick recap on what we know about the UV Aquarium Sterilizer from the previous post. In a nutshell, a UV Aquarium Sterilizer functions by removing free floating micro organisms from the fish tank water by exposing them to high intensity ultra violet light. These unwanted micro organisms can be water borne bacteria, parasites, fungi, virus or algae. What happens is the UV light will alter the structure of the cells’ DNA, causing them to die.

UV Aquarium Sterilizer Tubes

In general there are three types of UV Aquarium Sterilizer tubes being sold today. They are the tray type, tube type-wet bulb which is not lined with quartz, and tube type-dry bulb which is lined with quartz.

The Tray Type UV Aquarium Sterilizer has the UV bulb suspended over a tray of slow moving water. They are cheap and easy to clean but can be a bit large and ackward for smaller tanks.

The Wet Bulb UV Aquarium Sterilizer type is dipped into the water and has the benefit of having the water on all sides exposed to UV rays. Plus the fact that it is relatively inexpensive. But be careful of electric shocks, so turn off the UV aquarium sterilizer if you plan to dip your hand in the tank.

The Dry Bulb UV Aquarium Sterilizer works just like the wet one, only this time it has a quartz tube that insulates it. They are more expensive but a lot safer to handle. They are also easier to clean than the wet bulb and easier to replace the bulb itself.

These tubes also come in various wattage, depending on the size of the fish tank that you intend to fit it in. As a simple guide, 4-8 watt tubes are recommended for 20-40 gallon aquariums, 20-25 watts for 50-100 gallons, and 40 watts for larger aquariums.

Do UV Aquarium Sterilizer Systems Really Work?

But does it really benefit the aquatic life in the fish tank? Herein, again lies a controversy that is yet to be agreed upon. While there are a lot of fish breeders out there who feel that a UV Aquarium Sterilizer is an absolute must if you plan to have a pristine tank, there are also those who feel that it is a waste of money, or only suitable for tanks with fish only, or that it has adverse effects on other more sensitive aquatic life in a salt water fish tank.

From my experience, as long as the aquarium is well maintained and not over crowded, has efficient fish tank filters and has a regular cleaning schedule, then it might not be too necessary.

In the next post, we will look at how the UV aquarium sterilizer length affects its effectiveness.

How To Kill Algae The Right Way

Quick Links

Ultraviolet or UV Aquarium Sterilizer is the safest and simplest way to kill algae and other water borne pathogens in your fish tank. The chemical treatment that was traditional used to kill algae is also somewhat harmful to the fish, plant life and even the beneficial bacteria that is so hard to seed in the first place.

The Ultraviolet light is a spectrum of light that is below the visibility range of the human eye and cannot be seen. But its effects are felt by all organisms and kill algae, causing a disruption between the bonds of the atoms of organic molecules. Different wave lengths of UV light affect different organisms and a range of between 200 to 280 nanometers is very lethal to microrganisms. This spectrum also known as the UV-C Spectrum is what we need to use in a fish tank to kill algae.

UV Aquarium Sterilizer performs just like natural sunlight, working together with conventional fish tank filters to reduce the effect of green water commonly caused by algae, that if left untreated will present a health problem to your aquatic life as well as eventually reduce the efficiency of your fish tank filters.

Deciding On A UV Aquarium Sterilizer To Kill Algae

When setting up a UV Aquarium Sterilizer, you will need to take a number of factors into considering as follows:

A) The Type Of Lamp

There are two basic types of UV lamp, namely low pressure and high pressure. Low pressure lamps are more target in terms of the wavelength of light that they produce, making them more effective when it comes to kill algae and pathogens. High pressure lamps produce a wider range of wavelengths thus produce more light and heat than sterilization, thus are generally not that effective.

B) The Length Of The Lamp

The longer the lamp, the greater the region that is exposed to UV light. Usually, most fish tank owners will decide on a lamp based on how large their tank is.

C) The Design Of The UV Aquarium Sterilizer

There are a number of designs in the market right now, which basically determine the distance the water has to travel between the surface of the lamp right up to the water containment chamber.

D) The Quality Of The Water

There is a term used for this; Percent Transmittance. This value is a percentage that is used to indicate the quality of the water that needs to be treated. In a nutshell, the UV Aquarium Sterilizer would be more effective for water with a higher Percentage Transmittance.

E) The Water Flow Rate

That is the amount of water that passes through the UV Aquarium Sterilizer at a given duration.

F) Other Minor Considerations To Kill Algae

These include the positioning of the lamp and multiple UV lamp systems.

In the next post on ways to kill algae using UV aquarium sterilizer, we will discuss each of these criteria in more detail to give you a better understanding of what to aim for to kill algae and create the perfect environment for your aquatic life.