[gnatster]

Run a 15W Aqua UV on the 120 and have had nary an issue in the almost year it has been setup. Have the one with a wiper, makes makes bulb cleaning very easy and probably helps in the long term with efficacy. I keep the flow a little low to increase contact time, just a personal theory that it helps keep more of the bugs down.

Never tried the turbo twist so I cannot comment.

 

[gnatster]

Flow approx 200gph, the unit I have can handle 700gph.

Hose wise I use all 3/4" so I'm not much help there.

I'm not even going to step into the UV and Fe degradation morass. Lets just say I find it a non issue, I run UV 24/7 and dose traces daily.

 

[gnatster]

It explains that different flow rates kill different things. Seems that lower flow rates kill parasites and higher flow rates kill bacteria and flow rates in the middle kill algae. I don't know if the same thing goes for the Aqua unit, but I don't see why not. This leads me to wonder, what the heck you do when you want to kill all three?

At the high end only the bacteria are zapped, but if slow the flow there is a longer dwell time so not only the bacteria but also the algae are zapped too. Slow the flow even more and all the desired bugs are zapped.

Using the Coralife figures...

At 500gph the dwell time is to short to kill parasites and algae, only bacteria. Slow the flow to 240 gph and not only are the bacteria killed but now the algae is too, Slow it down even more and that allows more UV radiation to hit the parasites, effectively killing them off too.

Keep in mind however that if in fact the UV does oxidize Fe it will do so at a faster rate when set for longer dwell.

 

[gnatster]

Jebo:

Cheap,
They Crack
They Leak

Jack, Is this first hand experience or hearsay?

Thanks

 

[gnatster]

Hate to beat a dead horse, but any ideas on the dilemna with the Hydor and UV (5/8 and 1/2 inch)?

They beauty of vinyl hose it is stretches, Dunk the hose end in some boiling water and going from 1/2 to 5/8 is no big deal. Don't forget some hose clamps!!