More On UV’s For Ponds
There are two main types of UV’s available, UV Clarifiers, and UV Sterilisers.
We as pond and fish keepers will predominantly talk about UV Clarifiers, not so much about UV Sterilisers.
UV Clarifiers are the most popular ones and the ones we sell.
UV Clarifiers are what we use to control green water, and the absolute must have if you want clear water and be able to see the pond inhabitants, i.e our lovely Koi.
UV Sterilisers will also control green water, but are generally using a lot higher wattage, and a far slower flow rate, they also aren’t designed to handle solid particles within a water column, yes they will kill or disrupt bacteria, and some viruses, but at a far higher cost too.
So let’s talk more about UV Clarifiers, or UVC’s for short.
Picking the correct UVC for your pond will be determined by several factors, below is a short list.
- The positioning of the pond, is it in full sun? If so we recommend doubling the stated manufacturer rating, generally to be considered at 10 watts per 1000 gallons so a 55w UV will claim to be sufficient for a 5,500 gallon pond, now if that pond is in full sun, or even in sun for most of the day, we would actually recommend doubling that to a 110 watt UV.
- The size of the pond i.e gallonage/ litreage as we mentioned above, the size of the pond plays into the selection process.
- Inline UV or Amalgam UV, inline UV’s are where the water enters one end of the unit, and exits at the other end after passing over a quartz sleeve which houses the UV bulb. An Amalgam UV still has a quartz sleeve that protects the UV bulb, but it is mainly used in conjunction with Drum filters or used in containers that the water passes through. Best explained in the drum filter scenario, the Amalgam UV is commonly fitted either in the middle of the drum or directly underneath it. Water is free to flow all around the UV, but without the same level of restriction, as it doesn’t pass through a narrow unit. Amalgam UV’s are generally a lot higher output bulb, but still offer a low wattage.
Fitting a UV
If your are fitting an inline UV on a pump fed pond, the UV must be fitted after the pump but before the filter.
So in this instance the pump is located in the bottom of the pond, it pumps water up through the UV, then from the UV up to the filter, then the water returns via gravity back to the pond.
If fitting an inline UV on a gravity fed system, then the UV is positioned after the filter and pump.
So in this instance the filter is fed water from a bottom drain via gravity, the pump is then responsible for pumping the water back to the pond, so the UV is in fact fitted after the pump so that water is still pumped through it, but it’s after the filter.
Fitting an Amalgam UV
The Amalgam UV’s can still be used on a pump or gravity fed system, they are generally fitted in place with the aid of a tank connector.
UV Bulb Life
Most UV bulbs last for a period of between 8 and 12 months, and we recommend changing them every year around March time, this way you have a new bulb with the highest intensity for the time it’s required the most.
Some Amalgam UV bulbs depending on the conditions can last longer, you will know when your UV bulb isn’t working, as your pond water will go green very quickly.
Maintenance of your UV
There’s not really a lot of maintenance to be carried out on your UV, we’ve talked about the UV bulb lifespan above and what we recommend, the other periodic maintenance is of the quartz sleeve, this can sometimes build up a layer of dirt or biofilm, that can impede the performance and light penetration from the bulb, so best to check that, but be very careful not to damage it.
For further assistance in selecting the right UV for your particular application, please get in touch with us.
PLEASE NOTE THAT UV BULBS CANNOT BE SENT VIA POSTAL SERVICE
