UV Sterilizers Which is better.

[Scottw68TN]

This is completely an opinion question I'm sure but I want a UV and don't know which is a better design.

DOUBLEHELIX ULTRAVIOLET STERILIZER- 9 WATT -
http://www.bigalsonline.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi

TURBO TWIST 3X- 9 WATT U.V. STERILIZER -
http://www.bigalsonline.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi

 

[Guest]

The Double Helix IMO lacks good design by using Polymer Tubing inside the lamp for water to flow through. Other members here have reported that the tubing collapses causing the water to stop flowing...renduring the product useless

The Turbo Twist IMO is a great design allowing the water to flow through a spiral causing the water to swirl around the lamp.. I think this would be the better of the two in killing capacity...

They both use the new Compact Flourescent UV Lamps, which are less expensive to replace, a plus in maintenance....

 

[Scottw68TN]

Thanks I was liking that design better too. The flow is more open and seemed less prone to clogging. I think its a go with that unit.

I found supporting info on this being a good unit and the other being prone to failure!

I have ordered the unit and plan on hooking it up to a marineland 550 powerhead I believe its rated at 148gph. putting it right in the range of 100 to 200gph needed. I plan on using a sponge prefilter and hopefully a minimal amount of tubing by hanging it close to the top. Anybody have a guess on many gph should be expected with this type unit. 3 factors will affect the gph. about 12 inches of tubing, the turbo twist unit, the sponge prefilter.

 

[PrettyFishies]

Why are you getting a UV for a FW tank?

 

[Scottw68TN]

Why not?

 

[madasafish]

I suppose it's a way of preventing fish from getting parasites/other diseases. If you're willing to spend the $$, you might have a great, healthy set-up.

 

[Scottw68TN]

The output on my powerhead will be difficult to fit. Any pump or powerhead suggestion?

 

[loganj]

IMO, the Maxi Jets are hard to beat. You'd probably want a MJ600 for this application. You end flow will probably be less than 148gph, but unless I'm mistaken, the danger with a UV sterlizer is flowing the water through too fast for the UV to kill off the undesirables. Another neat thing about the Maxi Jets is the output on them is a tight fit inside 1/2 CPVC pipe. If you bevel the inside of the pipe with a knife, it will fit onto the MJ and stay there until you twist it off. This makes plumbing them in to something very easy because you can get almost any fitting you need for the other end of the pipe.