What is a UV Sterilizer for Aquariums?
A UV Aquarium Sterilizer can offer a safe and natural method of the removal of algae and pathogens, which are the prime causes of greenish water. UV happens to be as natural as light from the sun. It varies from chemical treatment of water that can be damaging to the plants, beneficial bacteria, and marine life in your fish tank. UV does not leave any residue behind in the water, and cannot harm fishes and other life in aquarium water. This type of sterilizer works along with other standard fish tanks by reducing the greenness of water that results from algae that reduce the efficiency of the filter and harm the plants and fishes. Know about the top things to consider while picking a UV sterilizer, so that you can choose the best one.
Things to consider when choosing a UV Sterilizer:
Type of Lamp
Medium/high-pressure or Low-pressure are the two types of lamps. Choosing a low-pressure lamp would be better for use in UV aquarium sterilizers.
Lamp Length
You have to also consider how long the lamp is. The more the length of the lamp, the more the amount of water exposed to ultraviolet light, which can offer better quality sterilization. It is also important for you to check the lamp’s positioning and whether you would have to use several lamps.
Physical Design
How the water exposure chamber of the UV aquarium sterilizer is physically designed tends to determine how much distance ultraviolet light is supposed to travel from the lamp surface to the interior wall of the water container of the sterilizer. It will finally determine the UV dose rate of the sterilizer at any specified water flow rate.
Water condition
The water’s condition also has a big role to play. Percent transmittance is the term that is used for expressing how effective the source of UV light is for treating a water body. It is a value that is expressed as a percentage, and it shows the quality of the water that needs to be treated. A more percent transmittance makes the Ultraviolet aquarium sterilizer more effective in the treatment of water.
Water Flow Rate
You have to know how quickly water passes through the contact chamber of the UV sterilizer. The amount of water passing through the ultraviolet filter will decide the real UV dose rate of the unit that is expressed generally as u-watts-sec/cm2 or microwatts per second per sq. cm.
Conclusion
If you are having problems with algae in your aquarium a uv sterilizer may be the right solution. If you select the right-sized unit for your aquarium it will keep your aquarium algae free.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding uv sterilizers.
