FAQs about Ultraviolet Sterilizer
Lamps
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Sterilizers, Physical Filtration, Ultraviolet Sterilizers in Pond
Filtration
Related FAQs: Ultraviolet Sterilizers 1, Ultraviolet Sterilizers 2, UV Use in Business
Set-Ups, Rationale/Use, Selection, DIY,
Installation Issues, Operation/Maintenance,
Repair
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UV Question, lamp sel. for it and K for
tank itself 11/15/11
Good day everybody, Here I am back at your mercy again. I have been
having a small brown algae problem. My uv sterilizer was taking care of
it for months. Then I noticed it was coming back again. I cleaned out
my pump because it was clogged, and put a new bulb in. I have Corallife
turbo twist uv 18watt. Now here's the question. I bought a generic
Uv bulb off eBay. Are they as good as the regular coral life bulbs?
<UV lights are actually ordinary fluorescent tubes without the
fluorescent coating. The tubes are filled with argon and mercury gas
with electrodes on each end. A high-voltage electric current runs
through the gas between the electrodes. When one of the electrons from
that current strikes a mercury molecule, part of its energy is
absorbed, exciting the mercury. The mercury then shoots out the energy
as a photon of ultraviolet or purple light.
Normal fluorescent tubes have a coating which catches these photons and
emits white light, but UV tubes simply omit the coating. So as long as
your new UV lamp has no coating, it should be effective.>
I have a 180 reef. Nitrate, ammonia, nitrite are at zero. ph 8.2 Salt
Gravity 1.025, Temp bumps fro 79 to 81. The tank is a 180 tall 4ft long
3ft deep. It has two 150 watt 10000k metal halides and two compact 90
watt actinic. Been thinking of switching to 20000k
bulbs to see if that would make a difference. What do you
think?
<Higher wavelengths do help controlling algae growth but I would not
use all 20K lamps if you have photosynthetic life in your system. Be
better to go with two 14K MH lamps.>
Thanks,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Jim
Aquael Unimax 250 UV Bulb Replacement 8/25/09
Hello,
<Hi Jenny>
About a year ago, I purchased an Aquael Unimax 250 canister filter. My
9w UV light bulb has recently gone out and I need a replacement. Upon
using Google to search for an aquatics store that sells the bulbs that
are
listed as compatible with my unit, I only found two and both retail for
at least $30 (Drs. Foster and Smith being one of them, and the other
being here:
http://www.frogpondaquatics.com/product/UVC-9W?meta=FRG ).
Upon looking on EBay, it looks as though you can roughly get 2 for $10
+ shipping. (example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/2pcs-9W-9-WATT-UV-UVC-PL-S9-TUV-G23-Base-Light-Bulb_W0QQ
itemZ290329452696QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item4398fbe098&_
trksid=p3286.c0.m14
)
My question is, are ones like those on EBay compatible? I don't
know much about UV lights and was hoping you could help.
<Are one and the same. The PL-S9 base is the same for both lamps
along with the wattage.
Good find, beats the heck out of 30 bucks for one lamp. James (Salty
Dog)>
-Jenny A.