13w UV Light: On or Off, That is the Question!

[Jason]

Ok, So Should I keep my UV light in my filter Plugged in 24/7 or turn it on and off every other day or 2 days a week? My Pond is 450-500 Gallons, I have a 1000 Gallon Mech/Bio Pressurized and 13w UV light Filter that pushes roughly 900GPH through it and back into the Pond. I have seen many of you say you leave yours on 24/7 and are made to be left on and last up to a year before changing the bulb, and others say they only turn theirs on when the water is cloudy or is looking like an algae bloom is in the process of occurring. I have also read that if you plug and unplug your UV it reduces the life expectancy as well, Can someone with Expert UV light assist my concerns? Thanks again :lamp5:

 

[Dave 54]

You should run your UV-C 24/7 365 days a year changing your bulb as per makers recomendation Jason.
However there are new generationUV-C's such as our own where you only change the bulb every two years 13 watt seems an odd size UV are you sure its not 15 watt, can you post a link to it please ?

rgrds


Dave

 

[capewind]

I think you will need to form your own opinion on this one ... as you stated, mixed opinions... ours got shut off for a bit, but is normally on 24/7 BUT ours is only moving a small volume of water ... it isnt inline with our filter, but a T in the line from the pump ... totally guessing but suspect about 1000-1500 gallons of water per hour flows through ours, with a total pond volume of about 9000 gallons...

 

[Jason]

Thanks, I will try running it 24/7 and see how that does, Yes Dave it is 13w which does sound a bit weird but replacement bulbs are actually easy to find for it online. Here is the Filter I got.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/290783905550?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

 

[Dave 54]

Ah its inside your filter thats probably why its 13 watts

rgrds

Dave

 

[koiguy1969]

i only run my U.V 10 days - 2 weeks a year. l let the water clear and run it an extra week or so. but i only use mine for green water (single cell alge) control. once the alge dies out enough, the bacteria it produces is usually sufficient to keep the water clear. my 9 watt u.v will usually clear my pond (1200gals) water in 3 or 4 days. my pond is well stocked with plants. and in a planted pond there is competition for the nutrients that the alge (also a plant) feeds on. the more plants the more nutrients used. and i plant everything bare rooted so the roots draw nutrients directly from the water.( i never fertilize!) i actually disconnect, clean, and store mine away for the next season when its done its job for the year.
in a dedicated koi pond, ( minimal or no plants). theres no competition for the available nutrients, further allowing algeas to thrive. so a U.V can play a much bigger roll in things.
now, that said... UVs also kill some water bound pathogens / parasites so in either situation, it can be beneficial running them 24/7.

 

[Jason]

Thanks Koiguy, I NEED plants lol. I was thinking some Water lilies and Watercress like you have! Where Can I buy Watercress? do local Nurseries have it or do i have to order it online? I have a idea i want to put into play, I made a custom "Add a sphere" (Glass Observatory for fish and you lol) and I was thinking about making a Floating Planter Ring out of 1/2'' Tubing in diameter around the Dome with watercress in between to hide the Base! I was also wanting to put a floating plant in my fountain but was worried that the flow was too great? Not that it would flow out into the waterfall and into the pond as i plan on putting screening material to help trap plants or leaves from doing the same, but the flow just knocking the plants around too much?

 

[capewind]

Dont laugh Jason, but I bought our water cress in the produce section of the grocery store... will look to see if I still have those pictures ...

 

[Jason]

Dont laugh Jason, but I bought our water cress in the produce section of the grocery store... will look to see if I still have those pictures ...

WHAT!? HA, don't laugh at me because I had no idea it was a Vegetable :redface: ! I will go check it out what Store? Walmart, Winndixie, Publix? Im guessing I need to look for it with roots?

 

[koiguy1969]

thats where i get my watercress as well...the grocery store. but i have a feeling you may be thinking of water hyacinths...those you can get at a pond store, some nurseries, and online. water lettuce as well.

 

[capewind]

We literally went to the produce section of the grocery store and bought a plastic container of organic water cress ... these were cuttings and look like a fresh herb (they are) ... $3 ... stick a bunch into a glass of water to root ... about 5-7 days later (change the water daily or every other day), you will have some nice roots started ... Plant into a pot like any other house plant, except keep it well watered (soggie/almost mud) and stick into a warm window ,, Kept it inside for about a month, and then moved the pot outside... The last pic (plant at/under the waterfall), it was probably outside for about a month...

 

[capewind]

WHAT!? HA, don't laugh at me because I had no idea it was a Vegetable :redface: ! I will go check it out what Store? Walmart, Winndixie, Publix? Im guessing I need to look for it with roots?

It's a herb LOL ... Up here, we have Stop and Shop, Shaws, and Whole Foods as the major food chains ... Doubt walmart would have it ... Went to a Publix in FL, and it was like our grocery stores here ... It can be hard to find in the store if you dont know what you are looking for, so dont be shy and ask the stockers if you need to

 

[capewind]

Just lifted a picture from the internet to show what it may look like in the produce section ... the only difference is when we bought ours, it was in a plastic container to be fancy ,,, note how the ends are just clipped off ... take some as is, and just stick in a glass of water you'll get roots...

 

[Jason]

Thanks capewind I will see if i can find some, Yes, Koiguy I was looking for a Floating plant for the Project with the Glass Dome and Floating ring. I thought Watercress was a floating plant

 

[Dave 54]

Koiguy what depth can you put most aquatic plants into ours is as you say a dedicted koi pond with no plant , I've always thought our pond to deep at 4ft for any plants to be planted out ?

rgrds

Dave