you are right, it seems like i can't loose really, as long as the Jebao light isn't a pile of $%*#
DIY UV light build
- Thread starter brandonsdad02
- Start date
I'm sure those little chinese kids in those factories do the best they can assembling them, but they don't use the most rugged materials, so just treat it with care, don't screw things together too tight, and hope for the best. :fingersx:you are right, it seems like i can't loose really, as long as the Jebao light isn't a pile of $%*#
I can't believe my luck, this morning I got an email from amazon saying that the correct add on uv light is now back in stock.
http://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Professional-Add-On-UV24-PSK2-Skimmer/dp/B0013FM086/ref=cm_rdp_product
So I just ordered one a bargain at $70 I looked at the PDF instructions and it looks like i can put a standard 4 pin UV bulb in the unit and even go up to 36w if i need to, must be my lucky day today, off to buy a lottery ticket
http://www.amazon.com/Crystal-Professional-Add-On-UV24-PSK2-Skimmer/dp/B0013FM086/ref=cm_rdp_product
So I just ordered one a bargain at $70 I looked at the PDF instructions and it looks like i can put a standard 4 pin UV bulb in the unit and even go up to 36w if i need to, must be my lucky day today, off to buy a lottery ticket
Let me get this right, you have done away with the U/VC's outer cladding and put the bulb in its glass sleave directly into the water , outstanding and very well thought out .
Well in advance of the new way of thinking where there is a bank of U/V lights in directly in their glass outer sleaves placed into the filter and currently costing thousands .......
Well done and congratulations , I note that your using the Tetra model of the new generation two lighted U'VC low wattage models where the bulbs have a life of 2 years over the older models 1 year life span .
We use use a similar model the Aqua Pond 36 watt U/VC but sadly cannot do as you have done as there are differences to the insides.. we like ours for its ability to turn 360 degrees and allows it to fit in a tight space.
How many gallons UK is your pond as we work in the imperial unit which isnt the same as the US gallon.
Since your initial post have you had any problems worth noting ?
Who said inventivness in fish keeping was dead lol
rgrds
Dave
Well in advance of the new way of thinking where there is a bank of U/V lights in directly in their glass outer sleaves placed into the filter and currently costing thousands .......
Well done and congratulations , I note that your using the Tetra model of the new generation two lighted U'VC low wattage models where the bulbs have a life of 2 years over the older models 1 year life span .
We use use a similar model the Aqua Pond 36 watt U/VC but sadly cannot do as you have done as there are differences to the insides.. we like ours for its ability to turn 360 degrees and allows it to fit in a tight space.
How many gallons UK is your pond as we work in the imperial unit which isnt the same as the US gallon.
Since your initial post have you had any problems worth noting ?
Who said inventivness in fish keeping was dead lol
rgrds
Dave
hi Dave,
I should update on where I got to, which would help answer your question, and hi from a fellow Brit
I was intended to buy the correct UV for my skimmer, but my order got cancelled about 3 weeks after I ordered it. So in the end i went for an inline Jebao UV light, this was working ok, but then i realized it wasn't enough, I guess the flow rate over the UV was too high, I am using a 3600gph pump and 2in PVC pipe. So I bought a second UV light, exactly the same, and modified the housing. It was easy and is exactly as you say, you remove the black plastic outer housing, and inside is a glass tube that screws to the light fitting making a watertight connection. I attached very simply to one of the filter housing using a cable tie, and it works great. I haven't any pictures as everything is packed away for winter, but I am using the 2 lights together (probably a big no no, but I honestly don't know if the second is working at all)
as for size, I can't remember the conversion to UK gallons, but my pond is 6ft x 12ft, 2ft deep around the outside and about 3.5ft deep in the middle.
i don't really have any problems with this set up on that the lights are cheap and as such behave like cheap UV lights, sometimes they turn off, so I have readjust the bulb in the holder, but i check and clean the skimmer every 2-3 days so I see catch it early.
this is the set up i bought http://www.ebay.com/itm/JEBAO-36-WA...721?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab310b9d9 unfortunatley not available in the UK, but if you are interested in doing this yourself, there will probably be something similar.
I should update on where I got to, which would help answer your question, and hi from a fellow Brit
I was intended to buy the correct UV for my skimmer, but my order got cancelled about 3 weeks after I ordered it. So in the end i went for an inline Jebao UV light, this was working ok, but then i realized it wasn't enough, I guess the flow rate over the UV was too high, I am using a 3600gph pump and 2in PVC pipe. So I bought a second UV light, exactly the same, and modified the housing. It was easy and is exactly as you say, you remove the black plastic outer housing, and inside is a glass tube that screws to the light fitting making a watertight connection. I attached very simply to one of the filter housing using a cable tie, and it works great. I haven't any pictures as everything is packed away for winter, but I am using the 2 lights together (probably a big no no, but I honestly don't know if the second is working at all)
as for size, I can't remember the conversion to UK gallons, but my pond is 6ft x 12ft, 2ft deep around the outside and about 3.5ft deep in the middle.
i don't really have any problems with this set up on that the lights are cheap and as such behave like cheap UV lights, sometimes they turn off, so I have readjust the bulb in the holder, but i check and clean the skimmer every 2-3 days so I see catch it early.
this is the set up i bought http://www.ebay.com/itm/JEBAO-36-WA...721?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab310b9d9 unfortunatley not available in the UK, but if you are interested in doing this yourself, there will probably be something similar.
brandonsdad02
They call me Ryan
Hi Dave,
Yes, I cut off the outer cladding of the original housing that UV light came in. I kept top part of the housing so it would create the water tight connection that I would need to make it work as if it was never modified. It worked great for me. I'm not sure on the gallon size, I would have to do some figuring on that. No problems at all with it. Once my pond was clear I was able to take the 2 screws out of the top cap that the cords were zip tied to, pull the lights out, clean then and put them away for next time. Much easier for me to use them this way than to redo my plumbing and all that stuff.
Yes, I cut off the outer cladding of the original housing that UV light came in. I kept top part of the housing so it would create the water tight connection that I would need to make it work as if it was never modified. It worked great for me. I'm not sure on the gallon size, I would have to do some figuring on that. No problems at all with it. Once my pond was clear I was able to take the 2 screws out of the top cap that the cords were zip tied to, pull the lights out, clean then and put them away for next time. Much easier for me to use them this way than to redo my plumbing and all that stuff.
brandonsdad02
They call me Ryan
I went to the store where I got this from and spent a while looking at how it was made, how it made the seal, if there was any reflectors inside the housing and how much the replacement bulbs were.