in getting my pond ready for spring here in southeast PA (which feels like it started in early February), i've uncovered the pond, am cleaning up leaves and accumulated debris, and i've also given my UV filter an inspection.
i disconnected the UV filter at the same time i shut off and removed the water pump last fall.
The unit is made by Emperor Aquatics, #02025 (http://www.emperoraquatics.com/smart-uv-sterilizer.php). I opened the unit, pulled the UV bulb and also the quartz sleeve. i'm going to buy a replacement bulb, but i'm not sure if i should be replacing the sleeve also. when i opened the unit, there was a lot of dirt inside, and the quartz sleeve itself is pretty discolored - yellowish brown. i can post pics if you think that would help.
i know that the previous owner said he didn't replace the bulb and based on other things we've found in the house since we moved, i believe him...they say these bulbs have a 13 month or x number of hours lifespan, so between the old bulb and the dirty sleeve, i don't know how much UV was actually getting to the water - but it stayed pretty clear last summer.
Anyway, the bulb is about $60 and the sleeve only $34. I read somewhere that the only way to really clean the sleeve is with an acid bath or something like that - i have 2 kids and work a lot so i'm thinking the relatively low cost of the new sleeve would be worth the time/effort saved in a DIY quartz-sleeve-cleaning-project...but maybe i'm wrong.
Maybe it doesn't need to be replaced at all.
Thoughts?
i disconnected the UV filter at the same time i shut off and removed the water pump last fall.
The unit is made by Emperor Aquatics, #02025 (http://www.emperoraquatics.com/smart-uv-sterilizer.php). I opened the unit, pulled the UV bulb and also the quartz sleeve. i'm going to buy a replacement bulb, but i'm not sure if i should be replacing the sleeve also. when i opened the unit, there was a lot of dirt inside, and the quartz sleeve itself is pretty discolored - yellowish brown. i can post pics if you think that would help.
i know that the previous owner said he didn't replace the bulb and based on other things we've found in the house since we moved, i believe him...they say these bulbs have a 13 month or x number of hours lifespan, so between the old bulb and the dirty sleeve, i don't know how much UV was actually getting to the water - but it stayed pretty clear last summer.
Anyway, the bulb is about $60 and the sleeve only $34. I read somewhere that the only way to really clean the sleeve is with an acid bath or something like that - i have 2 kids and work a lot so i'm thinking the relatively low cost of the new sleeve would be worth the time/effort saved in a DIY quartz-sleeve-cleaning-project...but maybe i'm wrong.
Maybe it doesn't need to be replaced at all.
Thoughts?