We have a 2400 gallon pond with 110 gallon skippy filter pumped by 4300 gph pump. We We have had it going now for about 4 weeks, Before we had this pond we had a 500 gallon pond, we had a 9 watt UV light and it did a great job. I am sure I need a bigger UV light but will this one do any good at all. It is being pumped by a 800 gph pump right now the same one that it went through in the 500 gallon pond.
UV ?
- Thread starter kitty59e
- Start date
It can, but you'd have to be a little bit lucky and really be smart about it's use. UVs are speced to handle normal algae loads. Once you exceed those specs you're at the mercy of algae, a living organism that is impossible to predict. So the UV could keep algae at bay for a time or forever or not at all. Assuming the pond is already clear. The odds go way down if already green, more green lower the odds. My guess is it would not clear a 2400 gal green pond, and only a chance of it keeping a clear pond clear.
Being smart means:
Being on top of flow. Knowing the UV's limits from the manufacturer, knowing flow (measuring).
Bulb's strength is a factor. Where most bulbs are replaced after 1 year you might have to replace yours twice a year. And that may not even be enough.
Good pre-filter. Cleaner the water going in the more effective the UV.
You can add another UV in parallel. But imo the second unit should be over sized a bit and since yours is only 9 watt I don't see how keeping it would be worth while. Better to sell it on EBay.
Being smart means:
Being on top of flow. Knowing the UV's limits from the manufacturer, knowing flow (measuring).
Bulb's strength is a factor. Where most bulbs are replaced after 1 year you might have to replace yours twice a year. And that may not even be enough.
Good pre-filter. Cleaner the water going in the more effective the UV.
You can add another UV in parallel. But imo the second unit should be over sized a bit and since yours is only 9 watt I don't see how keeping it would be worth while. Better to sell it on EBay.
Each manufacturer sets their own specifications so it depends on the maker. I think they all use the same basic bulbs, I mean none make their own bulbs. But they have other components that can be different.
If you don't like messing around too much with these things you can get a larger unit, like for double your size pond. It costs more for the unit and electric but has the advantage of being more forgiving on flow rate, how clean the water is, and also you can go a little longer between bulb changes. Everyone is different on the cost vs effort spectrum.
If you don't like messing around too much with these things you can get a larger unit, like for double your size pond. It costs more for the unit and electric but has the advantage of being more forgiving on flow rate, how clean the water is, and also you can go a little longer between bulb changes. Everyone is different on the cost vs effort spectrum.
Our skippy filter was put in about 4 weeks ago so I know its getting its bio filter going. Its very green right now. You can see very faint shadows of the fish when they are at the shallow bottom but not in the deeper part. The shallow is 2 ft and the deep if around 4 ft deep. Yesterday we put quilt batting in the skippy filter and we did notice a little difference.
I think it is too small to do much BUT, you already have it, so worth a try. What's the worst that will happen? You spend a couple of bucks on the electric bill to give it a try? If you like having a UV (we do, although havent turned it on this year, need a new bulb) plan on getting one appropriately sized to your pond.
I'm not sure I understand, why wonder? Why not check?
I did read them but what I was wondering was different brands say a (example- a 20 watt will do a larger pond and then another brand will say a 40 watt will do the same size). Just seems to be a big range of difference in the brands.
Maybe you can post links of 2 example brands with the biggest differences and I can figure it out. I'd be guessing otherwise.
My pond is in a lot of sunlight as well, i control the algae with plant cover and microbe lift. The plants and the water lettuce cover i think is the trick. I have had uv lights in the past, but i felt like it didnt have much affect, i opted for more natural solutions
Sun is only part of the equasion. Dont get me wrong, I am all for plants, and last year literally had hundreds of water hyacinths, mainly for shade (main pond is in full south to south/southwest exposure) from about 9:30 am til the sun is setting, but the upper/connected pond only gets a few hours of sun ... Take a guess which one I have a fair amount of algae in ... NOT the one getting full sun! BTW, the upper pond ALSO has a lot more plants in it. For misc marginals, the two ponds are about equal right now, but the upper pond has an additional 16 pots of lilies (no lilies in the lower pond), half of which are in 5 gallon pots (meaning not babies). The rest are borderline in 2-3 gallon pots. No UV running (only due to knowing we need a new bulb), no added bacterias, and the algae is going away by itselfdemosaki said:
And that ladies and gentlemen is why products like Microbe Lift will be around forever.
A UV filter works very much like a fire. If you throw a tissue into a fire it burns, it's destroyed. 100% of the time. A algae is the tissue and the UV the fire. To say a UV doesn't control suspended algae means there was no fire, or you threw too many tissues on the fire (a pallet of tissues on a small fire puts out the fire). The issue is not the UV, the issue is the user. It's the weak link.
A UV filter works very much like a fire. If you throw a tissue into a fire it burns, it's destroyed. 100% of the time. A algae is the tissue and the UV the fire. To say a UV doesn't control suspended algae means there was no fire, or you threw too many tissues on the fire (a pallet of tissues on a small fire puts out the fire). The issue is not the UV, the issue is the user. It's the weak link.
Here is the one I have.
My pond is about the same size as yours, it will destroy the suspended algae in your pond in about 3 days, then you can probably shut it off after about a week and maybe wont need to turn in on again till next spring. Although, I always turn mine on for a day or two when I do any cleaning or messing around in my pond, the dirty water, loose algae, or other nasties get stirred up and cycle through the UV unit and get sterilized.
My pond is about the same size as yours, it will destroy the suspended algae in your pond in about 3 days, then you can probably shut it off after about a week and maybe wont need to turn in on again till next spring. Although, I always turn mine on for a day or two when I do any cleaning or messing around in my pond, the dirty water, loose algae, or other nasties get stirred up and cycle through the UV unit and get sterilized.