Best Filtration for weird situation

Okay, the situation isn't really that weird, but not common on a fishy forum...

I need to keep some waterbaths clear, running day and night at 37C. Normally we keep it clear by weekly 100% water changes, but lately the new staff decided it is to much trouble. Now I do not have time to clean 10 baths in between calibration, programming, and genera procrastination... The analyst also don't really have the time, so I'll rather make life easier for us all.

It is also very important to keep it as clear as possible since the sides of the bath is acrylic and analysts need to see through it.

Currently the water turns white in a week or two, especially if they waste ethanol and pharmaceutical samples in the bath. Thus any biological agent might have a problem with filtering.

I'm going to chuck a very small internal filter in there tomorrow with filter-floss just to get the particles out at least (the particles tend to block the pump and heater).

Any suggestions short of building a fluidized sand bed filter? lol.

Oh, and agents such as CuSO4 will hurt the element, and Bleach helps, but after a week it starts forming to much salt which precipitates on the glass inside the water bath.

Any suggestions welcome. Cheaper is better, but if it is not to expensive, it might work. (I have contemplated getting a UV filter, just hasn't gotten around to it yet)

 

Not sure exactly what your aim is.... So first off,whats the volume of the system? Flow rate of circulation?

Just some observations...At 37Degrees the available Oxygen to filter bacteria is firtually nil...so not a real option.... Maybe a updown flow koi style filter system with a focus on Mechanical filtration will do the trick for you...

 

This sounds like a dissolution bath for pharmaceutical testing. Is this correct? In the laboratory that I worked in I think the water was changed and the bath cleaned with a cloth or sponge at least every 2 weeks.

 

@azurekoi sorry a bit ill-defined. I know there is virtually no oxygen available, that is why I do not aim at normal bacteria for this operation, otherwise we would've stuck some Eheim canisters on and left it like that. only about 25L per bath, so it is not that bad. Flow rate isn't that high (haven't measured it yet), but I'll rather get a filter to work independent of the current pump.

@TheGrissom yes it is a dissolution bath, and some of the designs are easy to disassemble and clean, but some of them take a while to calibrate after cleaning, so I'll rather only clean it monthly. We do not have as many as a lab such as Aspen QC in PE has, but cleaning 10 baths weekly takes a while if the analysts are 'to busy' and not competent. (Yes you do get something as not competent in cleaning). I'll rather get something to make the work less than making my work more by fixing whatever the break or dis-align during cleaning.

I posted in hope that someone has some brilliant idea other that normal mechanical filtration, but for now, I'll attempt that, and maybe get a small UV-C lamp to put in series with the current pump

 

Just whatch the flow versus exposure time to the UV on the unit...too fast and it wont achieve much...

 

I'll check for that thanx, but I think first I'll try a simple mechanical filter to see if it helps at all, then I'll try to get an inexpensive housing for a UV-C lamp (obviously one made for the job at hand, at home I can play with weird DIY'ing, not in the lab )

 

I will check with our maintenence technician and see what he does. But I do see the baths getting physically cleaned from time to time.

 

Thanx, but yes, manual cleaning will be best, but most of our Erweka bath designs is not really welcoming to cleaning And buying a new R250'000 piece of equipment just because it cleans easier isn't going to happen

 

Not good news Im afraid. Our baths get cleaned with soap and water. Sorry I couldnt be of more assistence.

 

Thanx anycase. In our one lab we have to clean with soap and water monthly, but the other lab does 100% water changes weekly, those baths rarely see soap as they stay clean.