D.I.Y Inline UV sterlizer

Hi Guys,

Have anyone ever made a Inline UV sterlizer for a Canister filter? how would one go about making one?


Cheers


David

 

what would the benefits be?

 

UV sterilizers kill of any bacteria/disease in the water!

 

And they also help kill algae in the water

 

DIY UV is a bad idea. How are you going to shield the bulb? Where would you buy the correct bulb? Those purple ones they have in clubs and the ones they use in the sterilizer are not the same thing. There are different grades of UV bulbs.

 

I know this is used on koi ponds ... and kills everything . If you making a DIY becarefull as certain light ranges wrt to UV can cause cancer.

 

This thread should just be closed. It's like asking how you can make something that will kill you and your fish...

Best leave UV sterilizers to the pro's to design and build. Go buy one!

 

If you want a sterile tank - then use UV. Just check on the wavelength of the tube you are using - in the end it is cheaper to buy it from the LFS

 

i bought a BOYU canister filter that had a build in UV for like R320!

It's not a SUPER pump but it does the job!

 

it is actually possible to build one with UV LEDs.

When i was in school, we took part in an electronics competition, our group won, we designed an automatic window blinds & sun sensor thing, and the group who got second place, designed a small filtration system for use in low-tech "very poor" areas of africa, to help kill and sterilize bacteria in drinkng water.

The projects had to be able to run off a 9V battery.. so yeah, if you know what you're doing, even a battery powered LED UV system is possible, but if you don't then rather stay with conventional methods...?

 

I agree with Ferryman on this one if you don't know what you are doing leave it to the people that do.....

 

Also remember UV wavelengths are dangerous to eyes - A really fun use for UV is to go up to Springbok area at walk around at night with the UV, Scorpions glow under UV and you see Hundreds !!!!!! _ sorry a bit off topic

 

If you don't know much about UV then I'd suggest it is dangerous enough to rather stay away. I think it is possible to construct the device, but you won't be saving much. Perhaps R100 to R200. Then you also still risk leaks, high UV exposure, etc.

Just buy one...

 

For a tank you dont need one the only time you need a uv light in a setup is for koi ??? pls correct me if i am wrong.

 

UV sterilizers are pretty good if you have a green water outbreak, and in combination with salt treatment it works well for ich. I have a particular interest as I keep loaches and they are pretty sensitive to methylene blue, as a result you can only use half strength and most of the time that is just not good enough. If you read on the loach forum you will see many people had success by combining the treatment with UV.

 

It is often used when you bring in wild fish. The wilds have no natural immune resistance to the organisms found in our water - so you run UV to get a sterile tank, put your wilds in and SLOWLY over a period of months you acclimatize them to our local water...

Also used to combat green water as Laure said.

 

Laure - kept clowns for about 5 years and just made sure my water temp was good and a 1/4 change every 2 to 3 weeks and my clowns were always happy .. use to add a little salt after water changes.

Zafgak - thanks for that never know that ,, learn a little everyday