The benefits of UVC - newbie question

I was looking at the Hozelock products in my LFS and noticed that
Hozelock have a combined Pump, Filter, UVC combination product - the
price isn't exorbitant (but I guess that is subjective). Now my question
would be on the UVC side......

My understanding of UV usage in the marine aquatic side is that it is
used for prevention of parasites etc. Does the same theory apply to
Ponds as well with this UVC unit? Or is it just a water clarifier?

TIA
Gill

Dunno about parasites, but UV is UV (in regards to the bulbs used)
since the bulbs used to rid parasites is the same nm as the ones in
the units to clear algae..it would have to have an impact on parasites
as well.
I swear by the hozelock units....god only knows I have enough of
them. IIRC Last count was 8 of themon the wifes various water
features.

I think and this is what I hear, that in the marine world there is
much more beneficial stuff that can get killed especially in a reef
type setup so they are not as popular as in a fish only setup or
freshwater setup. Using UVC may sound like a cop out in getting rid
of algae, and its yet one more item that you need to figure in the
annual operating costs for, as the bulb is supposed to be changed
annually....and some manufactuers bulbs are kind of high priced.

One of the most missunderstood filter specs is the capacity.
Hozelock/Cyprio tried to address this problem in one of their enclosed
pump / filter booklets, that come packed inthe box.


To calculate the EFFECTIVE, Filter and Pump volume of your pond:
'The following factors must be considered when estimating your pump
and filter sizes.' EFFECTIVE, Filter and Pump volume of your pond:

a. If the average pond water depth less than 2 1/2 feet--increase by
25%

b. If the pond is located in full sun--increase by 25%, half day sun
17.5% and so on.

c. If you're in Zone 1-5 add 0%--6-7 add 15%--8-10 add 35%

d. If the total “fish length” is more than 8 inches per 250 gallons
then an extra percentage must be allowed. By example a pond of 500
gallons could contain 16 inches of fish, but if the stocking level was
32 inches then a 50% increase would need to be applied – thus meaning
that the filter and pump must cope as though the pond is 750 gallons.
Another example: You have a 1000 gal pond, 2 ft. deep, in full sun, in
zone 6-7 and have 64 inches of fish.

1000 gals+25% for Depth=1250, +25% for Full Sun=1500, +15% for Zone
6-7=1650, +50%for 64 inches of fish =2150 gallons

You need to oversize your filter and pump to take care of a 2150
gallon pond a 115% increase.

Cop out or no cop out, I say go with a UVC and get clear water
quicker and start to enjoy the pond faster.It can always be unplugged
when everythng gets matured and under control.

Just my 2 cents worth

On Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:00:04 +0000, Gill Passman
wrote:

I was looking at the Hozelock products in my LFS and noticed that
Hozelock have a combined Pump, Filter, UVC combination product - the
price isn't exorbitant (but I guess that is subjective). Now my question
would be on the UVC side......

My understanding of UV usage in the marine aquatic side is that it is
used for prevention of parasites etc. Does the same theory apply to
Ponds as well with this UVC unit? Or is it just a water clarifier?

TIA
Gill



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

"Gill Passman" wrote in message
...
I was looking at the Hozelock products in my LFS and noticed that Hozelock
have a combined Pump, Filter, UVC combination product - the price isn't
exorbitant (but I guess that is subjective). Now my question would be on
the UVC side......

My understanding of UV usage in the marine aquatic side is that it is used
for prevention of parasites etc. Does the same theory apply to Ponds as
well with this UVC unit? Or is it just a water clarifier?
==================================
I use UV for water clarification. My units wipe out the algae in a few
days.
--
RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Troll free pond and fish Forum:
http://www.karlsforums.com/forums/fo...ay.php?fid=104
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~ }(((((o

I already put my two cents in as to UVC, but just a touch more on
Hozelock.

The pump housings have an adjustable grill/grate that is able to be
reduced down to less than 2mm in size and the pump intake itself is
located a good 3 to 4 inches formn the outer gourd. This is great to
keep fry from getting into the pump itself........If the LFS has one
ther as to see inside the pump unit, as its only held together with
three quick release latches......A standard Pond Master Mag 5 or 7
will also work fine for the Bio_force filters but the guard /enclosure
for the pump need a bit of rework to fit, but its doable.....The pump
assembly also has an adjustable outlet so yuyr not putting the hose
into a hard bend to come up and out of a pond. Its a wellthought out
unit.

The canister is also easy to maintain and pretty darn quick to clean.
A few quick release catches, and the entire top pops off. exposing the
three donuts of foam. On the very bottom is the bio media, which
remains in place. The sponge media is easy and quick to clean. YOu can
always add a later of filter batting to pull extremely small particals
out quicker if needed, but the foam is usually sufficieint. I have
even played around and you can place a layer of charcoa etc in a mesh
bag in place of the middle foam ring if the need arises, so therefore
activated carbon is able to be utilized in the filter......The over
pressure indicator is also a nice feature......When that red ring pops
up its time to change the filter.........

One thing is compute your water quantity at the highest amount, and
get a unit that will accomplish the filtering rate at its lowest
setting. The slower water is pushed through a UVC unit the better the
job it does......I have the wifes units all valved as well as sized
down to about 50% of their rated output. When we can see tiny fry
18" to 20" deep the water IMHO is clean enough. We run the UVC part
once weather starts to warm up and the sun itself starts to get higher
up in the north. Then late summer we can usually turn it off again and
just go with filtraton media without UVC......probbaly do not even use
the UVC 50% of the itme and we canactually get 2 seasons+ ouit of a
bulb. Even with outside covering like a big market / patio umbrella
to provide shade, precise feeding practices and using a lot of plants
algae had alwys been a problem. We even use submerged plants as
typically sold for aquarium use and have thick planted preforms
with aquarium plants full of tropical fish doing just fine......in
conjunction with the Bio Force filters by hozelok. A pond full of
goldies or koi may be neat, but a pond full of Gourami or other
tropical is pretty darn neat also.....

On Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:00:04 +0000, Gill Passman
wrote:

I was looking at the Hozelock products in my LFS and noticed that
Hozelock have a combined Pump, Filter, UVC combination product - the
price isn't exorbitant (but I guess that is subjective). Now my question
would be on the UVC side......

My understanding of UV usage in the marine aquatic side is that it is
used for prevention of parasites etc. Does the same theory apply to
Ponds as well with this UVC unit? Or is it just a water clarifier?

TIA
Gill



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Don't mind all my replys to this post. I have nothing but the best of
recomendations for Hozelock. With the Bio Force, you do need a
"device" water fall etc so you can get the proper flowoout of the
pump. If the outlet of the hose is too low the water flow is too fast
thhrough the UVC, so its typical most folks use a water fall of approx
height to regulate flow. Yes, you can use a valve, but why fool with a
valve when you can adjust the outlet height when making a water fall.

The setup lends itself to supplying water to a veggie fitler or it
even works good if you feed a bakki shower or tower with the discharge
water.......its easy to setup a shower in a corner up along the house
wall or fence hidden by plants and get added benefits of having the
bakki shower or trickle tower..........

To adjust height, turn on pump and allow water to flow...hold end of
pump up say 2' to start......and direct outflow of hose into say a 5
gal bucket.and time it as to how fast it fills up the bucket. With
the amount of water in a known containers size and the time it took to
fill it, its easy to do the numbers and find out how much flow the
pump is putting out. Too nuch or too fast, rasie hose up say 2" more
and try again, too little lower hose and try again. HOld hose at
various heights and when yu get the desired flow the height the hose
is at is the height yu need to shoot for in regards to water fall
height etc........or height for a trickle tower....You can get good
clear water all without UVC with a decent veggie filter or trickle
tower, but things come together so much faster and you can get much
clearer water quicker, that to me if I only used it to get the ponds
water clear and allow filter media to catch up, then shut it off, I
would stlil go with a UVC. The hozelock uses a standard UVC bulb,
nothing special......



On Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:00:04 +0000, Gill Passman
wrote:

I was looking at the Hozelock products in my LFS and noticed that
Hozelock have a combined Pump, Filter, UVC combination product - the
price isn't exorbitant (but I guess that is subjective). Now my question
would be on the UVC side......

My understanding of UV usage in the marine aquatic side is that it is
used for prevention of parasites etc. Does the same theory apply to
Ponds as well with this UVC unit? Or is it just a water clarifier?

TIA
Gill



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Gill Passman wrote:
I was looking at the Hozelock products in my LFS and noticed that
Hozelock have a combined Pump, Filter, UVC combination product - the
price isn't exorbitant (but I guess that is subjective). Now my
question would be on the UVC side......

My understanding of UV usage in the marine aquatic side is that it is
used for prevention of parasites etc. Does the same theory apply to
Ponds as well with this UVC unit? Or is it just a water clarifier?

TIA
Gill

Not much I can add to Tristans replies. I'm also a Hozelock (with UV)
person. Effective and good value.
--
ßôyþëtë

Pete
Do you keep your UVC on all the time?


On Fri, 23 Feb 2007 18:35:57 -0000, "BoyPete"
wrote:

Gill Passman wrote:
I was looking at the Hozelock products in my LFS and noticed that
Hozelock have a combined Pump, Filter, UVC combination product - the
price isn't exorbitant (but I guess that is subjective). Now my
question would be on the UVC side......

My understanding of UV usage in the marine aquatic side is that it is
used for prevention of parasites etc. Does the same theory apply to
Ponds as well with this UVC unit? Or is it just a water clarifier?

TIA
Gill

Not much I can add to Tristans replies. I'm also a Hozelock (with UV)
person. Effective and good value.



-------
I forgot more about ponds and koi than I'll ever know!

Tristin wrote:
Pete
Do you keep your UVC on all the time?


As Pete and I live somewhere between 30-40 miles from eachother I would
be very interested in this.....we share a similar climate with slight
micro-differences that relate to city dwelling and landscape - LDN is
pretty much flat whereas I live in a valley (frost hollow).....but in
the greater scale of things pretty much the same when compared to the
great regional variations experienced in countries such as the USA.....

I'm pretty much convinced that I may as well go and buy the combined
system that includes the UV - especially when it is only a few pounds
more...which is very little in reality on the greater scale of things....

Gill

Gill,

We use a Tetra UV to kill the algae. Works fine and is not really
needed all season. It is much nicer for us than waiting for the algae
bloom to pass. Some would feel that it is better to let the bloom
kill itself off. That can take a long time, so we have gone to a UV.
With great results.

We would support the idea of being on the hogh side for strength.
Killing algea faster is fine. Failing to kill it off is a bummer.

Jim

Phyllis and Jim wrote:
Gill,

We use a Tetra UV to kill the algae. Works fine and is not really
needed all season. It is much nicer for us than waiting for the algae
bloom to pass. Some would feel that it is better to let the bloom
kill itself off. That can take a long time, so we have gone to a UV.
With great results.

We would support the idea of being on the hogh side for strength.
Killing algea faster is fine. Failing to kill it off is a bummer.

Jim


Do you use it just to kill off the algae or do you find that, as it does
in a marine tank, that it also kills off pathogens, parasites and other
nasties....or do you use alternative control methods for these such as
PP dosing?

Gill