UV is it needed?

[Andy H]

What are peoples thoughts on using a UV?

We had one that I broke so I bought another one

36W on 2000Gal but when using that stupidly recomended chemical we turned it off and it has been off 2 months with lovely clean water, so do we need them?

I know we have had a rubbish summer/sunlight hrs this year.

Andy

[Bob Hart]

If your pond works without one, dont use it.

Mines off for the Winter now anyway, saving some carbon!!!!!

[GDL]

Mine broke 2 or 3 years ago when a small stone shattered the quartz sleeve and I have not bothered to replace.

I get a period of greenish water in the spring, but it quickly goes and I have excellent clarity.

When I build the new pond I am minded to install one, but I think I will use it on an "as needs" basis rather than on all the time.

Cheers

Gordon

[Gazza]

Well a interesting post as many know i don't have a UV i did install one when we built the new pond but it was the old one off the old pond and it was never on.As it was never on when my pump on the TT gave up the ghost i installed a new pump and removed the UV

Now the interesting part is my water has always been OK but has just gone a we bit off shall we say which is i think due to me not being around as much recently due to work so i have not been carrying out my normal keeping it all nice and clean

I was just out feeding the fish and thought well fish are supposed to like it and winter is coming so lets see what happens in the coming months and next year it may go green or even clear up time will tell

[eds]

I've only ever ran mine for a short period in spring and always got blanketweed afterwards! Now I've taken mine off and the water on both pond and QT is clear. The QT never had one and only went clear when I fitted a shower.

[Andy H]

Interesting.

I intend(unless further posts say otherwise) to leave mine in-line but off, and to turn on if needed but if we get a half decent summer and it is not needed then it will be taken out of the restriction!

[ageinghippy]

Gazza,
Did you REALLY remove your skimmer?????????? I know that I`ve never had one on MY pond, but I thought that the current thinking on decent ponds nowadays is that they are essential.


Confused,



Chris

[Andy H]

No! we never had a skimmer but because we had a liner and couldn`t fit one, we bought a floating one.

It has jap mat filters in it and I am AMAZED at how much rap it collects!
They are essential! I don`t know if thre is one on the market that floats and pumps to filters as I dont want to clean it every 2 days i the winter!

They collect an amazing amount of crap!

[Gazza]

Hi Chris,

No i removed the UV from the skimmer line when i installed a new Aquamax 16000 pump

[ageinghippy]

Hi Gazza,

Are you in training to be a politician?? Saying something, then sneaking in and altering what you originally said so that it now makes sense. Oooh, the POWER of the moderators !!!!! I KNEW I should have `quoted` your post, then it would have been recorded for posterity. Instead, my response makes me look a complete hillock (with a P).


Chris (another one)

[Gazza]

Blast Ive been rumbled cant pull the wool over your eyes can i

You are correct young man its a fair cop i hold my hands up

Chris many thanks for pointing out that i had removed my skimmer which has now been re-instated and the UV removed you are 100% spot on i did indeed change the words but just in case i got anyone else confused

[ageinghippy]

Cheers Gazza, you`ve cleared my confusion right up!

So, in your post, you say that you have re-instated YOUR skimmer, do you think that I should perhaps think of trying to get one myself??


Chris (another one)

[Gazza]

Hi Chris,

Skimmers are a good idea they keep all the stuff off the top and are great for having extra filtration on as you can run two separate filtration systems and if one goes off you still have some filtration.

[vippymini]

i think if you qwant to get rid of the green water/floating algae then a UV is the quickest and mosty effective way.
it doesnt have to be on 24/7 though.
in our new pond build there are no pipes that a normal UV unit could be plumbed into so Mark has installed his version of one seen on a japanese breeders site.

it consists of two meter lengths of square section white guttering upturned with the ends blocked off. these sit ontop of the main vortex and house two 30watt UV tubes powered by a double light unit from an aquarium which is housed in a watertight plastic box.
the UV bulbs sit about an inch above the water and it works a treat.
the water was cleared of algae in a matter of two days.

[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/vippy ... CF2209.jpg[/img]
the plastic sheet is to keep crud out and deflect more of the light back into the vortex
heres a picture of the pond wall algae growth
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/vippy ... CF2205.jpg[/img]
and one of the whole wall depth 6ft (the wire you can see is the thermometer sensor running down the wall and along the bottom of the pond
[img]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y199/vippy ... CF2216.jpg[/img]

so is a UV neccessary? no but it helps

[Gin Rin]

vippymini I don't which to offend, but sorry I can't let this go without comment. I am genuinely shocked at seeing something as potentially hazardous as that UV set up.

One thing you do not want to do is be exposed to those UV's, it will damage you eyes very quickly. I'm not too sure if I should be concerned because I am not an expert, but there doesn't appear to be anything to stop reflected UV light from escaping or being reflected out of the tank so potentially anyone close could easily be exposed. You do state in your post that the plastic sheet is to reflect more light back in, (at least some protection I suppose), so I presume that shows you realise that hat light is reflected out and I hope that perhaps you are aware of the dangers and take precautions. However I'd have the whole top completely shielded to prevent any light escaping.