THANK YOU! That information was terrific. I only have a 29 gallon, so I'm
sure the 15w will be perfect.. I'll check out the Aqua.. Someone also
recommended the Turbo-Twist from Red Sea..

Thanks again,
Troy


"Michi Henning" wrote in message
...
"Shagster" wrote in message
...

Thank you. That's exactly what I wanted to hear.. Is your water
significantly "clearer" since using it?

No, not really. The sterilizer cleans up green water very well. But,
once the green water is gone, there is really no difference between
running the sterilizer and not running it.

Apart from removing green water, a sterilizer generally helps to
reduce the number of floating pathogens. This can aid in keeping
diseases away, but I can't give you precise info on how much
difference that really makes. At any rate, the sterilizer does no
harm, and it might do some good with respect to desease. And
it definitely keeps green water away permanently.

What model do you have, and would you recommend it?

I have an Aqua-UV AN-15E and I'm happy with it. There is
also an identically-sized 25W model, the Aqua-UV AN-25E.
Depending on the size of your tank, you might want to consider
that one. (The 15W model is at the limit of what you need for
150gal. If you have a larger tank, I'd go for the 25W model.)
Note that models with less than 15W are pretty much useless,
unless you have a very small tank. See

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...a0 65c36df0d5

for some more info.

Also, if you buy an Aqua-UV model, be aware that they come
in two versions, the "E" model and the plain one. (So there
is an AN-15E and an AN-15.) The models without the "E"
have a conventional ballast, whereas the "E" models have
an electronic ballast. It's worth buying the electronic ballast
because it extends lamp life (12000 hours vs 8000 hours).

When you change the tube, you also have to replace the o-rings
that provide the water seal around the quartz tube that houses
the UV tube. If you buy these from Aqua-UV, the o-rings cost
an obscene amount of money. So, go to a local bearing shop or
hardware store and get same-sized o-rings there. That way,
the cost pennies instead of $20 or so. Also, buy your replacement
tubes (you will need one every 14-15 months or so) via mail
order, instead of the LFS. You'll get them at a fraction of the
price that way.

Cheers,

Michi.

--
Michi Henning Ph: +61 4 1118-2700
ZeroC, Inc. http://www.zeroc.com