On Wed, 16 Apr 2003 04:17:25 GMT, "J. Douglas Mercer"
wrote:
Sounds attractive to me.
However, as the features of a unit increase, so does the cost.
Do I need a wiper or quartz sleeve?
Should I use more wattage that I need?
Are there features or brand names that I should look for or avoid?

Doug

I would recommend the wiper option. It lets you safely and quickly
clean the outside of the quartz tube. If it becomes coated with dirt
then the UV output diminishes making the whole thing pointless, but
it's not a must.

The lamp is held inside of a quartz sleeve. This keeps the water from
touching the lamp and shorting it out. Quartz is used because it
transmits UV well, while glass does not. Quartz, although it looks
just like glass, is more fragile. This explains why you often see
replacement quartz sleeves sold on the same web page as the lamps!
You just want to be very careful handling the sleeve.

I would check the various manufacturer's web sites for their
recommended size for your size pond, and then DON'T go with the
smallest/cheapest one - they're just trying to make a sale. The only
time I've heard of anyone being unhappy with the performance of
their UV is when they bought one that was obviously too small for
their pond.

Aqua Ultraviolet is one of the top brands.

Steve J. Noll | Ventura California (zone 10)
| Glass Block Pond http://www.kissingfrogs.tv