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Old 07-04-2008, 10:15 PM posted to rec.ponds.moderated
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Default How long does a UV clarifier take?

The light emitted from a uv bulb is both uv and near uv, meaning it has a
bluish cast. You should be able to see it through the clear end caps. If
you cannot see any light, then the bulb is bad or the ballast is bad. If
this is a new unit, take it back.

--
RichToyBox
http://www.geocities.com/richtoybox/pondintro.html
Zone 7A/B Virginia
"lawr_1" wrote in message
...

I'll have to see if I can find the pump flow, maybe it is too fast.
The bulb is clean, I removed and checked it yesterday, there was no
build up.

One issue I found... I cannot see any UV light. At the inlet and outlet
I have a section of clear pipe I have used to connect the outlet/inlet
to my pump/pond hose (it was too big for a standard garden hose size
and B&Q didnt have any adapters - I had to cut up my snorkel to make
it). So its night now, and I can bend the clear pipe connector down a
bit to look right into the UV clarifier outlet while the water is
flowing. It is completely dark, no light at all.

Yesterday I took the bulb out to look and it doesnt look like its
blown.

So could the bulb be faulty? Should I see UV light? I am not looking
long as I know its harmful.

If you cant see the light the only thing I can think of is my flow is
too fast.

Or am I expecting too much in 1 week? Should I give it more time?

Thanks for your replies.




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lawr_1



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Old 07-04-2008, 11:58 PM
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Apparently the LED on the side is not an LED but a viewing window for the UV light. So this is bright blue. So apparently the UV is working. Its just that no light is seen through the inlet/outlet. At the outlet the bulb is blocked by an inner part but I would have thought the inlet would emit some light. Either way apparently its working.

So I have replaced the filter material in my filter because someone else said this needs to be working too to filter out the clumps of algae that the UV produces. I think it was quite old and clogged. So maybe thats the reason.

I also drained the pond and refilled and will see if this helps.
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Old 08-04-2008, 11:02 AM
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Yeah, I think I have established that it IS working and glowing, just difficult to see anywhere other than the little view window (which I thought was a LED not the actual UV).

So I dont think its the UV clarifier. So I have replaced the water in the pond and replaced the filter media in the biofilter. Its still quite murky because I didn't clean the pond completely or swish out the bottom of the filter, but its much better.

So I need to monitor it to see if the UV clarifier and cleaner biofilter combination improve it now.
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Old 08-04-2008, 03:27 PM posted to rec.ponds.moderated
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Default How long does a UV clarifier take?

I have a veggie filter for 6 months of the year. I feed my fish for 11 months of the
year. by spring I have pea soup and it takes time from April until almost June for
my filter to get going.
http://weloveteaching.com/mypond/VF/winterfilter.html

HOWEVER, this year I put a little veggie filter IN the pond over winter and left the
pump in a bucket filter which has screening and matting in it and there doesnt appear
to be much algae at all. The water isnt clear it has "fines" in it most likely
because the active koi have been digging in my lily pot.
http://weloveteaching.com/mypond/VF/winterfilter.html

What is really amazing is that last fall I didnt clean and empty the veggie filter of
all the water celery and one flower pot and the water celery is already as high as it
is in May and pushing up under the plastic. So this may be a huge jump start on the
veggie filter. I am shocked because this was a hellatious long cold winter. That
water celery is amazing stuff. I expect that when I switch the water thru the veggie
filter it will quickly trap the "fines" and clear up the water.

anyway. I use the UV to clear up the water in spring before the veggie filter gets
going. I wont turn it on at all this spring unless algae shows up. Ingrid

On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 13:24:01 EDT, Pond Addict wrote:
I'm surprised to hear that you need UV with a vegie filter. Isn't the
veggie filter alone enough to control the algae or do you use the UV
for other reasons?

- Dave


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Old 08-04-2008, 03:27 PM posted to rec.ponds.moderated
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Default How long does a UV clarifier take?

like most bulbs, they arent like a laser producing a pure wavelength but a wider
spectrum so they generate a bit in the high blue end so there is a bluish color.

On Sun, 6 Apr 2008 11:10:53 EDT, lawr_1 wrote:


another question though... is UV light invisible? I just found one
website saying you can monitor the light through the inlet/outlet. I
thought it was invisible. If you can see it them my clarifier is not
emitting any visible light.




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Old 08-04-2008, 03:28 PM posted to rec.ponds.moderated
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Default How long does a UV clarifier take?

slower the better. but it has to stay ahead of the algae replicating and algae
growth depends on many factors.

On Mon, 7 Apr 2008 16:15:28 EDT, lawr_1 wrote:


I checked my pump, its a Hozelock Cascade 1400 which pumps 1400 litres
per hour, but the recommended for the UV clarifier is Tetra Pond FP
2500 which pumps 2500 litres per hour.

So it looks like its not to do with too fast a flow. I would have
thought a slower flow means more chance of UV working?

So therefore should I see the UV light as there is none showing. Its
the last thing I can think of, that the bulb is not working or
something.

Thanks


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Old 08-04-2008, 09:19 PM posted to rec.ponds.moderated
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Default How long does a UV clarifier take?

I was just re-reading the original post of this thread, and it makes
me wonder if you're pump/filter combination is really up to the job.
If the filter isn't doing enough, UV isn't going to help.

What kind of filter is it, and is it in-pond or out?

Before you changed the water, did you do any water tests? Those would
undoubtedly show excessive ammonia or nitrates, like Ingrid said. I'd
guess with so much algae your PH is climbing too. That's something to
be careful about if you're doing massive water changes since you could
cause a wild flux in PH.

It really sounds like your filtration isn't enough to handle your fish
load. Are there a lot of fish in this pond? If so, you'll need beefier
filtration unless you can remove some of the fish.

Dave

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Old 09-04-2008, 05:42 AM posted to rec.ponds.moderated
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Default How long does a UV clarifier take?


"lawr_1" wrote in message
...

I'll have to see if I can find the pump flow, maybe it is too fast.
The bulb is clean, I removed and checked it yesterday, there was no
build up.

One issue I found... I cannot see any UV light. At the inlet and outlet
I have a section of clear pipe I have used to connect the outlet/inlet
to my pump/pond hose (it was too big for a standard garden hose size
and B&Q didnt have any adapters - I had to cut up my snorkel to make
it). So its night now, and I can bend the clear pipe connector down a
bit to look right into the UV clarifier outlet while the water is
flowing. It is completely dark, no light at all.

Yesterday I took the bulb out to look and it doesnt look like its
blown.

So could the bulb be faulty? Should I see UV light? I am not looking
long as I know its harmful.

If you cant see the light the only thing I can think of is my flow is
too fast.

Or am I expecting too much in 1 week? Should I give it more time?

Thanks for your replies.

===========================
I had one that was bad right out of the box. It happens. They exchanged it
without a problem.
--

RM....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
rec.ponder since late 1996.
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö




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Old 04-07-2012, 09:26 PM
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Default

Hi,

I am a total novice at pond keeping, but my filter has a uv incorporated in it, It is a Blagdon minipond and the 9w uv is part of the water inlet arrangement and as such is before the foam/ceramic filters.

I have only just connected the uv filter and on opening the lid there is a definite visible light to be seen, so in answer to your question of visibility the answer is, yes, the light is visible. Mine has only been on for a few hours so far and i am hoping the water will start to clear soon.

I will monitor it for a few days and update you when (hopefully) my water starts to clear.

Hope this is of some use to you.
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