# How to plumb a UV sterilizer?



## r6racer75 (Jul 22, 2004)

I currently have my UV plumbed in line on one of the return lines from one of my two sump pumps. I have been thinking though that it should be on its own pump and plumbed separately with its return going back to the sump or T-ed in to one of the returns. I'm curious what everyone would recommend as the most efficient, effective and easiest maintained method of plumbing in your UV. Thanks,


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

how many Watts is the UV unit you have? what is the (actual) flow rate of the pump it is inline with?

After years of experimentation I've settled on a formula of 1W of UV strength per 10 US gallons of tank volume (sump included) and water moving through the UV at a rate of 10 gph per 1W of UV strength (actual flow rate).

I do advise pushing only well filtered water through the UV light, as any particles pushed through can make small abraisions on the quartz sleeve which reduces the UV's effectiveness... also any particles moving through the UV will cast tiny little shadows also reducing the UV's effectiveness.

I would not T the return line from the UV light into an existing return line. Doing so could possibly cause some backpressure in the UV unit allowing it to leak...

In my opinion, ideally you would want to take water from the return end of your sump (well filtered water0 and push it into the tank. This water coming out of your UV has been filtered all it needs to and is in 'ideal' condition to be offered to your fish. Putting it back into the sump really doesn't improve the condition of said water. Doing this does "re-UV" the same water over, which in the long run means your total volume is pushed through the UV light less times per hour. But, if you are very against adding another return line to the tank, running it back into the sump won't cause any harm.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

> running it back into the sump won't cause any harm


+1, as cheap as most submersible, low flow rate, pond pumps are, that is how I did mine. Something about a completly seperate unit appealed to me..both look and function.
A "T" in one of the return lines would work, as well..but you would need a valve in order to force a controlled amount of flow through the UV. 
Sumps pump output to "T". Short leg of "T" to UV, long leg to tank, with the valve in line. On to another "T", long leg from the valved line, short leg picks up the output from the UV, long leg to the tank. Downside of this is doing a "guesstemet" of the flow through the UV.


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## r6racer75 (Jul 22, 2004)

Thanks for the advice guys but I dont think I can make it work by your numbers.
I have a 150gal tank minus 200lbs of rock plus the sump = 150gal to make it simple.
So I need 15watts of UV. The one I have is a 25watt. I always believe in over filtration.
So according to Toby I should push around 250gph through my UV to be effective.

This all makes sense so far however

I have 2 Rio 20HF pumps running separate returns that are then tied together in the tank in a looped UGJ system with 2 surface returns and 6 gravel returns. Given my tank height I have 6ft of head on each pump plus what ever my UGJs add in pressure. Im not sure how I figure that out to be able to tune my UV inline w/ one of my returns or even if I T it off and get 250gph through it. Each pump will kick out 870gph at 6ft head but I'm sure the UGJ add a lot more head pressure reducing that significantly.

I think I need to run a separate pump for the UV to simplify the tuning. The question is where to run its return as my tank is a predrilled AllGlass w/ Megaflow overflow boxes. I guess back to the sump is my answer.

Unless you have some suggestions for me.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

> I guess back to the sump is my answer


That is not a bad option. The amount of water that would recycle in the sump, would not bother me. 
Putting the intake at one end of the sump, the return near the sumps return pump, would be the way I would do it.
I`m guessing your UGJ and other return line are doing the job for you, so why mess with what works.


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## planenut007 (Mar 21, 2009)

From the sump/to the sump will work fine also keeps clutter out of tank.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

just go buy flexi tubing by the foot.. intake, and return via powerhead.. its easy


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## Toby_H (Apr 15, 2005)

"Re-UV'ing" the water by taking clean water out of the sump, UV'ing it and putting it back into the sump won't hurt anything, just reduces the amount of times your full tank volume runs through the UV... Since you're using a 25W UV when only a 15W is needed, I think you have conpensated this reduction in effectiveness...

In other words, I think you'll be fine running from the sump to the sump despite my previous 'warning'...

Although pulling water out of the begining of the sump, pushing it through the UV and returning it at the end of the sump near the sump's return pump... would give you the least Re-UV'ing effect... this would also push unfiltered water through your UV (potentially scratching your quartz sleeve & casting shadows reducing the UV's effectiveness) as well as put unfiltered water (UV'ed only) at your return pumps therefore back into your tank. Plus that would mean two pumps (UV pump & sump return pump) both have the potential for debris getting in the impeller.

So, I suggest pulling water out of the end of your sump near the sump's return pumps... through the UV... then back in wherever the return line fits and doesn't cause too much disturbance... with the ideal placement being at the return pumps.


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## KaiserSousay (Nov 2, 2008)

> begining of the sump, pushing it through the UV and returning it at the end of the sump near the sump's return pump... would give you the least Re-UV'ing effect... this would also push unfiltered water through your UV (potentially scratching your quartz sleeve & casting shadows reducing the UV's effectiveness) as well as put unfiltered water (UV'ed only) at your return pumps therefore back into your tank. Plus that would mean two pumps (UV pump & sump return pump) both have the potential for debris getting in the impeller


Maybe I have been putting sumps together wrong. All my sumps water would go through mechanical filters before traveling on to the bio material, then out to the tank. Putting an intake line at any convenient spot after the first filtering, but before the bio was what I was talking about. 
Never meant to have untreated water flow through the UV.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

the easiest way is to just go from behind the tank, kinda like a hob and do it that way.. if done properly you wont hardly see it.. :thumb:


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