UV lamps

There are always conditions in the aquarium that are not wanted. In a start-up phase of an aquarium system, algal blooms (green water) and bacterial blooms (white water) can have an unfavorable effect on the biological balance. Also, many parasites (pathogenic bacteria, e.g. Vibrio, protozoa, swarming stages of fish ectoparasites) become a serious problem when they appear in large numbers.

In addition to special filters such as ultra- or microfiltration or diatom filters, UV lights can serve very well. The operation of UV lights is simple, but major problems can arise in the technical implementation, such as reaction chambers that are too small, materials that are not UV-stable, connections that are too small and do not allow high water flow rates.

A UV lamp is installed in a closed system (reactor cylinder). To protect the lamp from the direct influence of water and to ensure electrical safety, the UV lamp is separated by a quartz glass tube. Quartz glass is necessary to allow the effective UV radiation with a wavelength of 245 nm to pass through.

The radiation that enters the water body of the lamp causes direct burns to the cells of unwelcome organisms such as bacteria, algae and parasites swarmers, or alters their genetic material to such an extent that the organism is no longer able to survive.

The following factors play a role in the efficiency of UV units in recirculating systems:

• Power of the luminaire:
  • The higher the rated power the better the effect.
  • With age the UV power decreases, so the lamp should be changed at least 1 time a year.
• The larger the water body to be irradiated (diameter of the reactor), the higher the water flow rate can be selected, the greater the effect in circulation systems.
• The clearer the water is - the greater the transmission - the better the effect of UV radiation. Also, deposits on the quartz glass reduce the effectiveness of the system. Every 3 to 12 months, therefore, quartz glass and the special foil of the seawater version should be cleaned.

Caution! Always disconnect the power plug before servicing a UV lamp. Never look directly into the UV lamp - risk of blindness.