Another problem w/my UV sterilyzer...

[Riptide]

Well, looks like getting a 36w unit was a serious mistake when using it on a tank as small as my 55.

I had no idea, and ofcourse there were no warnings anywhere to be seen on the box or anything, but this thing must be putting out a LOT of heat. Ever since turning it on, my aquarium temperature has slowly climbed over the last several days.

It has gone from 78 degrees when I first got it going a few days back up to a whopping 83 right now. I had to turn it off. I didn't know they put out that kind of heat, especially a mere 36w bulb.

So, should I exchange it for a smaller unit? Keep the 36w for a day when I might get a bigger tank? Put it on a timer so it's only on for 8 hours?

 

[mogurnda]

How about having more hose between it and the tank, to dissipate some of the heat?

 

[Riptide]

Thanx for the suggestion... I already have a 9W model on the way though which should hopefully take care of this issue. I am a bit disappointed that I have to get rid of the 36W unit now but as long as the problem is taken care of I'm happy...

Putting more hose in there might've helped a bit but due to the hang-on nature of the environment I needed it to fit in that wasn't going to be an easy proposition. With any luck I'll be fine now with this 9W model.

 

[Alastair]

Just a bit of trivia, but if I recall correctly, the optimal external operating temperature of low-pressure germicidal uv bulbs is something like 108F. Within the sheath, the bulb will be operating at something like that temperature, and a chunk of this will end up in the water. While its true that higher wattage units generate more total heat, all UV units will produce substantial heat, basically because they have to to operate efficiently. I would say you're only option would be to try to cool the water (i.e. by letting heat dissipate in a long tube or maybe by letting it flow in an open channel or something for evaporation) after the UV unit.

 

[Riptide]

An update on this and a plea for help guys.

After putting the 9W model in place my tank temperature is still rising!!! It is taking longer than before (w/36W) but it is slowly but surely rising still. There are no lights on in my tank and the heater is not coming on so no heat is coming from them. The ambient air temperature is no higher than 74 degrees.

I called Dr. Foster's and they told me that either the tubing inside the UV unit is kinked (not likely in light of what happened w/the 36W) or the Rio 1200 pump I'm using is putting to much pressure through the thing.

They recommend I try a Rio 600 which is on the list of manufacturer's recommended pumps. Is this likely to alleviate the problem? I am not going to get a chiller or mess around with adding another 3' of tubing into the picture. This is really getting RIDICULOUS. I had no idea this thing would be such a nightmare to get working and once I finally got it going it tries to boil my tank!

Thanks for any more suggestions, I'm about to give up on this if the new pump doesn't help.

 

[mogurnda]

It does seem like the pump is the common element here. One reason I use an external closed loop is because internal pumps add heat. Have you tried running the pump/UV with the UV lamp off, to see if it's just the pump?

 

[Riptide]

Funny you mention that because I have tried that. And the temperature went down even with the pump going as long as I kept the sterilyzer turned off.

I am ordering a Rio 600 from Dr. Foster's. If that doesn't take care of this problem then I give up. We'll just have to chalk this one up to one of those "mysteries of life" so to speak. Nobody (including me) can seem to figure out why this thing is raising my temperature and Dr. Foster's contention that my pump is trying to put to much flow through there and causing a kink is, IMO, not likely to be the case. I'll find out next week for sure.

This whole thing has been very frustrating for me.