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UV Sterilizer


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</DIV><H1>D.I.Y. UV Sterilizer</H1><DIV id=Qtextbox><P><STRONG>Author: Arowanaman</STRONG><BR><BR>Does anyone have any detailed plans of a DIY UV Sterilizer. I want to add one to my large outdoor Pond. I want to make it myself, as they are a huge expense for a commercial one. Lot of money for a few light globes.

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Thanks in advance

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Glenn.

</P></DIV><H2>Replies »</H2><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: YeW2001</STRONG><BR><BR>Hi Glenn,

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I don't have any plans to build one of these - but I can't imagine it would be very difficult - basically you would need to get clear tubing to flow through a box flooded with UV light.

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The important part is flow rates - you would want the water to flow through the exposure chamber very slowly, the more time it spent running through the chamber the more time the UV would have to destroy any microbes.

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If the tube did a number of U bends inside the exposure chamber this would also help.

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One other consideration would be the material the clear tubes in which the water flows was made off - you'd need something that was UV permeable.

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HTH -

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</P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: spedwards</STRONG><BR><BR>To add to this, i've read that the thinner the sheet / stream of water the better as this allows the UV light to get right in there and do it's job. Maybe squash the tubing a little to make the water less fat.

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lol, that sounds funny

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</P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: yevrah</STRONG><BR><BR>Basically it's possible, and has been done... There's a few DIY pages around describing how.. There are problems though. UV light can damage your retina's like there's no tommorow. Five minutes of exposure and it's guarenteed blindness. Ask yourself are you good enough to make something that lets none of the UV light through.

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</P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: YeW2001</STRONG><BR><BR>I use UV lights all the time at Uni, as Harvey has said it is potentially hazardous - however, it is easy to contain in a sealed box.

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If you are concerned that there may be small holes in your steriliser wrap the box in something - another box or something similar.

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</P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: vOOds</STRONG><BR><BR>do u.v. light discriminate against "good" bacteria/organism?..i'm guess no...

</P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: Toad001</STRONG><BR><BR>Nope its basic radiation, so like a Nuke, it takes everything out!!!! he he .. kind a cool really

)

</P></DIV><DIV id=Atextbox><P><STRONG>Author: Cichlids au</STRONG><BR><BR>UV Sterilization

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For a sterilizer to work properly it must deliver the correct dose rate or zap dose. The correct zap dose is determined by the flow rate, zap dosage is measured in microwatt ? sec/cm2

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Dosage Guide

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Organism&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Zap Dosage

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Bacteria&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp

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Bacillus Paratyphosus&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 6,100

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Sarcina Lutea&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 26,400

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Yeast&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp

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Brewers yeast&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 6,600

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Saccharomyces Sp.&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 17,600

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Mould Spores&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp

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Oospora Lactis&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 11,000

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Penicillium Digitatum&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 88,000

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Aspergillus Niger&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 330,000

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Virus&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp

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E. Coli&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 6,600

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Influenza&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 6,800

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Tobacco Mosaic&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 440,000

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Protozoa&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp

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Cholorella Vugaris (Algae)&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 22,000

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Nematode Eggs&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 92,000

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Paramelium&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 200,000

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Fungi&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp 45,000

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Is UV sterilization harmful to fish?

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NO! While both good and bad bacteria are killed by the sterilizer, beneficial bacteria is safe on the in tank surfaces and filter medium and you don?t actually irradiate the fish. When seeding a tank with new bacteria you need to turn the UV off.

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Are quartz sleeves necessary?

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NO! Unless the water temperature is below 55o F. Quartz sleeves are another bulb around the real bulb. GE reckons that a 26% decrease in radiation occurs when passing through the sleeve. Also the bulb runs hotter which shortens its life span. The slight increase in performance dose not cover the loss caused by radiation passing through the second piece of glass.

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Why is the diameter of the sterilizer important?

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There are 3 main things that impact on performance, they are:-

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A/ The decrease of radiation as the distance between the water and globe increases

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B/ Radiation is degraded the longer the distance it travels through water

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The above two require a small diameter to be used, but as the diameter is reduced so is the volume of water to the sterilizer. What is actually sought is the delivery of a maximum dose, which is the result of bulb intensity and time

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Therefore B/ is

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Make the diameter as large as is allowed (3?)

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Reference:-

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Inside UV sterilizer?s. ?Aquarium Fish Mag Jan 93?

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Time Required to Sterilize a Body of Water ?Freshwater & marine Aquarium Mag Feb 91?

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How To Select the Proper Size UV Sterilizer ?Freshwater and marine Aquarium Mag Dec 93?

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The Time Required to Sterilize a Body of Water with an UV Sterilizer ?Freshwater and Marine Aquarium Mag Jan 91?

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