Green Killing Machine
- Thread starter BigBoss88
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Yea probably because the bulb life is reduced when ran 24-7. That was my point i wanted to have it running 24-7 just wanted to make sure it would be fine to do so. Now i was confused on the product "green killing machine" cause i dont have any green water i just wanted to add a uv steralizer to remove bad bacteria pathogens etc?
Montiman
Valuable Member
I have spoken to the engineer who designed these sterilizers and I believe they are the best economy internal units but with UVs you really get what you pay for. There is a definite difference between a green killing machine and an aquaultraviolet or emperor unit. That being said the difference is mainly in build quality and contact time not bulb life.
Yes im sure their is a difference i only have a 60 gallon tank. Can you tell me how much those go for? i got this one after searching for top uv steralizers and it seems to pop up everywhere but it may be a misguidance or maybe comes out because of price perhaps? i got it for $70.00. But if their is something better i would prefer to get that maybe in a month or so.
Montiman
Valuable Member
I would go with an aquaultraviolet 15watt. Yes it is more than double the price but aquaultraviolet and emperor units are industrial grade and are widely used in aquaculture and the public aquarium industry. They are proven to kill parasites. You can save some money by going with their advantage line rather than the classic.
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello,
I run this same uv sterilizer, the green killing machine and it’s amazing. There are no complaints yet and I have had it for almost 7 months. In addition it controls its own flow, so it’s already getting the max time with the uv bulb. I run my 24/7 for two weeks, then off for about a month give or take. Their customer service is also very very nice. I called them to inquire about a back up bulb, and they just sent me one.
Not to mention for economy it’s one of the few I have found that has an indicator when the bulb is now useless. But, it’s a great uv sterilizer, it’s been wonderful.
I run this same uv sterilizer, the green killing machine and it’s amazing. There are no complaints yet and I have had it for almost 7 months. In addition it controls its own flow, so it’s already getting the max time with the uv bulb. I run my 24/7 for two weeks, then off for about a month give or take. Their customer service is also very very nice. I called them to inquire about a back up bulb, and they just sent me one.
Not to mention for economy it’s one of the few I have found that has an indicator when the bulb is now useless. But, it’s a great uv sterilizer, it’s been wonderful.
Montiman
Valuable Member
How do you know it is working? No green water? Most aquariums are never green if properly maintained. It is nearly impossible to prove a sterilizer is actually doing anything without extensive testing. This is why I only use brands that are used in the industrial aquaculture and public aquarium industry’s where there has been sufficient testing to prove they kill inch velvet and other parasites. Basics any sterilizer can kill algae.
That being said I still think the green machine is a good unit for an economy internal unit.
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello,
@Montiman, I have volunteered for almost ten different aquariums when I was in my undergrad program. We used these mainly has our uv sterilizer. My water is crystal clear and I do not have any issues with alage, hair algae or bubble alage. In light to your response how do you know the more expensive ones are even working? M
I have used these in a laboratory environment while conducting my thesis research during my undergrad years. The main thing one must remeber is that, it only works if it had the correct amount of flow and time circulating around the bulb. Do the fact this one has its own power head that controls its flow for the exact time frame is a plus. Most of these expensive ones you must tap into your return pump.
Last but not least I did the math on it as well, in which im pretty darn good at.
so with that said let’s go deeper into this subject with math and scientific proof. So we all know our aquarium water is packed with micro-organisms—bacteria, plankton, algae, fungi, parasites and other microscopic life – hundreds or thousands of times what is found in nature, the water is full of microscopic non-living debris—even if the water looks clear. Now since we know this as default we can then know that UV sterilizers don’t sterilize aquarium water—they can only reduce the population density. If we keep reducing the population, we will eventually either get rid of it temporarily, and or reduce where it’s not a problem.
We all know, in order organisms to be killed by UV, they must be exposed to the radiation at a certain strength for a certain amount of time. Because aquarium water contains so much suspended matter, it is easy for the organisms to “hide” behind other particles and organisms as they flow past the UV light. This reduces exposure to the UV radiation and limits its effectiveness. At the same time these “bugs” are reproducing in the aquarium. This basically helps kill the free floaters, they can’t hide all the time. Is this a perfect solution and fix all, no but if added to the equation then it certainly reduces those parasites and alage.
Now that the basics are covered let’s get scientific here. We know that a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellularfunctions. Uv is used in a variety of applications, such as food, air, and water purification, not just fish tanks. Now, V-C light is weak at the Earth's surface as the ozone layer of the atmosphere blocks it. The uv devices can produce strong enough UV-C light in circulating air or water systems to make them inhospitable environments to microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, molds and other pathogens. UVGI can be coupled with a filtration system to sanitize air and water. So yes there is a difference if they are used properly and it doesn’t matter if you spend 70, or 700 uv is just that uv, what matters is well the math and flow.
UV light is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light. UV can be separated into various ranges, with short-wavelength UV (UVC) considered "germicidal UV". At certain wavelengths, UV is mutagenic to bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. Particularly at wavelengths around 260 nm–270 nm, UV breaks molecular bonds within microorganismal DNA, producing thymine dimers that can kill or disable the organisms.
By doing the simple math of,
UV dose µWs/cm² = UV intensity µW/cm² x Exposure time (seconds) we can determine what we need for our tank to be effective. Now to be very effective we need to apply some basic concepts which are, 1.) Flow rate (contact time)
2.) Transmittance (light reaching the target)
3.) Turbidity (cloudiness)
4.) Lamp age or fouling or outages (reduction in UV intensity)
The green killing machine well tells you when the lamp age is well old and needs to be replaced, it also controls the flow rate, it also forces the light to reach the target through the uv chamber, and last turbidity makes the water crystal clear.
So based on the math and four basic requirements, one can assume yes it works. It’s the same as if you water to dirt it makes mud, or water to coffee grounds, plus heat and time makes coffee, am I wrong?
To further this UV intensity is specified for each lamp at a distance of 1 meter. UV intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance so it decreases at longer distances. Alternatively, it rapidly increases at distances shorter than 1m. In the above formula the UV intensity must always be adjusted for distance unless the UV dose is calculated at exactly 1m from the lamp. Also, to ensure effectiveness the UV dose must be calculated at the end of lamp life (EOL is specified in number of hours when the lamp is expected to reach 80% of its initial UV output) and at the furthest distance from the lamp on the periphery of the target area. Some shatter-proof lamps are coated with a fluorated ethylene polymer to contain glass shards and mercury in case of breakage; this coating reduces UV output by as much as 20%. This shows and tells when to replace our bulbs and to find the correct set up.
To further enhance this let’s figure this in, The degree of inactivation by ultraviolet radiation is directly related to the UV dose applied to the water. The dosage, a product of UV light intensity and exposure time, is usually measured in microjoules per square centimeter, or equivalently as microwatt seconds per square centimeter (µW·s/cm2). Dosages for a 90% kill of most bacteria and viruses range from 2,000 to 8,000 µW·s/cm2. Larger parasites such as cryptosporidium require a lower dose for inactivation. As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has accepted UV disinfection as a method for drinking water plants to obtain cryptosporidium, giardia or virus inactivation credits. For example, for one-decimal-logarithm reduction of cryptosporidium, a minimum dose of 2,500 µW·s/cm2 is required based on the U.S. EPA UV Guidance Manual.
So based on studies done by labs and unversities and the fact I have conducted some of my own, yes I know they work. Are they a fail safe no, are they perfect of course not, but prevention is important, if we can help prevent an out break along with other steps, why would we not incorporate the uv sterilizer? I do agree that if left on for too long of a period, it can harm and reduce good bacteria. This is why I turn mine off after two weeks for a period of time.
From your last post it seems you have studied this as well, is there anything I have missed or that you can add so others will have a better understanding? P.s I am super sorry for the short novel I just posted here.
Sarah
@Montiman, I have volunteered for almost ten different aquariums when I was in my undergrad program. We used these mainly has our uv sterilizer. My water is crystal clear and I do not have any issues with alage, hair algae or bubble alage. In light to your response how do you know the more expensive ones are even working? M
I have used these in a laboratory environment while conducting my thesis research during my undergrad years. The main thing one must remeber is that, it only works if it had the correct amount of flow and time circulating around the bulb. Do the fact this one has its own power head that controls its flow for the exact time frame is a plus. Most of these expensive ones you must tap into your return pump.
Last but not least I did the math on it as well, in which im pretty darn good at.
so with that said let’s go deeper into this subject with math and scientific proof. So we all know our aquarium water is packed with micro-organisms—bacteria, plankton, algae, fungi, parasites and other microscopic life – hundreds or thousands of times what is found in nature, the water is full of microscopic non-living debris—even if the water looks clear. Now since we know this as default we can then know that UV sterilizers don’t sterilize aquarium water—they can only reduce the population density. If we keep reducing the population, we will eventually either get rid of it temporarily, and or reduce where it’s not a problem.We all know, in order organisms to be killed by UV, they must be exposed to the radiation at a certain strength for a certain amount of time. Because aquarium water contains so much suspended matter, it is easy for the organisms to “hide” behind other particles and organisms as they flow past the UV light. This reduces exposure to the UV radiation and limits its effectiveness. At the same time these “bugs” are reproducing in the aquarium. This basically helps kill the free floaters, they can’t hide all the time. Is this a perfect solution and fix all, no but if added to the equation then it certainly reduces those parasites and alage.
Now that the basics are covered let’s get scientific here. We know that a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellularfunctions. Uv is used in a variety of applications, such as food, air, and water purification, not just fish tanks. Now, V-C light is weak at the Earth's surface as the ozone layer of the atmosphere blocks it. The uv devices can produce strong enough UV-C light in circulating air or water systems to make them inhospitable environments to microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, molds and other pathogens. UVGI can be coupled with a filtration system to sanitize air and water. So yes there is a difference if they are used properly and it doesn’t matter if you spend 70, or 700 uv is just that uv, what matters is well the math and flow.
UV light is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light. UV can be separated into various ranges, with short-wavelength UV (UVC) considered "germicidal UV". At certain wavelengths, UV is mutagenic to bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. Particularly at wavelengths around 260 nm–270 nm, UV breaks molecular bonds within microorganismal DNA, producing thymine dimers that can kill or disable the organisms.
By doing the simple math of,
UV dose µWs/cm² = UV intensity µW/cm² x Exposure time (seconds) we can determine what we need for our tank to be effective. Now to be very effective we need to apply some basic concepts which are, 1.) Flow rate (contact time)
2.) Transmittance (light reaching the target)
3.) Turbidity (cloudiness)
4.) Lamp age or fouling or outages (reduction in UV intensity)
The green killing machine well tells you when the lamp age is well old and needs to be replaced, it also controls the flow rate, it also forces the light to reach the target through the uv chamber, and last turbidity makes the water crystal clear.
So based on the math and four basic requirements, one can assume yes it works. It’s the same as if you water to dirt it makes mud, or water to coffee grounds, plus heat and time makes coffee, am I wrong?
To further this UV intensity is specified for each lamp at a distance of 1 meter. UV intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance so it decreases at longer distances. Alternatively, it rapidly increases at distances shorter than 1m. In the above formula the UV intensity must always be adjusted for distance unless the UV dose is calculated at exactly 1m from the lamp. Also, to ensure effectiveness the UV dose must be calculated at the end of lamp life (EOL is specified in number of hours when the lamp is expected to reach 80% of its initial UV output) and at the furthest distance from the lamp on the periphery of the target area. Some shatter-proof lamps are coated with a fluorated ethylene polymer to contain glass shards and mercury in case of breakage; this coating reduces UV output by as much as 20%. This shows and tells when to replace our bulbs and to find the correct set up.
To further enhance this let’s figure this in, The degree of inactivation by ultraviolet radiation is directly related to the UV dose applied to the water. The dosage, a product of UV light intensity and exposure time, is usually measured in microjoules per square centimeter, or equivalently as microwatt seconds per square centimeter (µW·s/cm2). Dosages for a 90% kill of most bacteria and viruses range from 2,000 to 8,000 µW·s/cm2. Larger parasites such as cryptosporidium require a lower dose for inactivation. As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has accepted UV disinfection as a method for drinking water plants to obtain cryptosporidium, giardia or virus inactivation credits. For example, for one-decimal-logarithm reduction of cryptosporidium, a minimum dose of 2,500 µW·s/cm2 is required based on the U.S. EPA UV Guidance Manual.
So based on studies done by labs and unversities and the fact I have conducted some of my own, yes I know they work. Are they a fail safe no, are they perfect of course not, but prevention is important, if we can help prevent an out break along with other steps, why would we not incorporate the uv sterilizer? I do agree that if left on for too long of a period, it can harm and reduce good bacteria. This is why I turn mine off after two weeks for a period of time.
From your last post it seems you have studied this as well, is there anything I have missed or that you can add so others will have a better understanding? P.s I am super sorry for the short novel I just posted here.
Sarah
Waters
"...in perfect isolation, here behind my wall."
That model can be extremely effective for green water...not much beyond that unfortunately. I have used them on multiple tanks for algae or biological blooms......but due to their size, they don't really offer anything against parasites. I run larger a larger model 24/7 on my reef tank.......99% of the good bacteria you are trying to keep isn't in the water column anyways.
Pntbll687
Valuable Member
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MSRP on the Green Killing Machine 9w model is $72.79. If you're buying it from an independent store, $65-70 is a fair price.
If anyone has a nano tank with a hang on filter, Green Killing Machine makes a 3w clip on UV that is solid, and is in the $35-40 range.
Montiman
Valuable Member
Hello,
@Montiman, I have volunteered for almost ten different aquariums when I was in my undergrad program. We used these mainly has our uv sterilizer. My water is crystal clear and I do not have any issues with alage, hair algae or bubble alage. In light to your response how do you know the more expensive ones are even working? M
I have used these in a laboratory environment while conducting my thesis research during my undergrad years. The main thing one must remeber is that, it only works if it had the correct amount of flow and time circulating around the bulb. Do the fact this one has its own power head that controls its flow for the exact time frame is a plus. Most of these expensive ones you must tap into your return pump.
Last but not least I did the math on it as well, in which im pretty darn good at.
We all know, in order organisms to be killed by UV, they must be exposed to the radiation at a certain strength for a certain amount of time. Because aquarium water contains so much suspended matter, it is easy for the organisms to “hide” behind other particles and organisms as they flow past the UV light. This reduces exposure to the UV radiation and limits its effectiveness. At the same time these “bugs” are reproducing in the aquarium. This basically helps kill the free floaters, they can’t hide all the time. Is this a perfect solution and fix all, no but if added to the equation then it certainly reduces those parasites and alage.
Now that the basics are covered let’s get scientific here. We know that a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellularfunctions. Uv is used in a variety of applications, such as food, air, and water purification, not just fish tanks. Now, V-C light is weak at the Earth's surface as the ozone layer of the atmosphere blocks it. The uv devices can produce strong enough UV-C light in circulating air or water systems to make them inhospitable environments to microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, molds and other pathogens. UVGI can be coupled with a filtration system to sanitize air and water. So yes there is a difference if they are used properly and it doesn’t matter if you spend 70, or 700 uv is just that uv, what matters is well the math and flow.
UV light is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light. UV can be separated into various ranges, with short-wavelength UV (UVC) considered "germicidal UV". At certain wavelengths, UV is mutagenic to bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. Particularly at wavelengths around 260 nm–270 nm, UV breaks molecular bonds within microorganismal DNA, producing thymine dimers that can kill or disable the organisms.
By doing the simple math of,
UV dose µWs/cm² = UV intensity µW/cm² x Exposure time (seconds) we can determine what we need for our tank to be effective. Now to be very effective we need to apply some basic concepts which are, 1.) Flow rate (contact time)
2.) Transmittance (light reaching the target)
3.) Turbidity (cloudiness)
4.) Lamp age or fouling or outages (reduction in UV intensity)
The green killing machine well tells you when the lamp age is well old and needs to be replaced, it also controls the flow rate, it also forces the light to reach the target through the uv chamber, and last turbidity makes the water crystal clear.
So based on the math and four basic requirements, one can assume yes it works. It’s the same as if you water to dirt it makes mud, or water to coffee grounds, plus heat and time makes coffee, am I wrong?
To further this UV intensity is specified for each lamp at a distance of 1 meter. UV intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance so it decreases at longer distances. Alternatively, it rapidly increases at distances shorter than 1m. In the above formula the UV intensity must always be adjusted for distance unless the UV dose is calculated at exactly 1m from the lamp. Also, to ensure effectiveness the UV dose must be calculated at the end of lamp life (EOL is specified in number of hours when the lamp is expected to reach 80% of its initial UV output) and at the furthest distance from the lamp on the periphery of the target area. Some shatter-proof lamps are coated with a fluorated ethylene polymer to contain glass shards and mercury in case of breakage; this coating reduces UV output by as much as 20%. This shows and tells when to replace our bulbs and to find the correct set up.
To further enhance this let’s figure this in, The degree of inactivation by ultraviolet radiation is directly related to the UV dose applied to the water. The dosage, a product of UV light intensity and exposure time, is usually measured in microjoules per square centimeter, or equivalently as microwatt seconds per square centimeter (µW·s/cm2). Dosages for a 90% kill of most bacteria and viruses range from 2,000 to 8,000 µW·s/cm2. Larger parasites such as cryptosporidium require a lower dose for inactivation. As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has accepted UV disinfection as a method for drinking water plants to obtain cryptosporidium, giardia or virus inactivation credits. For example, for one-decimal-logarithm reduction of cryptosporidium, a minimum dose of 2,500 µW·s/cm2 is required based on the U.S. EPA UV Guidance Manual.
So based on studies done by labs and unversities and the fact I have conducted some of my own, yes I know they work. Are they a fail safe no, are they perfect of course not, but prevention is important, if we can help prevent an out break along with other steps, why would we not incorporate the uv sterilizer? I do agree that if left on for too long of a period, it can harm and reduce good bacteria. This is why I turn mine off after two weeks for a period of time.
From your last post it seems you have studied this as well, is there anything I have missed or that you can add so others will have a better understanding? P.s I am super sorry for the short novel I just posted here.
Sarah
I do not mean to be confrontational. My personal experience with UV comes from working in the aquarium industry with public aquariums, live stock distributors and fish breeders and some labs. The information you have stated is all correct every manufacturer I know of says they have done research showing their uv sterilizer kills parasites. What I also know is that for those individuals who believe that the fewer parasites mean the more dollars in their pocket a high end UV that is built to last with a proven track record good quality control and significant testing to back up its effectiveness is what they choose.
In the $70 price range the green killing machine is an excellent UV but to pretend that there is no benefit to going with something nicer is just incorrect. The biggest performance benefit that comes with an aquaultraviolet or emperor unit is that the diameter of the tube is significantly larger allowing for more uv exposer.
For the average hobbyist I liken UV to insurance. It is something we buy because something bad might happen but we hope it never does. Even worse than insurance we may never know if it does anything. If we never have sick fish we will never know if it is because of the UV or if we just picked healthy fish. Because of this many manufacturers love to take advantage of us because it is not necessary to prove the units work.
If I spend my money on a sterilizer I adopt the go big or go home approach. I would rather buy a more expensive unit that is directed at the public aquarium and aquaculture industry than a cheap unit sold in big box retailers where price is a priority over effectiveness.
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello,
Sorry definitely wasn’t trying to be mean, honestly promise
. As you andnas I we have extensive research and experience as to where others may not in that specific range. I was simply letting you and well as others that large uv systems that are long are less effective per the math equation. A simple example is yes mine is less superior to the ones you mentioned, but I also run two of them in my tank. Because they are smaller I can place one in my sump, and one hidden down in the overflow. It gives me two places to catch those creepy little guys. Most of the more expensive ones are so big they won’t fit in average size or smaller sumps. This is why my local aquarium, and others have used multiples of these instead. Point being your very correct on does the uv work, or is the system healthy? Were the fish super healthy, etc did the garlic guard actually work? No one really knows, but I’d rather not find out lol. As we have both added very good knowledge to those who may be new with uv, or thinking of one. It was never my intention or even thought to show I knew or prove to know more about these. I just know some people don’t have deep pockets, some can’t buy a 700 or 400 uv sterilizer. But 70 dollars is not tooo bad specially for smaller tanks.
Sarah
Hello,
@Montiman, I have volunteered for almost ten different aquariums when I was in my undergrad program. We used these mainly has our uv sterilizer. My water is crystal clear and I do not have any issues with alage, hair algae or bubble alage. In light to your response how do you know the more expensive ones are even working? M
I have used these in a laboratory environment while conducting my thesis research during my undergrad years. The main thing one must remeber is that, it only works if it had the correct amount of flow and time circulating around the bulb. Do the fact this one has its own power head that controls its flow for the exact time frame is a plus. Most of these expensive ones you must tap into your return pump.
Last but not least I did the math on it as well, in which im pretty darn good at.
We all know, in order organisms to be killed by UV, they must be exposed to the radiation at a certain strength for a certain amount of time. Because aquarium water contains so much suspended matter, it is easy for the organisms to “hide” behind other particles and organisms as they flow past the UV light. This reduces exposure to the UV radiation and limits its effectiveness. At the same time these “bugs” are reproducing in the aquarium. This basically helps kill the free floaters, they can’t hide all the time. Is this a perfect solution and fix all, no but if added to the equation then it certainly reduces those parasites and alage.
Now that the basics are covered let’s get scientific here. We know that a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellularfunctions. Uv is used in a variety of applications, such as food, air, and water purification, not just fish tanks. Now, V-C light is weak at the Earth's surface as the ozone layer of the atmosphere blocks it. The uv devices can produce strong enough UV-C light in circulating air or water systems to make them inhospitable environments to microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, molds and other pathogens. UVGI can be coupled with a filtration system to sanitize air and water. So yes there is a difference if they are used properly and it doesn’t matter if you spend 70, or 700 uv is just that uv, what matters is well the math and flow.
UV light is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light. UV can be separated into various ranges, with short-wavelength UV (UVC) considered "germicidal UV". At certain wavelengths, UV is mutagenic to bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. Particularly at wavelengths around 260 nm–270 nm, UV breaks molecular bonds within microorganismal DNA, producing thymine dimers that can kill or disable the organisms.
By doing the simple math of,
UV dose µWs/cm² = UV intensity µW/cm² x Exposure time (seconds) we can determine what we need for our tank to be effective. Now to be very effective we need to apply some basic concepts which are, 1.) Flow rate (contact time)
2.) Transmittance (light reaching the target)
3.) Turbidity (cloudiness)
4.) Lamp age or fouling or outages (reduction in UV intensity)
The green killing machine well tells you when the lamp age is well old and needs to be replaced, it also controls the flow rate, it also forces the light to reach the target through the uv chamber, and last turbidity makes the water crystal clear.
So based on the math and four basic requirements, one can assume yes it works. It’s the same as if you water to dirt it makes mud, or water to coffee grounds, plus heat and time makes coffee, am I wrong?
To further this UV intensity is specified for each lamp at a distance of 1 meter. UV intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance so it decreases at longer distances. Alternatively, it rapidly increases at distances shorter than 1m. In the above formula the UV intensity must always be adjusted for distance unless the UV dose is calculated at exactly 1m from the lamp. Also, to ensure effectiveness the UV dose must be calculated at the end of lamp life (EOL is specified in number of hours when the lamp is expected to reach 80% of its initial UV output) and at the furthest distance from the lamp on the periphery of the target area. Some shatter-proof lamps are coated with a fluorated ethylene polymer to contain glass shards and mercury in case of breakage; this coating reduces UV output by as much as 20%. This shows and tells when to replace our bulbs and to find the correct set up.
To further enhance this let’s figure this in, The degree of inactivation by ultraviolet radiation is directly related to the UV dose applied to the water. The dosage, a product of UV light intensity and exposure time, is usually measured in microjoules per square centimeter, or equivalently as microwatt seconds per square centimeter (µW·s/cm2). Dosages for a 90% kill of most bacteria and viruses range from 2,000 to 8,000 µW·s/cm2. Larger parasites such as cryptosporidium require a lower dose for inactivation. As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has accepted UV disinfection as a method for drinking water plants to obtain cryptosporidium, giardia or virus inactivation credits. For example, for one-decimal-logarithm reduction of cryptosporidium, a minimum dose of 2,500 µW·s/cm2 is required based on the U.S. EPA UV Guidance Manual.
So based on studies done by labs and unversities and the fact I have conducted some of my own, yes I know they work. Are they a fail safe no, are they perfect of course not, but prevention is important, if we can help prevent an out break along with other steps, why would we not incorporate the uv sterilizer? I do agree that if left on for too long of a period, it can harm and reduce good bacteria. This is why I turn mine off after two weeks for a period of time.
From your last post it seems you have studied this as well, is there anything I have missed or that you can add so others will have a better understanding? P.s I am super sorry for the short novel I just posted here.
Sarah
How long do you keep it on and off? Do you keep it in the sump or display?
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello,
I have kept mine in the sump but should move it to the display. Mine is left on 24/7 and it also tells you when the light is no longer effective. So far I have had great luck with it.
I have kept mine in the sump but should move it to the display. Mine is left on 24/7 and it also tells you when the light is no longer effective. So far I have had great luck with it.
Gene Ashton
Community Member
is it still working??? I'm thinking about adding one to my Redsea 450 sump and my Redsea130 max. The 130 has light green tint to water and like others my water parameters are fine. All things are living and water changes don't do anything nor does carbon
Hi Sarah! I just placed my order for my green machine and will be getting it tomorrow. I was wondering how it has been going since your last comments about it. Any changes? I purchased it through amazon with just hopes to return it if I didn’t like its results.
Any advice? Any noticeable changes? I was reading your background in the whole aquarium scene and figured I’d ask your advice.
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello,
As a matter of fact I love it and went to two of them just because my tank is so large. I have had very little algae no fish disease (knock on wood), and they have been maintence free for about a year now. I would not change them out, they honestly work amazing.
As a matter of fact I love it and went to two of them just because my tank is so large. I have had very little algae no fish disease (knock on wood), and they have been maintence free for about a year now. I would not change them out, they honestly work amazing.
This is a nicely detailed write up of UV systems and how they work. Thank you. I am running a fairly new Triton method tank and just finished a session of Chemiclean to get rid of a cyano outbreak. I have just purchased a 24W Green Killing Machine and will be installing it within the next couple of days.Hello,
@Montiman, I have volunteered for almost ten different aquariums when I was in my undergrad program. We used these mainly has our uv sterilizer. My water is crystal clear and I do not have any issues with alage, hair algae or bubble alage. In light to your response how do you know the more expensive ones are even working? M
I have used these in a laboratory environment while conducting my thesis research during my undergrad years. The main thing one must remeber is that, it only works if it had the correct amount of flow and time circulating around the bulb. Do the fact this one has its own power head that controls its flow for the exact time frame is a plus. Most of these expensive ones you must tap into your return pump.
Last but not least I did the math on it as well, in which im pretty darn good at.
We all know, in order organisms to be killed by UV, they must be exposed to the radiation at a certain strength for a certain amount of time. Because aquarium water contains so much suspended matter, it is easy for the organisms to “hide” behind other particles and organisms as they flow past the UV light. This reduces exposure to the UV radiation and limits its effectiveness. At the same time these “bugs” are reproducing in the aquarium. This basically helps kill the free floaters, they can’t hide all the time. Is this a perfect solution and fix all, no but if added to the equation then it certainly reduces those parasites and alage.
Now that the basics are covered let’s get scientific here. We know that a disinfection method that uses short-wavelength ultraviolet light to kill or inactivate microorganisms by destroying nucleic acids and disrupting their DNA, leaving them unable to perform vital cellularfunctions. Uv is used in a variety of applications, such as food, air, and water purification, not just fish tanks. Now, V-C light is weak at the Earth's surface as the ozone layer of the atmosphere blocks it. The uv devices can produce strong enough UV-C light in circulating air or water systems to make them inhospitable environments to microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, molds and other pathogens. UVGI can be coupled with a filtration system to sanitize air and water. So yes there is a difference if they are used properly and it doesn’t matter if you spend 70, or 700 uv is just that uv, what matters is well the math and flow.
UV light is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than visible light. UV can be separated into various ranges, with short-wavelength UV (UVC) considered "germicidal UV". At certain wavelengths, UV is mutagenic to bacteria, viruses and other microorganisms. Particularly at wavelengths around 260 nm–270 nm, UV breaks molecular bonds within microorganismal DNA, producing thymine dimers that can kill or disable the organisms.
By doing the simple math of,
UV dose µWs/cm² = UV intensity µW/cm² x Exposure time (seconds) we can determine what we need for our tank to be effective. Now to be very effective we need to apply some basic concepts which are, 1.) Flow rate (contact time)
2.) Transmittance (light reaching the target)
3.) Turbidity (cloudiness)
4.) Lamp age or fouling or outages (reduction in UV intensity)
The green killing machine well tells you when the lamp age is well old and needs to be replaced, it also controls the flow rate, it also forces the light to reach the target through the uv chamber, and last turbidity makes the water crystal clear.
So based on the math and four basic requirements, one can assume yes it works. It’s the same as if you water to dirt it makes mud, or water to coffee grounds, plus heat and time makes coffee, am I wrong?
To further this UV intensity is specified for each lamp at a distance of 1 meter. UV intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance so it decreases at longer distances. Alternatively, it rapidly increases at distances shorter than 1m. In the above formula the UV intensity must always be adjusted for distance unless the UV dose is calculated at exactly 1m from the lamp. Also, to ensure effectiveness the UV dose must be calculated at the end of lamp life (EOL is specified in number of hours when the lamp is expected to reach 80% of its initial UV output) and at the furthest distance from the lamp on the periphery of the target area. Some shatter-proof lamps are coated with a fluorated ethylene polymer to contain glass shards and mercury in case of breakage; this coating reduces UV output by as much as 20%. This shows and tells when to replace our bulbs and to find the correct set up.
To further enhance this let’s figure this in, The degree of inactivation by ultraviolet radiation is directly related to the UV dose applied to the water. The dosage, a product of UV light intensity and exposure time, is usually measured in microjoules per square centimeter, or equivalently as microwatt seconds per square centimeter (µW·s/cm2). Dosages for a 90% kill of most bacteria and viruses range from 2,000 to 8,000 µW·s/cm2. Larger parasites such as cryptosporidium require a lower dose for inactivation. As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has accepted UV disinfection as a method for drinking water plants to obtain cryptosporidium, giardia or virus inactivation credits. For example, for one-decimal-logarithm reduction of cryptosporidium, a minimum dose of 2,500 µW·s/cm2 is required based on the U.S. EPA UV Guidance Manual.
So based on studies done by labs and unversities and the fact I have conducted some of my own, yes I know they work. Are they a fail safe no, are they perfect of course not, but prevention is important, if we can help prevent an out break along with other steps, why would we not incorporate the uv sterilizer? I do agree that if left on for too long of a period, it can harm and reduce good bacteria. This is why I turn mine off after two weeks for a period of time.
From your last post it seems you have studied this as well, is there anything I have missed or that you can add so others will have a better understanding? P.s I am super sorry for the short novel I just posted here.
Sarah
Sarah24!
2500 Club Member
Hello,
Thank you kindly and we shall see if they help when I have to move my tank. They definitely make the water clean but I still have some minor issues with hair alage.
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