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My new saltwater tank is full of green floating algae. I rented a diatom filter (Diatomagic) from my lfs and used it correctly. It did nothing for the water quality of my tank. I think it was too old and in ill repair.

I'm currently looking at getting a UV sterilizer of my own so I can solve this problem quickly. I just bought PhosGuard, as I believe that excessive phosphates are feeding the algae.

My main question is about the UV sterilizer. I was hoping to just rent one, but nobody around here does that. Then I got to thinking that it may come in handy in the future if I continued my fish craze, so I should probably just buy one.

I've been looking on eBay at this brand called Jebo. Does anybody know anything about this brand? I had never heard of it before, but I wasn't sure if the brand was all that important for the purpose of the device. I only need a few watts of power, as it is only a 20 gal saltwater tank. However, I've been looking at getting a 13W Jebo because it would work with a future big tank.

Here's the link to the eBay listing. Please let me know if it's worth the bid, or if I'm wasting my time. Thanks for all of your help.

13W Jebo UV Sterilizer

i have a jebo product i ordered online... its not a uv thing but a moonlighting kit...the company produces different stuffs...and its been around for sometime...i think...ask the company whom u goin to buy one for any CSA complaint or any other accrediting companies for electronic purposes. mine doenst state any...

Well, if you've never had a problem with your Jebo product, I could always just give this thing a shot. I mean, getting it for a little more than half price is a good deal.

Anybody else know anythign about these Jebo UV sterilizers? I'm really curious about them. Thanks.

Led,

Jebo is a Chinese company that manufactures a number of products for the aquarium hobbyist. I purchased a Jebo UV sterilizer when I set-up my 125G tank. I placed the unit in-line with my Eheim Pro II.

Under pressure, the body of the sterilizer had a pinpoint leak at the weld seam. Since I have good relations with the LFS, I exchanged this unit for another Jebo that also had a pinpoint leak at the weld seam. On my return to the LFS, the owner and I tested each of his remaining 5 units. Each had a leak at the same point!

I purchased another brand that didn't leak. Sometimes you get what you pay for... I notice that few of the mail order companies stock Jebo. Is it because of the number of returned items?

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

Well, I hope they have fixed those leak problems. I just bought one last night (hopefully not too hasty of a purchase). It should be here in about three or four days, and I'm going to test it out as soon as it gets here. I sure hope it doesn't leak. That would just put the exclamation mark on all the troubles I've had with this tank!

I'll be sure to post again once I test it out, and I will let everybody know if the company has fixed the problem.

Don't worry, I'm using 2 of them and they came with a power head too. They are excellent product for the price and yor algae problem will be fixed within 2-3 days. They don't mean to be used under pressure, just use a power head.

Thanks jacekz, that's a relief. I'm glad to know that you have two and that they both work very well. I'm hoping mine do just as well!

Also, you said that they are not designed to be used under pressure. What would cause this pressure? A canister filter or something like that? I only planned on using a powerhead to pump water through it, so I think it will be ok. I just wondered what would cause too much pressure.

The powerhead coming free with the UV sterilizer is supposedly rated at 285 gph. I know most UV sterilizers, including the Jebo, are rated at much lower than that. Is there a chance that this powerhead will have a variable flow feature? Or am I going to have to limit the flow rate another way, such as splitting the main flow line in half?

Thanks for the help!

In regards to my previous question about the flow rates...

If a minimal flow rate is needed, would it be possible to connect the UV sterilizer in line with the input to my AquaClear 150 power filter? It's just a standard HOB filter, but if I turned down the flow rate a little bit, say to about 75-100 gph, would that work ok with the UV? Or might this put too much work on the impeller and cause it to fail?

I know I'd have to minimize the number of bends and length of the line, but is there a chance it could work?

Thanks for the help yet again!

Hi,
A UV sterilizer should NEVER be connected to the input
of a filter. If you want to avoid the extra expense of
another pump by using the filter pump, then place the
UV system in the output. With use, over time the water
passage would become clogged and a coating develop on
the glass sleeve, that will reduce the efficiency of the
light to near nothing.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

So what should I do if I don't have a nice canister filter? All I have are two AquaClear 150's and some live rock. It's only a 20 gal tank, and this filtration is more than enough for the tank. However, it will be rather difficult to place the UV sterilizer on the output of the filter as it is just a HOB spillover filter. Any ideas on how to plumb that and make it work?

Thanks for the input!

I forgot to mention that I'm getting a free powerhead with the UV sterilizer.

I have no qualms about using this powerhead, but something FRANK said confused me. If it's not OK to put the UV as the input of the filter, then why would it be acceptable to put the UV as a standalone with a powerhead? Wouldn't this do the exact same thing in terms of dirtying up the UV? You said about avoiding the extra expense of a pump, so I just wanted to clarify that. It seems like an identical situation to me...

Thanks.

Hi,
If you are going to use the pump that you mention, put a
sponge sleeve over the intake to "prefilter" the water.
You don't just hook up a UV system, let er rip, and forget
about it. Depending upon your bioload, you will need to
disassemble the thing at a regular interval to clean the
sleeve that encases the light bulb and chanels the water
past it. Over time the sleeve will become coated with
detritus and a film develop that decreases the effectiveness
of the light. NEVER touch the bulb itself. That will leave
body oil on the quartz bulb. That inturn concentrates the
light and softens the glass. The soft glass will bulge and
deform and can be so bad that you won't be able to take it
apart and will have to purchase a new system.

At night, with the lights out, make it a habit to look at
the UV assembly. All of them will give off a slight glow
that is visible through the intake/output hoses, or some
times the shell (container) that way you will know the
bulb has not burnt out.

All UV bulbs must be replaced at a regular interval...
Usually every 6 months. However, when in doubt, check with
the manufacturer. The bulbs age, even worse than the tank
lights, and after a while will not kill anything.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks FRANK! I think I've read a few of your other UV posts before. They really helped a lot too. I definitely realized how frequently the bulbs had to be replaced, especially due to their ultra high intensity. I'll be sure to clean the sleeve regularly, as well. Also, I'll keep in mind the things you said about looking at it at night to ensure that the bulb is still good.

Back to the pump stuff, you mentioned that I need to buy a prefilter sponge. Honestly, I'm not even sure what one of these sleeves would look like. I'm assuming that I could just find one at the lfs? Also, would it be possible to use the inlet line from the AquaClear 150 for the UV if I put a prefilter on the inlet to the UV?

Or would it just be safer to use the separate powerhead? I guess I'm just most afraid of damaging the AquaClear motor by putting too much of a load on it.

Thanks again! You're a great help FRANK.

Also, you said that they are not designed to be used under pressure. What would cause this pressure? A canister filter or something like that? I only planned on using a powerhead to pump water through it, so I think it will be ok. I just wondered what would cause too much pressure.

The slower your water passes through the better. Organisms are killed by being exposed to it, so you want the water passing through to have the longest exposure time possible, which is why some of the best UV systems are "double pass" meaning the water flows by the bulb twice before exiting back out into the tank.

Koi

Empty chairs at empty tables, the room silent, forlorn.

Yeah, I understand all that about how fast the water passes the UV. I'm just trying to figure out the best way to accomplish this.

The UV sterlizer and the and powerhead I got are cheap. I don't know if the powerhead has a variable flow control at all. If not, I have to construct some piping that allows for less flow. So far I have two options:

1.) Run the UV sterilizer on the inlet side of my AquaClear 150. By turning down the flow on the AC150, I could have the flow rate down to 50-75 gph. However, as FRANK has said, I'm not sure if I want the UV on the inlet side (maybe a prefilter would work on the inlet to the UV???)

2.) Run the powerhead supplied, and if there is no flow regulation, somehow split the line between the powerhead and the UV. Therefore only 1/4 to 1/3 of the powerhead's intake would flow through the UV, and the remainder would just simply pass back to the tank.

Any other ideas on flow regulation? Thanks!

You are making a simple problem far more difficult than it needs to be. Simply put, the powerhead that you are recieving will not pump the rated flow of water through your uv filter due to head. Head will reduce the waterflow to a safe and effective level for your filter. Second just go to the lfs and buy a simple sponge powerhead prefilter. End of problem, no more stress, no more worrying about splitting lines. If for some reason you have a very slight head, simply install an inline regulator afcter the powerhead and before your uv filter. Again, too easy to have all these posts going.