Sizing, placing, flow rate of a UV sterilizer?

[ReefGeeker]

With my new skimmer on the way I was thinking a UV sterilizer would be a good next addition/upgrade to my tank. I've never had one so I'm kinda clueless where the best place to put it is, HOB or in the sump? How much flow should they have roughly? How many watts should it be for a stocked 90g? What is a good design for a UV sterlizer? What are some good brands?

 

[pandora32]

Heres something for you to read before you go buy one.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f15/uv-u-me-37925/

I have a coralife turbotwist 12x and couldnt be any more happy with it. I dont like how the hoses are connected, but its an easy fix with 2 hose clamps. As for it being a sterilizer, dont buy it with that in mind. Its better to think of it as a clarifier. I have big bay windows that face east so i get alot of sunlight in the house, sunlight equals algae. I had real bad green water and thats what i bought it for. Its definately doing its job. Water isnt green anymore. With flow rates, the faster the flow, the less its able to do, the slower, the more it can do. For it to be a sterilizer, you would need 100% of your water to go through it at a real low flow, somewhere around 100gph or less. Pretty hard to accomplish imo. I have a mag 3 in the sump running mine. I dont think theres an in sump model. Could be wrong. I dont have it hooked up the way id like, but i dont have the room to have the pump in the skimmer section and run the "sterilized" water back in the return section. My uv can be mounted horizontal, vertical and hang on. I have it vertical. Another point is to make sure you get all the air out before you turn the bulb on. Hope this helps...lol.

 

[ReefGeeker]

Very helpful pandora, my tank also gets some sunlight because there is windows on both sides of it along the wall not a bunch of sunlight. I understand the clarifier comment and that is mostly why I want one to slow algea growth on my glass, I'm sure my new skimmer will help out with that a bit too as well.

 

[ReefGeeker]

Well looks like I'm going to pick up a very lightly used 18w coralife turbo twist from Todd for a good deal, hopefully I'll have time to swing by and pick it up soon.