Alisons Nature Reserve

by **alison** on Wed Dec 21, 2005 9:22 pm

I can never remember if I should turn off the UV on the filterbox for the winter. Should I already have turned it off and just left the pump going to keep the water flowing? If so when do I put it back on again?

by **Kristin F.** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 12:53 am

I wish I could help you Alison, but I don't use UV.
..but, what I've read is that it is to be used to keep algae under control, so I suppose if there is no algae growth in your pond this time of year, you can shut it off. (?)

Hopefully others in U.K. who use UV's, will see this and reply ..

by **alison** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:22 am

Thanks Kristin. I have always had a good water clarity before I got the UV and didn't really suffer from green water. I think when we made the new much larger pond I probably thought I had better have a UV system in place. The bulb is still working even after 2 years so that has done well. I will probably go and turn it off now.

by **AJC** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 11:20 am

Yes alison you turn it off, you get a years life from a uv tube, so it should last you two summers, the algea the uv kills stops after september, so you can turn it off from then.

by **alison** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:05 pm

Thanks Alan. When would I turn it back on in the spring? If the light is still on does that mean it is working ?(obviously not at the moment but when it is supposed to be :roll:

) so that I only need to get a new UV bulb when it goes out and doesn't light up any more. Or does it just last the two seasons no matter if the light goes off or stays on??

by **AJC** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:08 pm

Actually i dont turn it on until i need to, but i suppose anytime after may when it warms up a bit.

by **alison** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:17 pm

Do you only put yours on to get rid of the green water or blanketweed etc?

by **retropwr** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:26 pm

The UV only helps agains green water algae as it has to pass over the light to be killed off, clumped together and filtered out.

I understand that there is something about the lamps coating that breaks down after 6 or 12 months (depends who you ask). The lamp will still light but looses it's effectiveness.

I change mine every spring, sometime in March and leave it on from then.

by **alison** on Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:18 pm

Thanks everyone. :wink:

Alisons Nature Reserve

UV Do I turn it off??

UV Do I turn it off??

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