DIY UV Clarifier

[In2deep]

Ok so I dont think I am the only one that enjoys tinkering. I made a 72 watt UV clarifier. I was looking to buy one and thought it could be done for so much less money. I needed to redo the plumming on my pond anyway so I made a sump where all the plumming flow into it and it houses my 5000 gph pump.

My DIY clarifier cost me less than $50 to make. The most expensice part was the 80 watt ballast.

Ballast $24 Ebay free shipping
2G11 Sockets bulb sockets $8 Ebay free shipping
(2) 36 watt 2G11 bulbs $15.75 Ebay free shipping
55 gallon plastic barrel Free from local car wash
Electrical plug I had laying around from an old extention cord that was cut.
wire nuts I had from other prodjects
3" PVC pipe with 2 end caps to house all the electrical and siliconed the holes where the wires come out.
2" PVC pipe to house the bulbs with stryofoam on the ends the the electrical leads never come in contact with the water and the bulb stay submerged in the water.

I just wanted to share this. Once I do the artifical stone around the outside of the pond you will not see the sump anymore.

I can put together some instructions some day for others to use but anyone with some basic knowledge of electrical should be able to figure it out.

Here is a pic of it I took
http://sdrv.ms/Y7l44m

 

[In2deep]

Sorry not sure how to add a photo.

 

[Mucky_Waters]

Looks dangerous!

 

[Fishylove]

Cool! And it Glows!

 

[Catfishnut]

In2deep,

I take it that the 2" PVC that houses the UV tubes is clear PVC tubing. You will possibly have to replace these tubes every X number of years. PVC will actually "sunburn" when exposed to UV radiation from the sun, so exposing it 24/7 to UV light will cause the clear tubing to discolor and darken (becoming less transparent) and therefore decrease the efficiency of the clarifier. Also, exposure to UV will degrade the PVC's impact resistance, which is not likely to be a problem here. I doubt your fish are going to sneak into the clarifier with a hammer and start banging around! Ha Ha. But, you might want to be aware of these two issues, especially the discoloration of the tube. The tubing is inexpensive enough that you can easily afford to replace it every so many years. Even if it were only as short as two years. I really have no idea how long the process takes, it might take eight or ten years, who knows. I just read the information somewhere and it wasn't very specific.

It is a really neat looking item! I was pondering doing something similar, but using a PVC tube inside a PVC tube, instead of in a barrel.

Catfishnut

 

[In2deep]

Mucky_Waters thanks for fixing the pic. I told my wife it looks like Trinoble in the back yard right now. LOL

 

[Catfishnut]

. I told my wife it looks like Trinoble in the back yard right now. LOL

It is quite eerie and odd, but cool looking! You could amuse the local authorities by telling them that you are enriching Plutonium! Hee hee!

(I wouldn't reccommend doing that, by the way).

 

[Dave 54]

:One question have you shielded the barrel against U/V rays if you havent your plastic will quickly become brittle and crack causing a major leak in your system, which is something you dont need .
Clever though .


rgrds

Dave

 

[In2deep]

:One question have you shielded the barrel against U/V rays if you havent your plastic will quickly become brittle and crack causing a major leak in your system, which is something you dont need .
Clever though .


rgrds

Dave

I don't know that I will have to worry about the barrel those things lay around in the back yards and landfills for decades I have never seen one decay and get brittle. I think it will last as long as I need it to though.

 

[koiguy1969]

just a note... U.V bulbs should be enclosed in quartz glass tube, not clear plastic, or even regular glass. quartz glass is 'tuned' and allows total exposure to the light spectrum given by the bulbs. plastics and regular glass dont. this can greatly reduce the efficiency of the bulbs.

 

[Hookset]

very cool and interesting. i've been wanting to build one, so you now have me thinking. I would like to see your plans.

 

[In2deep]

Hookset: I dont have any plans I just was doing it out of my head.

 

[koiguy1969]

a nice polished stainless steel barrel would be the best choice for this type setup...with the reflective interior, it would increase efficiency.

 

[sissy]

Looks dangerous!

looks like toxic waste and epa may swarm down on you .Or do you have martian landing pad .

 

[sissy]

great night light and if i was your neighbor and saw that it would scare me .I would be calling cops and then have to be embarrassed to death when cops come and tell me don't worry it is just a uv filter for fish pond :cheerful: :redface: .Great halloween decoration also