The Disadvantages of a Pond Ultraviolet Light

May - 04
2022

The Disadvantages of a Pond Ultraviolet Light

Ponds add calming background sounds to your own yard, but those mini ecosystems require continuous water maintenance for healthy plant and fish life. As a way, pond ultraviolet lights help your water by splitting algae blooms to keep pond water clear. Utilizing a UV sterilizer does have some disadvantages.

Effects on Algae

You cannot rely on a UV lighting system to eliminate all forms of pond algae. The UV system depends upon algae passage through its light path for proper elimination. Since not all algae are free-flowing through the pond water, it won’t apparent all algae. String-type algae that remain on the pond lining and rocks will never be exposed to the UV light and also proliferate if there’s another filter strategy from the pond. If you use UV filtration, it must be coupled with an effective biological filter so you control all algae types in growing out of control.

Water Debate Rate

The pond UV lighting system requires proper installation to work for the ecosystem. The pump attached must have the right flow speed because water passing also quickly across the UV light won’t be treated properly. If the algae aren’t destroyed from the light, they will continue to multiply. In accordance with your pond’s size, you might have to put in a system of valves and piping to funnel the water past the light at the right speed. The additional piping increases the initial cost of the pond’s structure and requires periodic maintenance to keep it running smoothly.

Clear Water Considerations

A correctly installed pond UV light might be so successful that the water stays clear even without a biological filter installed. But very clear water is not necessarily healthy for the pond because dead organic matter and harmful ammonia are still in the water and might affect fish and plants. You must couple your UV light with a biological filter to get a balanced ecosystem. The UV filter cannot remove organic thing — it only destroys algae cells.

Replacement and Cleaning

It is difficult to ascertain when a UV bulb has to be replaced and you shouldn’t ever consider a lit UV wax because it can harm your eyes. An excellent UV system comes with an hourly meter so that you may determine when the bulb needs replacement. Another downside to these lighting systems is cleaning care. The tubing that moves the water to the light path must be cleaned occasionally. It is possible to break bulbs or portions of the plumbing during these cleaning chores.

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