Generic Uv Sterilizer Bulbs For The Turbo Twist?

[djnrg]

Hi There!

I have the 18W turbo twist 6x UV Sterilizer and am sick of buying $60-$100 bulbs (CA$). Are there generic bulbs you can buy, or do household UV sterilizer bulbs work in the turbo twists? Or did the sheisters design them so that they need unique bulbs?

Thanks!

-James

 

[SkiFletch]

Why are you replacing the bulb? UV bulbs do not have phosphors in them. The primary reason for replacing flourescent lamps in 12-24 months is that the phosphors in them (which burn to create colors) eventually burn out, the color spectrum shifts, and the bulb appears different. This is a big problem when keeping photosynthetic life.

However because UV lamps have no phosphors to wear out, they do not have to be replaced often at all. I figure I'll replace mine after 5 years...

 

[rabbut]

I should know better than to question Skifletch, but....

UV lamps need replacing every 6 months due to output drop-off. Arcadia do some long-life versions that last 12 months though.

I cannot help with your question about compatible tubes, but I have experience with UV via my time with ponds. After about 6-9 months of tube service, greenwater will crop up in a pond. Change the lamp and it's gone again. Greenwater is easy for UV to kill, so parasites would be passing through un-touched, or with just a light tan, also I only used UV in ponds for greenwater, not disease prevention/curing, so only replaced the lamps when greenwater came back.

IMO, for an aquarium where you would hope accurate control over lighting stops Greenwater, you should not need UV. IMO, if you are using it, you are wasting cash and power, or are making mistakes with your care that are caursing you to "need" the UV. The primary course of disease is stress, so if the fish are constantly going down with something, they are being stressed by something... Rule out the thing stressing them and the disease goes away after treatment, negating the need for UV.

All the best
Rabbut

 

[mike os]

agree with rabbut... ime for sterilisers you need to change at 6 months, for algae 9-12 is usually OK

I would be very surprised to find they use a proprietary fitting as they are just to expensive to produce and the market is too small. I would talk to an electrical wholesaler ( trade supplier) about them cos that price is taking the mick just a bit

 

[SkiFletch]

But how does the output dropoff with nothing to burn?

My own UV unit is 3 years old, still original light and I certainly see a difference in algae growth when I turn it off for cleaning and forget to turn it back on... Thing's still working even with a bulb that my aquarium manufacturer claims should be worthless by now... I find it difficult to listen to a company trying to make money on bulb replacements when its wholly unnecessary.

JMO

 

[mike os]

afaik the lamps used are in reality used for commercial & domestic water sterilisation units, aquatics have just adopted them. And the replacement recommendations are actually based on this rather than strictly aquatic use. ( I only maintain a few units for water supply, and their recommended life is 6 months)

 

[rabbut]

I can't explain how or why the drop off occurs, but I can say that IME they do drop off within a handful of months, in a pond situation at least...