Vectron Tmc 600 Uv Filter

[welshviking]

Good morning and a very Merry Christmas to all our members, Mr Santa Claus brought me a Vectron uv 600 filter yesterday and going to be fitting it today. However just one query it says in the instruction manual to mount vertical using the keyhole slots , however when you look at the keyhole slots it looks like that horizontal mounting would be the best option and certainly the more sturdy. Does it really make any differance which way you mount the filter....Thanks Colin

 

[bodge99]

Hello,

I think you'll find the "recommended" mounting way ensures that air pockets cannot occur.. Any gas pockets automatically rise and are expelled into the tank. At least, I'd mount it on a slight slope to allow this to happen. Trapped air will reduce the overall efficiency of the unit. Water "in" at the lower point and "out" at the higher one.

Tip: Write down the date that the unit was installed / tube changed. This will help you when it comes time to replace the UV tube.
I'd also recommend smearing a thin film of food grade silicon grease (ebay is your friend here) onto the O-rings and seals. This helps prolong the life of these. When it is time to replace the tube be very careful with the quartz sleeve (expensive to replace).

A useful spare to have (not urgent if the unit is new) is a spare set of hosetails (currently £8 on ebay for a V2 see http/www.ebay.co.u...id=431003308422 ) . UV light gradually degrades the plastic over time, it's nice not being caught out with a leaking unit. Please note that the ones indicated here are for the V2 (offset hosetails on the unit). The V1 hosetails are different (no screwdown flange, just a threaded tail).

If anyone is interested, the hosetail size for the V1 is 3/4" BSP (The tails look like they have a larger diameter!).
See http/www.ebay.co.u...66226279&_rdc=1

I have no connection (no pun intended) with these sellers, just a satisified customer.

Hope this helps..

Bodge99.

 

[welshviking]

Hello,

I think you'll find the "recommended" mounting way ensures that air pockets cannot occur.. Any gas pockets automatically rise and are expelled into the tank. At least, I'd mount it on a slight slope to allow this to happen. Trapped air will reduce the overall efficiency of the unit. Water "in" at the lower point and "out" at the higher one.

Tip: Write down the date that the unit was installed / tube changed. This will help you when it comes time to replace the UV tube.
I'd also recommend smearing a thin film of food grade silicon grease (ebay is your friend here) onto the O-rings and seals. This helps prolong the life of these. When it is time to replace the tube be very careful with the quartz sleeve (expensive to replace).

A useful spare to have (not urgent if the unit is new) is a spare set of hosetails (currently £8 on ebay for a V2 see http/www.ebay.co.u...id=431003308422 ) . UV light gradually degrades the plastic over time, it's nice not being caught out with a leaking unit. Please note that the ones indicated here are for the V2 (offset hosetails on the unit). The V1 hosetails are different (no screwdown flange, just a threaded tail).

If anyone is interested, the hosetail size for the V1 is 3/4" BSP (The tails look like they have a larger diameter!).
See http/www.ebay.co.u...66226279&_rdc=1

I have no connection (no pun intended) with these sellers, just a satisified customer.

Hope this helps..

Bodge99.

What a fantastic detailed answer, brilliant my question answered perfectly. Looking at the rear of my cabinet vertical will actaully be the best option so i am going to drill the wall behind my cabinet and let the uv filter hang down vertically as quoted in the manual. Regarding the grease i am going to be fitting the filter today and with no shops open around this area due to Boxing day will a small smear of vaseline do instead, i have always used vaseline on my external filters and so far (touch wood) i have had no leaks at all through the o rings....Again my thanks for your detailed answer...Regards Colin

 

[bodge99]

Hello,

Yes, Vaseline should be fine.... I just use silicon grease out of habit.. A food grade material is guaranteed to be stable.
I use this stuff http/www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HT-Silicone-Grease-Tub-60ml-Pot-Food-Industry-Approved-/261082608825?pt=UK_DIY_Materials_Plumbing_MJ&hash=item3cc9bc74b9

A couple of other tips:

Every week or so make sure that you have a look at the hosetails.. Look for the light spillage (you are not looking at UV light here, the translucent plastic of the hosetail converts the UV to visible light.) .You'll see what I mean when you power the unit up. Make sure that it is steady and is not flickering. If you do see any sign of flickering, then switch off immediately and investigate.

A failing tube can damage the ballast. If you ever get any problems then just ask here... I've found the V2 units to be very reliable (much more so than a certain make which is more than twice the price of this unit).

Whatever might happen in the future (electrically wise), everything is repairable. Don't do what I've seen some people do... dispose of a "faulty" unit which could be repaired for a tenner. In fact, I've obtained all of my UV units this way. I've bought second hand units off of Ebay and repaired/overhauled them. As long as the quartz sleeve is intact then everything else is fixable.

Safety tip: **NEVER** look directly at the UV tube when it is operating.

Bodge99.

 

[MBOU]

Most Quartz Sleeves are replaceable anyway, especially TMC ones just not quite such a cheap fix! That said... cheaper than buying a new unit!!

Another note is to make sure when setting up, you dont touch the UV bulb itself, always have a few pairs of latex gloves to hand when handling uv bulbs, one single finger print can knacker the bulb, though generally not immediately, its more annoying and you get unit all set up again and a few days later it goes!

 

[bodge99]

Well said Sir Young lady!

I should have mentioned this.. I must be losing too many grey cells!

If you do manage to get finger prints on the UV tube, then use lint free cloth and denatured isopropyl alcohol to clean them off before you power the tube up..

Bodge99

 

[welshviking]

Many thanks for your ideas and advive about my new uv filter. Anyway the uv filter is up and running and apart from a small drip leak from one of my eheim hoses (hose clip needed tightening) it seem to be working as it should. Just a question i am struggling with brown algae / diatoms on my ornaments, plastic plants and glass .My tank (clear seal 472L) has been set up for about 6 weeks and i squeezed the old media from my old Fluval 306 filter in my old 220L aquarium to get it up and running and the stats today are Amm 0.0, Ph 6.6, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5. I obviously can clean the algae/diatoms of the ornaments and plants but for the last few weeks they have been back again within a week, will the uv filter actually help with this brown algae/diatom problem or do i need to look elsewhere or just bide my time and hope it goes away. . . . Cheers Colin

 

[bodge99]

Hello,

Yes UV will help with this problem. It will help to drastically reduce the numbers of bacteria etc. in the water column. Note: I say "in the water". Everything in your tank (as in all of the natural world) exists in a "soup" of microscopic life. UV can help reduce water borne spread / transmission.

Be aware that the use of UV can mask certain developing conditions... If the reason for getting a UV unit is to solve a particular problem that **might** be caused by "less then optimal" maintenance procedures, then I think that the user is potentially storing up problems for the future. Please don't think that I'm referring to you... I'm not!

I use UV as an **addition** to the armoury.. any other effects are (for me) purely incidental. I use it to minimise the infection risk to my fish... from whatever source.

You will find some aquarists' say "why use UV when medication will do the job when required". A perfectly valid opinion IMHO..
I personally would rather minimise any infection risk than try and medicate retrospectively.

I "got into UV" after losing a significant number of fish to something "very nasty". I had assistance from two very experienced aquarists (2 breeders, one a pro. and the other award winning). No meds had any effect and it was heartbreaking watching valued (not valuable poundwise, just valuable to me) pets die.

One thing to consider: Maximise the overall effectiveness of UV usage in your aquarium: How effective is your water flow in your tank? Consider how your water flows from the pump/UV into and around your tank. I used to use a typical spraybar mounted horizontally above the waterline (usual advantages of aeration etc.). I now use laminar flow in all of my tanks. (mount the spraybar vertically). My liberty mollies really love this! I'm sure that this has minimised dead spots in the tank.. Your personal fish stock will dictate if this is even feasible for you. Just something to think about. I do use airstones.

I'm not fool enough to state that my fish will **never** get sick or that everyone **must** get UV. But I would recommend them.
I would say to anyone, do your own research and make up your own mind. Ignore the manufacturers blurb (they are trying to sell you something!) and talk to people who use UV as well as people who don't.

You have obviously made the decision to take the plunge.. Good luck to you and may your fish always remain healthy.

Sorry everyone.. I do go on a bit!

Bodge99

 

[welshviking]

Thanks Bodge99 your help and super advice is much appreciated, myself and my wife have cleaned all the brown algae / diatoms of the plastic plants and ornaments today so will be interesting to see if it returns with the uv filter now installed and running. One thing i did have this morning which i have not had for a while is 2 dead fish and one dying (it died this afternoon), they were a Golden balloon ram (my wifes favourites), an Otto and a dwarf cichlid (not even sure what type it was as i was given 5 a few months ago). I did another tank test after the fish dying and they were the same as yesterday Ph 6.6, Amm 0.0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5. Not had any die since and all the other community fish look very healthy....Very Bizarre !!!!!

 

[welshviking]

Right here goes, i have had this uv filter fitted since Boxing day and it has been on ever since. The problem is the Brown algae and more recently brown / green algae has not stopped at all, infact i can clean the glass and ornaments and within 3 days they are getting covered again. I have just contacted Swell Uk (where i bought the uv filter from) to see if they can come up with any suggestions. The end of the bulbs are glowing blue and the hosetails are also glowing so i am sure it is working but it is doing nothing whatsoever to help with my algae problems. Anyone on here got any ideas / suggestions to what may be wrong. Just to add my latest tank stats are Ph 6.6, Amm 0.25 (0.25 amm from the tap at the moment), Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20...I am adding prime to help with the increased ammonia and doing a 50 - 60% water change once a week....(Tank is 472L and filter is an Eheim 2075)....The flow from the filter does seem to be down on what it was before i fitted the uv filter (no leaks at all).....Cheers Colin