UV Clarifier vs UV Sterilizer – A Comparison
Aaron Boyd
A good filter system is a must if you want your pond to be healthy always. Pond filters help remove algae and debris like waste, leaves, and organics.
Thus, they ensure the pond water always remains clear and healthy. If your pond does not have a filter then there can be algae problems as well as water parameter imbalances.
There basically are three types of filters that are used in ponds – biological filters, mechanical filters, and UV filters.
A biological filter supports the growth of beneficial bacteria. These bacteria remove algae causing nutrients and thus improve water quality.
Mechanical filter, on the other hand, eliminates debris like clumps of algae and leaves and makes the water appear clear and healthy.
The third one, UV filter, kills bacteria through ultraviolet light.
We shall learn more about the two important UV filters – UV clarifiers and UV sterilizers through a UV clarifier vs UV sterilizer comparison.
But, before that, let us get to learn how UV filters work.
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Table of Contents
How Do UV Filters Work In Ponds?
Video: “Remove Pond Algae with UV Filter System”
If you have the problem of “pea soup syndrome” in your pond you naturally will want to do something about it. You certainly want to get rid of the algae crowding it as soon as is possible.
As, not only does it make your pond look bad, it is also unhealthy for your fishes. In such a situation, a UV pond filter can come to your rescue.
When water gets pumped through the UV filter present in your pond, it will expose the single-celled algae to extremely high levels of UV light.
This will destroy their DNA and the algae will then divide. As soon as they divide, they die and clump together. You can then easily remove these clumps from your pond water.
Now, let us get to learn about the two most important UV filters (UV clarifiers and UV sterilizers) in detail.
UV Clarifiers
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UV clarifiers are connected to the filtration system of a pond. However, they are separate from the filter and generally are placed out of the water. Though, submersible clarifiers are also available.
When the pond’s pump moves water through the clarifier, it gets exposed to UV light through a bulb present within the clarifier. Generally, before passing through the clarifier, water first moves through the biological filter.
It will not be a very good idea to use the clarifier until the biological filter has done its job. This is because the clarifier can destroy some beneficial bacteria. Then, it will become difficult for the biological filter to start working.
UV Sterilizers
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UV sterilizers offer a more aggressive treatment as water passes slowly through them. Water stays exposed to UV light for a longer duration (compared to clarifier) in UV sterilizer. This longer exposure results in the destruction of more organisms.
Not only does a sterilizer kill microscopic algae but also various viruses, protozoa, and bacteria present in the pond water. It is thus quite easy for a sterilizer to control fish infections and diseases in a pond.
UV Clarifier vs UV Sterilizer
How are they similar?
- Both kill bacteria.
- Both use high output ultraviolet bulbs.
- Both help keep the pond water clean.
What makes them different?
A UV sterilizer and a UV clarifier are not really two completely different typed of filters. The main difference lies in the flow rate and thus the results.
Clarifiers expose the pond water to enough UV to destroy free-floating algae. It thus helps clear up the greenish color in the pond.
Sterilizers, on the other hand, have a slow flow rate, because of which the water remains exposed to the UV light for longer.
This helps kill microscopic algae, as well as protozoa, viruses, and bacteria.
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Conclusion
To conclude this UV clarifier vs UV sterilizer comparison, it will be fair to say that both of them are important and both have a crucial role to play in any pond. Which one you will use clearly depends on your requirements.
While selecting one, just keep two things in mind – the results are you expecting of the UV, and how many gallons of water are there in your pond. The next thing you need to remember is to buy a good quality product from a popular brand.
Whether you are opting for a sterilizer or a clarifier, if it is of good quality, only then will it work efficiently and last for long.
