UV Sterilizer

[John G]

I needed a UV Sterilizer for my aquariums, and decided on a SunSun JUP-23, since it looked like what I needed, it had some good reviews on line, and the price was right. It came in today and I have been rather amazed at the instructions that came with it.

The pictures of it on the box, and in the tiny instruction paper, show it with an L-shaped tube coming out of the top. There was no such item with mine. One of the features I liked when reading about it was that it is fully submersible. And in fact the description on the box says “designed to be fully submersible in fresh and salt water.” The instruction manual has an identical statement. However the side panel of the box has a yellow WARNING box, with an arrow pointing to the L-shaped tube, and says: “This part must be above the water level!” The instructions speak of a “sponge” or “bio-chem cotton” which should be washed periodically. I’m not going to say that mine doesn’t have a sponge, I’ll just say after a thorough examination I can’t find it.

Some of the sentences in the instruction sheet are rather amusing. For example: “The pump should be beneath the water completely which make the water through the UV filtration is obvious.” And “The sponge, rotor and outer glass tube should be washed with periodicity.” And “Attention that the cleanser is forbidden.” And “After a period of usage, the sponge will absorb too much dirty to wash away and will influence the current.” And my favorite: “If the temperature is below 0 [degrees] C you must discharge the stagnant water immediately in order to avoid the machine from getting frozen and damaged.”

Tomorrow I will completely submerge the JUP23 in my aquarium and plug it in. I assume I will quickly find out what happens when the area where the L shaped piece should be (if it had one) is not “above the water level.”

[John G]

Yesterday morning I put the sterilizer in my 75 tank. The tank looked like it was filled with green paint. This morning, although the water remained a bit cloudy, all the green was gone. So it worked like a charm. If any of you need a UV sterilizer I recommend this one, in spite of the bizarre instructions.

[SCMurphy]

How are things today, is everything still clear ?

[John G]

So far so good, Sean. I had really neglected the aquariums, partially because had been busy with other stuff, and partially because I was out of town for a while (when GWAPA was changing the date of the February meeting due to snow, I was relaxing in Maui). But I am back now making sure the tank chemistry stays as it should, etc. , so I hope I won’t have a return of that problem.

[Jt731]

Sorry to necro an old topic but I have that exact unit and the purpose of that tube is for making the unit produce air bubbles through the outflow. Mine came with an extra tube/plastic piece to attach so you could submerge it further. 4 or 5 companies rebadge that unit, only one explained what it is for and that it is unnecessary

It also took quite some research because the instructions I got had no diagrams, so it took me a bit to find the round indicator window at the bottom of the front

[John G]

Jesse, thanks for your comments. What about the "sponge" or "bio-chem cotton." Does yours have anything like that?

[Jt731]

I remember not really finding anything though.

[halak]

Interesting biotope...