Let me tell you something. When I first got this pump, at first I thought, this thing isn't going to clean Jack! Went on for 2 days and seen some improvement, but nothing to much in the way of amazement. By the 5th day my jaw just fell to the ground. I have an 80 gallon tank and let me tell you what, the water is crystal clear. If I have a complaint it's probably that it's a little bulky and is a little loud, but not a deal breaker. Seriously, for $35.00, what do you expect. Hope this helps somebody.
I had two issues with my tank (55gal, goldfish), at first the water turned cloudy white. I've had these fish for years and this has never happened before. I tried several chemical solutions, nothing worked. Then, on top of this, the water started turning green. I knew the green was algae so I thought the UV filter would at least clear that up. When I installed this filter, the water looked like pea soup. Not even four days later the water is crystal clear. This filter solved both my problems. Couldn't recommend it more.
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This product made my 36 gallon freshwater tank crystal clear when nothing else would. The product, however is a little noisy. If you place the pump a little lower than the top of the tank it is a lot quieter. Has been working for about three months now without problems. The instructions could be better it was not clear how low you could place the pump in the tank. Good product; would buy again.
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JBJ sold their line of UV Sterilizers to Aquatop and there have been nothing but improvements on an already outstanding product
What had always put me off about UV systems was the need for power heads, pumps, tubing , plumbing and the overall hassle of installing one not to mention the expense.
This little gem bypasses all of the above in one self contained unit. No hoses or tubing to run and no extra pump to buy, everything is pre built into one sleek, all inclusive unit which you can literally take out of the box, attach inside your tank or sump, plug it in and that's that.
What U.V sterilizers do is pull in water which flows past an encased in clear quartz tube but is exposed to UV light, which kills 99% of harmful pathogens. Humans can't see U.V light and it's dangerous to look at directly hence the bulb which is more of a tube encased in a quartz sleeve is covered in a black plastic case.
A little violet light lets you know the unit is working. As the water is exposed to the U.V harmful microscopic organisms that pose a threat to marine life or cause cloudy water are destroyed.
Most UV systems, including this one boast a 99% kill rate but keep mind enough good bacteria that colonize and lives in your filter and tank substrates aren't effected so the delicate ecosystem of an "established" tank remains unharmed.
The first time I installed one of these I had thought the water in my tank was clear however the following morning after I had installed the unit the water was so unbelievably crystal and pristine that had it not been for the aeration it would have looked like my fish were floating in air.
I have these in every single tank and they're marvelous.
PROS
1) Strong pump and outflow 211 GPH this is the same for all three units which range from tanks up to 40 , 100 and 150 gallons. I keep mine above the water line and get great aeration and surface movement.
2) Excellent build quality, the unit is surprisingly heavy and well made
3) Excellent kill rate
4) Maintains crystal clear water quality my fish are significantly more lively, vibrant and their overall appearance and health has improved.
5) Water parameters remain stable.
6) Effortless to install. This unit really is "plug and play" and can be installed and used right out of the box. Remember to check the quartz sleeve inside the unit for any damage prior to set up.
7) Good clear instructions and toll free support from the manufacturer.
8) Very affordable. Especially when compared to similar UV systems costing hundreds more and that's without the add-ons like a pump, power head, tubing, etc.
9) Bulb replacement is needed once a year, pre filter sponges (one comes with the unit) should be changed monthly or bi monthly depending your tank conditions a pack of three is around $8.00
10) Kills 99% of disease causing pathogens
I have these in all my tanks, from 40, 55,70, 125 and a soon to be 180. I buy the 13 watt rated regardless For a difference of a few bucks it's worth the upgrade.
* Note although humans can't see U.V it can damage our eyes. Never take the cover off and look at the UV light when on.
** When the violet light is flickering it's time to change the bulb.
** Never use a UV Sterilizer in a new or still cycling aquarium, these are for established aquariums only.
A 5 star product!
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Combined two tanks into a new 40 gallon breeder tank three weeks ago. The water had stabilized but several weeks into the new tank process, it became cloudy and turned dark green. After a 20% water change, I added the Aquatop UVP-9 and within 24 the water had become crystal clear again and the green is fading fast. I used the silicone tubing that came with it and the addditional aeration has really energized the fish! The sponge inside the housing will be an additional area for biological filtration and is easy to access. I am still using the two old filters from the old tanks, but next time I'll probably cut to the chase and use one of these all-in-one units as the main filter for a smaller less populated tank.
[UPDATE] I recently ordered a second one of these units for a different tank, but couldn't seem to get the aeration to work. I wrote to Aquatop customer service and they sent a quick reply that solved the problem: It seems that I had screwed the blue tip down too far into the housing... It is actually adjustable! By backing it out about a half turn, I now have a great steam stream of aeration!
I have this along with an API ammonia dropper test kit. I'm a week into cycling my tank so I expected to get some particular readings. The readings from this test strip were the same as the readings that my local fish store gave me when I brought some water in, so they work. Performing the test is dirt simple and reading them isn't too hard (maybe a little if it looks like its in between two colors). Obviously if you don't follow instructions you'll get bad readings and most likely blame the product. Here's a summary of the instructions in case you're wondering how it works.
