Aquarium-Pond UV Sterilizer Review; Discount Clarifiers

[Carl]

A MUST READ!!!

FROM:

http://www.uvsterilizerreview.com/2018/09/aquarium-pond-uv-sterilizer-review.html

EXCERPT:

The Aquarium UV Sterilizer market has now been mostly taken over by Category C UV Sterilizers which are not capable of level one or two sterilization unlike 'Category B' or especially 'Category C' units.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

While these cheap UV clarifiers masquerading as true UV Sterilizers have been around for some time, misguided Obama regulation outlawing high output magnetic ballasts in 2014, has made just obtaining a UV clarifier that can fire the High Output UV lamps capable of running a 'Category B' or especially 'Category A' UV Sterilizer difficult to find if at all in some size UV Sterilizers.

In depth UV Sterilizer information:
Aquarium Pond UV Sterilizer Use; Facts & Information

Why does this matter?
High output UV lamps/bulbs have 35% UVC versus common low output UV lamps which have about 7-10% UVC. This is FOUR TIMES the UVC output!!
These same HO UV lamps require a surge voltage to start that is often 500+ volts which most modern cheap electronic ballast simply cannot do or at least for more than a couple of starts.
Reference: High Output UVC Emission from a UV Bulb/Lamp; Aquarium or Pond

The reason for this law was for efficiency of fluorescent lights, which is fine for your average hardware store fluorescent light fixture, but NOT for a high output UV Sterilizer.
This law opened the door for even more cheap Chinese UV Clarifiers masquerading as true UV Sterilizer to flood the market.

It also takes some education to understand this, but one does not need be a rocket scientist either.
One confusing aspect for consumers is they will see the same model number such as CUV-118 and assume that two models at very different prices are one in the same, WHEN IN FACT THEY ARE NOT!
When a retailer orders something from China, it can be ordered to certain specifications at a different price (think Apple with the iPhone as these have been manufactured in China, but to standards set forward by Apple).

When one considers the wide price of ballasts and HO UV lights versus low output UV lights, price alone is an easy indicator.
You cannot sell an 18 Watt UV Sterilizer with "free shipping" (which requires the seller to pay shipping) and pay eBay fees of 10%+ for $60 when the actual cost of a true Category B CUV-118 Terminator UV is well above $60 and stay in business.
So obviously these sellers (such as one eBay seller in China operating out of a home Hacienda Heights, CA.) are selling UVs with standard ballasts/power supplies and low output UV lamps, so all you are getting is a Category C UV Clarifier.