UV light on but not killing algae? Find out what you can do to help make your UV work better

So your UV light was working fine last year, but you notice it’s struggling to keep up this year. Is it broken? Before you send it back to the manufacturer, the reason why your UV is probably not working this year could be because of a dirty quartz sleeve.

A quartz sleeve is a transparent covering that surrounds the UV bulb. This sleeve acts as a protective barrier preventing debris, water leaks, breakage, and other things from interfering with the performance of the lamp. Besides protection, it also evenly disperses water around the bulb so it can clean the water more efficiently. However, dirty water will build up gunk and residue on the sleeve over time.

If the sleeve is not taken out and cleaned regularly, the dirt buildup will prevent the UV rays from passing through to treat the water effectively. What you need to do is gently remove the quartz sleeve and clean it with CLR (calcium lime remover), or any other cleaner which powers through scum. A couple of sprays and a touch of elbow grease will effectively remove any mineral deposits on the sleeve.

Then, when you place the sleeve back into the unit, I suggest applying a silicone lubricant on any rubber o-rings or gaskets so that it seals properly. If your rubber gaskets dry out, they could leak water into the unit. Before you turn it on, I always suggest water testing the UV for a few minutes to make sure there are no leaks. If you notice a cracked quartz sleeve, or dried out o-rings, we sell replacement parts for most makes and models.

Now that you’ve taken a bit of time to clean your quartz sleeve properly, your UV clarifier will once again destroy that green water!

This doesn’t answer your question? email us at faq@azponds.com