Tropical Marine Centre vs Evolution Aqua UV Pond & Aquarium Clarifier Sterilizers

There's been some talk lately of the release of new pond and aquarium UVc clarifier sterilizer tech in the aquatic hobby as of 2023/24. Bringing these advances are the leaders in aquatic UV industry Tropical Marine Centre and Evolution Aqua. Some may know that TMC has been the innovators of UV tech for decades now with coming out of the UK as a professional commercial standard for their UV line.

Before we talk about the new tech, there should be a reminder of why UVc itself is important for aquatic health. I'll touch on this briefly as there's more resources to go into this topic further.
UVc when used properly can either clarify water or reduce algae. It can also be disease prevention with actual sterilization, where bacteria, viruses, and parasites can be controlled. All this with allowing the aquatic water to boost immunity of fish and arguably of invents, corals, and even plants.
Here’s an in-depth resource on sterilization and how it’s been proven to be beneficial:
UV Sterilization Article

Lately both have introduced a new line of Titanium lined chambers allowing for max reflection of UV rays on the outer wall, but also the titanium has a reaction with the UV creating an oxidizing effect with Hydroxyl. This oxidizing Hydroxyl is like Ozone, as an oxidizer to help break down, but is short lived. The free radical is not stable unlike Ozone allowing them to break down quickly and not build up too dangerously in an aquarium or pond.
An ORP meter can be used to measure this effect, but the effects will vary from application to application. We should also remember that UVc itself is a reducer and breaks down oxidizers, so there will be balance between the Hydroxyl and the UVc. Just like an aquarium medication like Eye Fungus where both a oxidizer and reducer are used at the same time, but separately, making an ever effective treatment that's much safer. Balancing oxidizers and reducers in a closed system like an aquarium or pond is known as Redox Potential (ORP) and can be learned in depth here: Redox Potential

So, it's been asked what's the difference between TMC and EvoUv. Both leader manufacturers in the aquatic industry from the UK.

The two lines are true competitors in the UK, with taking very similar approach and tech. The only thing that might make them different is business practices. Tropical Marine Centre has specifically marketed reef keepers, freshwater and pond. Evolution Aqua has focused on pond marketing for their UVs with being a major player in pool applications. They also produce pond clarifiers and other products for other pond and aquarium brands on the US/UK market for affiliates.

What they both have that makes them the highest grade on the market is they both use a high output T8 lamp that connects at both ends of the sterilizer. Having no intensity drop off end to end of the lamp and the fact that the units use a T8 over a T5, means more surface area of zapping power. The T5 that other popular brands use is a much narrower lamp. Both also have a narrow enough chamber to keep the water close to the lamp even on the outer walls of the chamber. Both have a larger chamber unit for pond flows and narrower chambers for aquariums. I'll touch on this again in a minute.

They're both made with high grade PVC for long term exposure to UVc, the sun and rain or moisture. Both have very easily replaceable service parts with professional warranties on the units. Many UVs are marketed as sterilizers when they can only clarify and have 1-3 year lifespans. These professional units last 10years plus and have replaceable parts.

So, both have new technology, but here’s where the two lines differ at this point. Evolution Aqua has not released their Titanium model to the US market yet for the aquarium or pond market. TMC has only the aquarium UVs, but not their pond. As I said before, TMC and EvoAqua both have a marketed pond line of clarifiers and an aquarium line of sterilizers. The difference is that the aquarium units have even more narrow chambers for slower flows, smaller bodies of water for max zap power. The pond line has a bit bigger chamber for higher flows larger application. Due to the professional build of both clarification and sterilization can be set up for the correct applications for both the clarifiers and sterilizers.

So, TMC has the new Titanium tech aquarium sterilizers in the US, with the old pond line. Though there's talk of the new Titanium pond line coming to the US. And there's only the pond line without the Titanium tech from EvoUV where the flow rates have to be adjusted a little compared to the aquarium line. There has not been any talk of bringing the EvoUV aquarium line or the Titanium to the US yet. This comes down to demand, as the electrical rating in the UK is 220v and the US 110v and all units have to be set up correctly for the electrical.

I should mention, that even before the Titanium upgrade was made to the UVs, these designs of UV clarifier sterilizers could achieve the highest level of sterilization for max benefit aquatic water can benefit from. Level 2 sterilization. So, if you’re looking for UV benefits it’s already here. It’s the new oxidizing hydroxyl is what the hobby can decide if they want to explore with their tank.

Only other thing I can think of that may be silly is manufacture packaging. The EvoUV comes with the quartz sleeve and lamp packed sperate in the box. TMC comes all installed. The plug and play of the TMC is very nice, with some assembly required for the EvoUV, but will insure the sterilizer and parts don't damage in transport.

That's all for now, but we'll provide updates as the industry and hobby continues to change. Since there hasn't been much change in UVc for some time and people thinking UVc LEDs were going to be the next step of innovation we thought it was worth sharing about these two aquatic manufacturer leaders.

TMC and EvoUV Product Resource

UV Sterilizer Questions/Myths Answered for Pond & Reef Aquarium

 

Updated 4-6-19

More UV Sterilizer Questions/Myths Answered

In this post I will answer two questions (or possibly “myths”) about the use of UV Sterilizer in Aquariums and Ponds based on email and phone questions I often get.

The questions are:

• Filter placement in relation to UV Sterilizer in ponds.
• Danger of UV Sterilizers to copepods in reef aquariums.

Another article on sterilization in ponds:
Pond Care Information

---

ADVERTISEMENT:

---

(1) Question: Is the UV best placed after or before a filter in a pond?

This question is myth based as there are valid reasons for both applications.
However based on my own use and controlled tests using UV Sterilizers with filters before, after, or not at all, the answer of using the UV Sterilizer after the filter is the better choice.

Let me explain further; when a UV Sterilizer/Clarifier is placed BEFORE a pond filter with no pre-filtration, you do catch “clumped” algae coming from the UV Sterilizer.
This is even more noteworthy when a UV is run a flow rate over 30-35 gph per watt as this higher flow rate will generally not kill algae outright, rather “clump” the algae where it will be expelled from the UV Sterilizer into the pond water column.
Otherwise, this "clumped algae" then it either falls to the bottom of the pond becoming part of the organic mulm/detritus and/or may be picked up by any existing pond pump and filter and removed.

This is the ONLY reason to place a filter after a UV Sterilizer in pond applications.

With previous paragraph in mind, the generally better way to utilize a filter with a UV Sterilizer is to place the filter prior to the UV Sterilizer.
The reason is that turbidity in the water will lower UV Sterilizer effectiveness, and sometimes (based on my tests) to levels that render the UV Sterilizer ineffective.
This often results in the misinformed comment that UV Sterilizers do not work (based on emails and phone calls).

Pre-filtering the water prior to entering the Ultraviolet Sterilizer improves the function of UV Sterilizer by trapping larger particulates, thus allowing more of the UVC irradiation to reach the algae that is causing green water (this also improves destruction of disease pathogens at lower flow rates in both aquariums and ponds).

The other reason for pre-filtration of pond water is I have often have had success in initial clarification of pond water with no pre-filtration, but over time (& sometimes only a few weeks), sludge will build up in the UV Sterilizer.
Often this sludge builds up in recesses around the UV Bulb or quartz sleeve, rendering the UV Sterilizer/Clarifier useless.
This does not mean that pre-filtration does not prevent sludge from building, as it does not, but it most definitely slows down the accumulation of sludge, as well the time it takes to buildup sludge in your pond UV Sterilizer depends on water turbidity, algae, bio load and obviously the quality of your pre-filter.

Where to get:
UV Bulbs; Premium High Efficiency (not the low output UV lamps commonly sold on Amazon or eBay)
Quartz Sleeves
Pond UV Sterilizers

I should note that having both a pre-filter and a post filter (such as a DIY Bio falls or similar filter that fits into the water return prior to re-entering the pond) would be an excellent combination.

(2) Question: Will a UV Sterilizer kill off my beneficial copepod & other crustaceans colonies in my reef tank?

Although not as common a question as the previous question, it still crops up from time to time and I have much harder time understanding why otherwise quite advanced reef keeper fall for what amounts to a UV Sterilizer myth.

As well, my controlled studies admittedly did not include exact counts of copepods with different levels of UV Sterilization, it did show that copepod colonies when properly established never diminished with UV Sterilizer use in reef tanks.
Study Reference:UV Sterilization Studies

There is simple explanation for this result; that is most copepods do not occupy the water column in a healthy colony.

What is a healthy colony?
This is a matter of opinion or experience, but from my perspective a healthy colony is “housed” in large piles of live rock crumbles where many fish such as Mandarin Gobies will seek them out.
As well if you are using a Refugium and want to be certain that all of the copepods/ crustaceans that spill out into the aquarium are not killed, then be sure your UV is on its own filter/pump and not returning water to the aquarium using the same return line as the Refugium.
Finally whenever you dose your aquarium with certain live products such as live planktonic algae or infusoria, you should turn off the UV sterilizer or use a timer that is tied to certain cycles or automatic dosing.

My final comment to this amounts to another aquarium keeping myth.
That is I have had clients/customers that have stood by this myth describe or show me their filter system and I have seen (or had them describe) several of these filter systems that employ micron filters (such as the Ocean Clear) that can easily trap copepods in their micron filters much more effectively than a UV Sterilizer can kill copepods.
In particular adult copepods for which a UV Sterilizer would have to run well under 10 gph per watt to have any chance of destroying any “pods” that get caught in the sterilizer.

As well pre-filtration which should be used in any UV Sterilizer application will trap most adult copepods from entering the Sterilizer.
What makes me laugh here is that these same aquarists often had healthy copepod colonies with the use of these Micron Filters.
I would explain to them that if these filters did not destroy their “pod” colonies, a UV Sterilizer would not either!
I should note that I am not against the use of these micron filters; in fact I think are excellent compliments to other aquarium filters, live rock, and healthy deep sand beds.

Please see this article for more about UV Sterilization and how it works:

UV Sterilization

Recommended Reading:

Common Aquarium Keeping Myths