Cheap Pondmaster 02940 40-Watt Ultra Violet Light Pond Water Clarifier

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List Price: $300.00
Sale Price: $175.95
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I have medium sized decorative pond that gets harsh western sun from about noon until sunset. Ironically, the algae got worse in winter. Visibility in the pond was down to about 1 inch. It was positively disgusting and it stank.

2 week after putting the Pondmaster UV filter into the pond, the water was clear as crystal.

However, as the manufacturer indicates, "filter" isn't the proper terminology. It's a sterilizer. It doesn't eliminate the need for a normal bio filter. This kills the algae and other parasites so the bio filter can remove them from the water. If you have a particularly green pond (as I did) clear the filter pads weekly until you've regained control over the algae.

Again, note that the UV system addresses free algae not the string algae that grows on the sides. It's basic logic if the algae is stuck to the side, then it can't pass through the steriliser to be killed.

Change your filter pads regularly until you've gotten past the 2-3 week period when you're waiting for the pea soup to vanish. All that dead algae needs to be removed. Make sure you get any old leaves out too that will speed things up.

If you don't see results, make sure you have the right wattage, and also adjust the pump to ensure the water isn't moving to fast. Algae cells need about 1-2 full seconds exposure to the lamp to break the cell membrane and kill them.

Bottom line it does PRECISELY what it says.

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My UV clarifier is probably 10 or 11 months old and it's already dead. The bulb burned out about 6 weeks ago, well short of its 1 year expected life, and was replaced. Last weekend I noticed the light was dead. I replaced the $80 bulb, plugged it back in, and nothing. The UV clarifier is dead. Typical. Can't anyone many anything that actually works anymore?

It's also annoying that the input and output tubes have such a tiny diameter. I think they went out of their way to find a size that was difficult to convert to more standard sized tubes.

EDIT: I was very mad when I wrote the above. The next day I contacted Pondmaster to complain, but they quickly began to resolve my problem. They sent out a new ballast which arrived in a few days and a complimentary bulb. The new ballast works fine. They made this process extremely easy for me and they didn't need to. This was an example of how a company can turn a bad situation into a favorable one because after this experience I wouldn't think twice about purchasing another Pondmaster product.

I have the product a 1 because it broke when it shouldn't have, but after seeing their customer service in action I'd like to change it to a 4 but I can't. I won't change it to a 5 because I still find the UV's tiny in/out pipes annoying ;)

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I have used the 40 watt Pondmaster units for several years. Generally they do an excellent job of clarifying the water. Three units keep my 6000 gallon pond very clear. However, the ballast is subject to damage because the gasket around the quartz sleeve pushes into a pressure switch at the base of the unit. After using the unit for a few years, the gasket becomes distorted, lets water into the electical fixture, allowing the ballast to burn out. A replacement ballast costs over $100 and is difficult to find. I have a collection of four or five burned out ballasts that can't be repaired. Since bulbs last about two seasons, it generally costs about the same amount to buy a new unit as it does to replace all of the parts (ballast, quartz sleeve, and bulb). Hopefully this is not a deliberate strategy by the company to sell replacemente units, but one has to wonder.

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I rarely write a review, but wanted to say a few words that might help anyone thinking about buying this product. The water in my pond looked like pea soup. I did partial water changes and cleaned the filter twice a day, nothing seemed to help. Finally I bought this, although I was kind of a skeptic. The first few days I didn't think it was doing anything, but as the days went by it got better and better. After a couple of weeks the water was crystal clear. Amazing!

The clarifier does NOT come with attachments to connect it into the pump and into the filter. We took it to the hardware store to figure out what parts we needed to connect it all, so be prepared!!

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I am well into year 2 of my new pond, I have a 15,000 gal. Koi pond and utilize 4 of the 40 watt units. My pond water has gone from green to pretty clear.

I had a problem within weeks of installation, with one of the 4 units. I also was ready to give a poor rating on this product for bad customer service ..... but after several e-mails to Susan(SusanM@DannerMfg.com), she was able to rectify my problem with a defective ballast and is sending me a new one, along with a new quartz sleeve and a new bulb. (would have been easy if I had only had kept my reciept word to the wise Keep your reciept).

I would recommend this product again Patience please if you have problems with your unit. Susan just needed proof of purchase and date bought to allow her to make everything right (so it falls within the one year warranty). Business is business and I purchased it knowing it was a one year warranty. If there is a defect, I am confident the company will make good.

** However, I would like to see a modification to allow cleaning of the glass sleeve to be a bit easier.

PS This spring I added more 40 watt units to my large Savio skimmer/filters. This seems to be the final touch my water needed. Now I can easily see the small stones at the bottom of my 5 1/2 ft deep pond.

* I strongly agree with the previous fellow, Clean your filters daily (2X a day if needed until your water clears up), your UV lights won't work properly if its full of dirty water. If you don't have bio-filters, GET ONE (or two), they make a big difference and complete the natural filtration/cleaning process (savio makes a nice one).