You said it yourself. Why would you even consider trying the same failure again?? I stopped using a UV when I put in the Skippy and the veggie filters. Don't need one any longer. Mine was a 55 watt Laguna. Never had any problem with it.Glenda

I don't know anything about UVs except that they are expensive and I don't need one but I do know that magnetic drive pumps are much more energy efficient.

Check AZ pond's web site. they sell a UV that goes in the Savio. Its made by emperor aquatics. I have two of them....never had a problem yet. this is the 3rd year running them.

I "second' what ccombs said. We have a compact Savio skimmer and purchased the UV retrofit "kit" made by emperor from AZ Ponds. (The compact Savio takes just one bulb.) It is also in its third year and doing fine - - - we turn it on for @ a month every summer.

I wish I had read the responses before I left last night! I ended up getting an external unit and small motor, but I don't think I'm going to like seeing tubes going in and out of the pond. I looked up AZ Ponds and, naturally, they're having a sale and free shipping going on! Their price is a little more than half what the Savio or the external unit and motor cost.

I have to admit to being hesitant to try another unit similar to the Savio. I've had such bad luck with that design and returning stuff via snail-mail is such a pain. Does it really work OK?

I can tell you that I have two Savio UV lights (57 watts each) in my Savio skimmerfilter and they have never done the job for me. They are advertised by Savio as being the size needed for my pond and are the largest they sell but just do not keep it algae free. I just bought a new UV from a fellow threader (150 watt) and we will see if it cleans up the problem. I have to tell you I have given this some thought and my pea size brain tells me that it just makes sense when you stop and think about the difference in UV's and how they operate. The Savio filter type sits in the skimmer next to the skimmer basket and is mounted vertically. The one I bought is in line and sits horizontally. Now with that in mind I pictured a match stick floating in the water and then passing by the vertically mounted Savio UV's. It would pass by it in a fraction of a second. That same match stick would have to float the entire length of the horizontally installed UV (almost 6 feet) taking a lot more time. Which would be affected by the UV light more? Naturally the horizontal so it just makes good sense which one would work best. At least that is, to my pea brains way of thinking. I will let everyone know for sure after my sons and I install the new one and it has had a chance to work.

Here is a link that might be useful: My pond the way it was before the freeze.

I purchased 2 18watt stand alone generic UVs at Lowes this summer for $50 each. I have the mid sized savio skimmer but heard some bad rap that water can pass to quick over the light and not zap anything also the cost for the lamp kit was a lot.

My free standing units leaked at about 2weeks blowing my gfci and killing the pump for a few un-noticed hours. Didnt loose anything but pull the UVs out and opened them up. Water seems to have leaked from loose internal screws on the glass tube seal. I tighten and close up the unit with silicone to keep any rain water out. Since then I have only 1 on a 1200 gallon pond working perfectly and the other is a standby. I didnt have any algae blooms since installed tho I have a lot coating my liner and plants. Cant seem to get rid of it. I also put a quart of hydrogen peroxide about once a week into the water to help block any other algae from taking hold.

Umm, not sure how basic to go here.

UVCs require X amount of Light Photons to kill the Algae. That time is deteremined by the PUMP, or your valves, not by the design of the UVC unit.

Leaks and short bulb life are not determined by the deisgn of the unit (WELL, the leaks could be, but you get my drift).

Algae is not Algae. Pea soup Algae, can be killed by the UVC. NO OTHER ALGAE will be affected by the UVC. String Algae will NOT be affected by a UVC. NEVER.... And mostly the string algae will be fed by the dead Pea Soup.

And the Carpet Algae will help solve all the other problems. Never scrub the algae off of the rocks, otherwise you are asking for Pea Soup. And never scrub the liner. Sorry Michael, but if you manage to get rid of the Algae on the liner and plants, you will have such Pea Soup, that you could sell it in a Cafe.

I should stop now

Greg

Savio had a problem with the bulb socket back in the beginning. They offered a retrofit kit (around 2008) that would allow use with a bulb that had a twist lock pin configuration. The old socket was used on the straight pin bulbs (straight pin bulbs are till available however) This solved the short life problem as the contact was secure with the new twist lock socket and bulb. I found them at a great price at a company called www.TotalBulkLighting.com looks like they usually sell in bulk but offer the Savio bulbs in single prices at the best price I have ever seen. The twist lock bulb has never given me any problems once I made the change.

Here is a link that might be useful: Savio Bulbs

Go to Underwater Warehouse and look for the Emperor Original Retrofit for pre or post 2007 Skimmer filters It is an upgrade from the savioUV system. It works well. I've been using it for three years.. No troubles