Turbo Twist, LifeGuard UV Sterilizer Review

 

Updated 6/22/2023

The Coralife TurboTwist 3x, 6x, & 12x are very popular compact UV Sterilizer for aquarium or pond use.

Initial results using the Turbo Twist are comparable to other compact UVs that utilize HO UVC lamps (which most no longer utilizer HO lamps), and are usually good from my experience as well as other aquarium maintenance professionals I know.

However is is important to note that NO compact UV whether the 'Category B' TurboTwist, the slightly better AAP/SunSun Terminator or Tetra, or the lessor 'Category C' Jebo can compare to a high dwell time straight tube UV such as the AAP/TMC Vecton UV (or especially the newer Vecton Titan UV Sterilizer), as well as the 'Category A' Aqua Ultraviolet or Emperor.
The Turbo Twist is simply not even in the same league and to be compared with a Category A UV, in particular the industry leading Vecton Titan is absurd.
Yet even search engines, especially Bing's terrible AI Chat Bot search, continues to make this mistake since many searches utilize social media rather than authoritative, experience based websites such as this one!!

While the Turbo Twist does employ HO UVC lamps as does the now unfortunately discontinued AAP Terminator, unlike the Jebo and other even lower quality Compact UV Sterilizers, but this is still not enough to make up for the poor dwell time compared to better level 1 & 2 capable 'Category A' UVs such as the Vecton (which also employ HO UVC lamps).

For more about UV Sterilizer Categories, please read this article:
Aquarium & Pond UV Sterilizer Use; What is a Quality UV

While often promoted and given reasonably good marks in websites such as Amazon, long term and actual results are not as good as often inaccurately stated in these NON professional reviews displayed on Amazon which are generally based on initial use and clarification only (which is all a 'Category C' UV which have now flooded the market are), NOT level one sterilization or higher!!

One problem that is rarely noted in these Amazon reviews is the fact one of the selling points is also more of a gimmick and that is the baffles.
These Baffles do NOT maintain a consistent/effective distance from the UV lamp/Quartz Sleeve at all times. As well these baffles can trap air which then impedes the optimum flow and sterilization time of these UV Sterilizers.
Sometimes repositioning the Turbo Twist can help with air trapped, but often you simply need to accept this trapped air and lower your flow rate to 20 gph per watt or less just to maintain level 1 sterilization.
Unfortunately many unprofessional YouTube videos further the urban myth of the effectiveness of these baffles, then poor search engines pick up these myths and treat them like facts, resulting in these myths growing even more like a cancer.
Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PqPVMrO97k

The other unfortunate problem of the myth of the Turbo Twist being anything other than a most basic UV Clarifier, is that while many will rave about how the Turbo Twist UV initially cleared their cloudy or green aquarium, many persons will also state after using these particular UVs that this is all any UV is good for.
This UV is one that has influenced many a comment by persons I have read or dealt with in emails, etc. with little understanding of aquarium or pond UV Sterilization that all a UV is good for is clarification, but not disease control or improved Redox. The facts are, one cannot purchase this UV and then use it as a model of what a true high dwell time UV can accomplish!!!

References:
Aquarium or Pond UV Sterilization; Facts & Information
UV Sterilizers Gimmicks; 'Turbo' Twists, Baffles Wipers

A couple of problems that often show themselves after 6-12 months are leakage due to poor build and worse a VERY high electronic ballast failure.
See my other review about this problem:

Weak or Poor Quality Ballasts; UV Sterilizer Review

Another issue no Compact UV can compare on is dwell time.
In a controlled test from:
A controlled dwell time experiment

Also Read UV Sterilization, Facts & Information

Here is a quote (courtesy the above website, please read the referenced article for more):
A controlled experiment between a Terminator 13 Watt UV Sterilizer (which is one of the best if not the best compact UV Sterilizer design as per water contact design) VERSUS a TMC Vecton 8 Watt "High Dwell Time" UV tells the story of UVC Dwell Time:

Using a Rio 600 (200 gph), with 2 feet of 5/8" ID tubing; the dwell time inside the Vecton was 2.6 seconds, while the Terminator was 3 seconds.
It is important to note that the Terminator holds DOUBLE the water volume at 20 oz. water (meaning a less efficient design with more water not within the optimal .3 cm exposure zone) versus 10 oz. of water for the 8 Watt Vecton. Keep in mind that the Terminator is one of the best designed Compact UVs, as it is noteworthy that the Turbo Twist has an even higher water volume due to even less efficient water contact design.
The result is 6.66 ounces of water per second is exposed to UVC irradiation for the 13 Watt Terminator while 3.84 ounces of water per second is exposed to UVC irradiation for the 8 Watt Vecton. MORE IMPORTANTLY the results are 1.95 watts of UVC energy per second for the Terminator 13 watt versus 2.08 watts of UVC energy per second for the 8 Watt Vecton/

Now consider that the TurboTwist 3x actually has a flow pattern that has less water within the correct distance of UV Lamp from UV Sterilizer containment 'wall' when compared to the Terminator used in this test.
See: UV Sterilizer, Basic Factors for Sterilization

So my question is; WHY spend often as much money for the vastly over-priced TurboTwist with a lower quality Chinese build versus the European designed High Dwell Time TMC Vecton 8 thru 25 Watt??
Now with the advanced Vecton Titan UV available from AAP (American Aquarium Products), there is simply no excuse to purchase a lessor Category B model such as the Turbo Twist.

Based on my use and others, this is a no brainer, especially after one aquarium maintenance friend in particular purchased several Turbo Twist 3x UV Sterilizers and after a a year, he had to replace all of them and he noted that the observed actual sterilization results were much better when replaced with the TMC Titan Vecton UV Sterilizers/Clarifiers

The bottom line is, the Turbo Twist in my experience & research is the most over priced UV Sterilizer on the market for what it can do and its longevity of build (a lifespan of about 1/5 that of a Vecton or Aqua Ultraviolet), so please do not fall for the hype, YouTube Video, misguided forum, or Amazon reviews for what basically should be a $50 or less UV Clarifier.

A resource for these AAP Titan UVs:
*TMC Vecton UV Sterilizers/Clarifiers

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EDITORIAL

There is a newer website that the search engines love (in particular Bing) that claims to be a real science based website that has knocked the TMC Vectons, and worse, the author of many articles on the internet, including on the AAP website of which he was the founder.
This website is aquariumscience.org, which does seem to have some good researched information, but from what I and others can tell, certainly not the practical professional experience of many such as Carl Strohmeyer whom has questioned his motives.
What is sad, as even though much of what Mr. Strohmeyer has been through is not in the public domain, there is enough on the AAP website and his own personal bio sties for anyone who reads this to question his integrity and experience is total BS. Personally I know him quite well, and the facts are this many has given up a considerable amount to help others and his family, so this makes this aquariumscience.org charges all the more disgusting. Throw in the plagiarism of copyright content, and misinformation about the AAP/TMC UVs and his attacks on Mr. Strohmeyer's work into Redox, which came only as to considerable professional experience demanded a different answer to the results he was getting than the standard scientific fare of the day, and my opinion is to please avoid this website.

The facts are that the TMC line of UV Sterilizers are by far NOT the most expensive (this honor goes to the Aqua Ultraviolet line, which are good, but when everything is factored in, not as good as the AAP?TMC line).
What people in the industry with hands on experience know (not social media influencers), is that not only does this line of UV Sterilizer perform better, but just as importantly, lasts well over a decade with easily availability of parts, unlike the vast majority of UVs that might be 1/3 the price, but only last 1/5 the time producing 50% of the results (based on REAL experience, which it is clear that aquariumscience.org has NEVER even used a single one of these UVs).

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The 'Category B' LifeGuard 15 Watt is an example of another somewhat lessor known UV Sterilizer.
I have used these UV Sterilizers going back to 1978.

The build quality is good (comparable to the TMC UV Sterilizer), as well the dwell time is very good, however the flow pattern is not as good as the TMC Vecton & Advantage, or the Emperor and Aqua UV.
I also have found these UVs somewhat over priced for what you get, although the price has come down to be more comparable to the slightly more superior TMC Vecton 15 Watt.

My summary of the Lifeguard is while it is still inferior to the TMC, Aqua, & Emperor; it is still an excellent UV Sterilizer and far superior to the Turbo Twist and other Compact UVs.

By Steve copyright 2023