EHEIM reeflex UV 500

The EHEIM reeflex UV uses a built-in reflector to significantly boost microorganism-killing UV-C radiation compared to conventional sterilizers.

EHEIM reeflex UV reduces microorganisms in the water and eliminates turbidity more efficiently than ever before.  

reeflexUV is yet another typical innovation from EHEIM: due to a built-in reflector the microorganism killing UV-C radiation is significantly increased and whereas in conventional UV-sterilizers the water is directed via detours past the UV-C burner, in the  EHEIM reeflexUV water it takes the direct route. There is no loss of performance, you need less energy and the level of effectiveness is 1.8 times greater.

reeflexUV should only be used in conjunction with the filter, in order to reduce small organisms (microorganisms, algae spores etc.) in the aquarium.

Special technology for clean water and healthy fish 

In a UV-sterilizer, the aquarium water is directed as a thin film past a UV-C lamp (burner). The UV-C radiation penetrates the water and kills off microorganisms, algae spores and other small organisms.

Using conventional technology the water is only irradiated on one side. EHEIM on the other hand has built in a reflector, via which the reflected radiation penetrates the water from more sides. Thus reeflexUV achieves a significantly higher performance level.

Furthermore, the EHEIM reeflex UV doesn’t have a complicated water flow system. The water is not redirected and flows around the burner without detours. So there is no loss of performance.

The AUTO OFF ensures an optimum level of safety. Since UV-C radiation can cause damage to skin and eyes, reeflexUV switches off immediately when the device is opened.

What you should also know:

Compared to normal waters the bacterial count in an aquarium is relatively high due to the small amount of water. It is worth reducing this and bringing it back to a normal level. However, the aquarium water should never be completely bacteria free.

Only floating bacteria in the water are captured by the UV-sterilizer. Colonized cleaning bacteria in the filter (compare biological filtration) and bacteria in the gravel substrate are spared.

Torpidity in the water, caused by bacteria or floating algae, is removed very efficiently by the UV-sterilization. Basically algae growth is curbed, because the spores are killed off.

UV-sterilizers generally ensure healthier fish, because the risk of infection is reduced. A UV-sterilizer is especially recommended for breeding tanks, because dangerous pathogens colonize on eggs or infect young livestock, which don’t yet possess enough power of resistance.

UV-sterilization in general doesn’t cause any kind of changes to the water values.

Compatibility

Flow rate is the specification that matters, and there are two of them. How fast the water goes past the lamp decides how much UV dose it receives, so EHEIM publish two ceilings for each model. For the reeflexUV 500: up to 400 litres an hour if the job is reducing bacteria and parasites in their infectious stages, and up to 800 litres an hour if the job is clearing green water and bacterial cloudiness. Exceed the lower figure and the unit is still clearing turbidity but is no longer doing the harder job.

Tank size: EHEIM place the 500 at roughly 300 to 500 litres.

Plumbing: hose connections for both ø12/16 mm and ø16/22 mm are in the box, so it will splice into either of the two common EHEIM canister sizes. Maximum working pressure 0.8 bar at 50 Hz. Lamp power 9 W.

It needs a pump or filter to feed it. EHEIM state that reeflexUV should be used only in conjunction with a filter — it is an in-line device with no pump of its own.

On fresh versus marine, EHEIM contradict themselves. The specification table for the reeflexUV lists it as a freshwater unit. The manual's application section opens by approving it for cleaning aquarium water in fresh and salt water aquariums, and then, four lines later, lists salt water among the things that must not be conveyed through it. Those are both EHEIM's own words in one document. We are not going to pick a side on their behalf — if this is for a marine system, ask us first and we will get it confirmed.

Safety & Precautions

Never run the lamp outside its housing, and never look at it. UV-C damages skin and eyes at doses far below what you would notice at the time. EHEIM's AUTO OFF cuts the lamp the moment the unit is opened, which is a good safety net and not a reason to test it. The tube also contains mercury: handle it as breakable, hold it with a cloth rather than bare fingers, and do not run it if the glass is damaged.

Never run it dry. The water flowing through the unit is what cools the lamp. EHEIM list ‘never operate without a water flow’ among the limitations, and a UV steriliser left powered on a stopped filter is being destroyed.

Replace the lamp at about 8,000 hours — roughly a year of continuous running. EHEIM are explicit that the UV-C output falls away sharply past that point, and it does so long before the lamp stops lighting up. A lamp that still glows is not evidence that it is still sterilising. Clean the quartz sleeve at the same time; a mineral film on the glass costs you output just as effectively as an old tube does.

Indoors, and not above 35 °C. EHEIM approve this unit for indoor aquarium use only, with a maximum water temperature of 35 °C. It must never be run without water flowing through it, and it must not be used to move anything other than aquarium water — not drinking water, not foodstuffs, and nothing corrosive, flammable or aggressive.

Put it on an earth-leakage breaker. EHEIM specify a residual current device rated at no more than 30 mA for this appliance. If your tank circuit does not have one, that is the single cheapest safety improvement you can make to a room with water and mains electricity in it.

Leave a drip loop. Run the cable so it dips below the level of the socket before it rises to it. Water that tracks along a cable stops at the bottom of the loop and drips off instead of running into the outlet. EHEIM print this instruction with a diagram in every manual in the range, which tells you how often it is ignored.

The mains cable cannot be replaced. EHEIM mould it into the unit. Their instruction is unambiguous: if the cable is damaged the appliance must be scrapped, not repaired and not re-terminated. Check the lead and plug before each use, and keep the cable away from heat, oil and sharp edges.

Unplug everything in the tank before you put your hands in it. EHEIM's wording is to disconnect all devices in the aquarium from the power supply before installing or removing any part and before any cleaning or maintenance — not just the one you are working on.

Repairs go back to EHEIM. Their instruction is that repairs are carried out by an EHEIM service centre only, that you carry out only the work described in the manual, that you never modify the appliance, and that you fit only original EHEIM spare parts. Talk to us first — most faults in this range are a single wear part, and we would rather send you the part than the unit go anywhere.

Packaging and small parts are a choking hazard. Keep them away from children and animals. EHEIM rate the appliance as usable by children from three years old under supervision; cleaning and user maintenance are not jobs for children unless an adult is supervising.

If water leaks or the breaker trips, cut the power to the whole tank immediately. EHEIM also require the electrical installation to meet national wiring regulations — this is a mains device in a wet cabinet.

What's in the Box

• Aluminium casing with the casing cover and 2 M5 × 10 cross-head screws
• UV-C lamp, packed separately so it does not break in transit
• Lamp fitting
• Ballast with mains cable
• Screw sleeves and union nuts
• 2 hose connections ø12/16 mm and 2 hose connections ø16/22 mm
• Mounting holder with 4 fastening screws

Fit the lamp before first use. EHEIM ship it out of the unit deliberately, to stop it breaking in transit. Undo the two cross-head screws, lift the cover, pull the fitting out, click the lamp into the fitting, press the assembly back down and screw the cover on. Do not touch the glass with bare fingers — use a cloth.

There is a glass function-control window in the housing. It lights blue when the lamp is running, which is the only way to tell from outside that a sealed UV unit is working.

That list is EHEIM's own component overview from the operation manual for this type number, which is the closest thing they publish to a packing list. If something is missing from the carton, tell us within the 7-day return window and we will sort it out.

Warranty & Support

This product carries a 3-year manufacturer warranty from the date of purchase, covering material and manufacturing defects. EHEIM excludes wear parts — impeller, sealing rings, hoses and filter media — along with glass damage, units that have been opened, and any unit fitted with non-EHEIM parts.

Warranty support is handled by us directly. Message our WhatsApp support with your order number and we will diagnose the fault first — most cases are solved by replacing a single part, so you rarely need to send the whole unit. If the item does need to come back, it ships to our Delhi or Pune warehouse, whichever one served your order, and courier cost in both directions is borne by the customer. Your GST invoice is valid proof of purchase for the claim.

Returns & Replacement

Returns are accepted within 7 days of delivery, provided the item is unused and in its original packaging. Manufacturer-sealed items cannot be returned once the seal is broken, and sale-priced items are not refundable.

If your item arrives defective or damaged, message us on WhatsApp with your order number — or email us, if you would rather — and we will replace it. Approved replacements are delivered within 3 to 5 business days. Transit damage is covered by insurance on every shipment. If tracking shows delivered but nothing reached you, tell us within 72 hours, which is the reporting window Indian couriers allow. Damage caused during installation or use is not covered; replacement spares for such cases are chargeable.

Full terms are on our Cancellation & Returns page.