hospital tank or uv sterilizer???

[ASaleem91]

im planning to setup a hospital tank but ppl are telling me that its worthless and just to get a uv sterilizer. i dont exactly understand what it does. can u guys explain? and which one would u get??

 

[SeanT]

Think of it like this.
One of the reasons an UV is implemented to prevent outbreaks of diseases such as ICH.
The hospital tank is where you would put a fish with diseases like ICH to treat it.

I would get both.

The hospital tank doesn't need to be setup until needed, something like a little 20 gallon tank tucked away in case of emergency's.

hth,
Sean

 

[AllenFord_SC]

Like Sean said get both. The UV sterilizer is great for two purposes. Treating disease with low flow running through it, and clarifying water with high flow going through. Here are two great articles to read:
Quarantine:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-02/atj/feature/index.php
UV Sterilizers:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=0&siteid=6&acatid=423&aid=440

 

[MiddletonMark]

IMO, UV is like a daily vitamin. Helps keep problems at bay.

But when sick, I don't take extra vitamins, I go to the hospital.

IMO, best to follow this practice for human and fish. If your fish has Ich, treat it in the hospital tank. If not, maybe UV is useful, maybe it's unnecessary - but probably not the best treatment method for a sick fish.

My take on it.

 

[cjvolitan]

hospital tanks are the best bet allows u to quarntine the fish invert wahteva make shure it is healthy and feeding well before u add it to your tank. I my mind quantine tanks are invaluable because wqho wants to risk all their captives to some sickness or whole tank wipout.
Uv i tihnk are also good they can beused in conjuction to a quataine tank to keep pathogens at bay i also think they can zap algea spore but im not too shure about that.