Opinions on UV sterilizers?

[willewonka]

I just purchased a new (used) tank and as part of the deal a 18W UV sterilizer was added to sweeten it up. Should I buy a pump to run it or is that a waste of $.

 

[madreef_7K]

you could put a T in your return line and hookup the UV.

 

[celano]

If you have a pump laying around then I'd say go for it. It doesn't take much flow to be effective. Actually the lower the flow the better. Something like a Maxijet would work good and they're pretty cheap so buying one wont break the bank.

 

[greenbean36191]

I wouldn't bother hooking it up. They're essentially useless for most uses on recirculating systems and need lots of maintenance to work optimally.

 

[willewonka]

So still confused? Most of the threads are about hooking it up, and one says don't bother? I think I still need a few more opinions on if they're useful or not.

 

[snommisbor]

I have one and my tank is clear and I think if you have one use it. They do work.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Whether to use it depends on your husbandry practices. I've never thought to use one since I do not have disease problems, and so I do not think it useful for my system.

It would be a bad idea with certain ways of reducing nutrients by driving bacterial growth through carbon sources, since you are growing and then killing them with the UV.

If you keep very disease prone fish, like seahorses, it might be more useful than otherwise.

If what you want is clear (nonyellowed) water, then ozone is far more effective. UV doesn't remove organics from the water, but it will kill suspended green algae, if that is clouding or "greening" your water.

 

[willewonka]

Anything I can do to prevent algae from growing sounds good to me. These are a low energy add on too, which is also something I like.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It does nothing to prevent algae growing on rocks or glass.

 

[bonerfortuna]

Forgive my ignorance in this company ( RHF and greenbean) but arent they designed for FOWLR's and such that dont want the benefits of mysis and pods and other beneficial micro organism's?I have one sitting around but never considered using it on my reef just for that reason. Comments ? Thanks

 

[willewonka]

Wasn't even aware of this question. Up until now, I've only had a FOWLR, but am intererested in starting a reef.

 

[m2434]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11973243#post11973243 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bonerfortuna
Forgive my ignorance in this company ( RHF and greenbean) but arent they designed for FOWLR's and such that dont want the benefits of mysis and pods and other beneficial micro organism's?I have one sitting around but never considered using it on my reef just for that reason. Comments ? Thanks

Well the argument for them is that they kill stuff. The arguments against them are that either they don't kill enough stuff or they kill too much stuff.

Hard to say really, I doubt they kill too much stuff at the wattages used in the hobby, but then the result would seem to be that they don't kill enough, so why bother...

If they do kill enough, then they are probably killing stuff you really want as well, but I think this is unlikely to be the case.

 

[PorscheReef]

I have one I love it, never had a ill fish and never any algea problems and waters is always clear so if you have one might as well use it

 

[aggie4231]

I would like to pose a question to those that use them and say there water is clear and no algae problems.

What are your husbandry skills? How often and how much of a water change do you perform? Do you carbon and skimmers? What sort of fish do you have in your tank?

 

[01saleen]

I used one for a long time and was very happy with it, it does kill a lot of algae, and parasites, always a good tool to have, My oppion, if you have one I would use it.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

You have it already, you just need a small pump. I would do it.

 

[suasponte2/75]

I had a 40W Aqua UV (w/ the wiper to improve efficiency) on my 180G and used it over a 1 year. I did not see a significant difference (even when the bulbs were new) when I unhooked it for maintenance this year and decided to keep it off to see any effects. After a month, I decided that I didn't need it, started dosing vodka again and my algae growth on the glass slowed down dramatically. It used to require a good cleaning of the glass every 1-2 days, now it's more like weekly. My skimmer also was pulling more gunk out (I believe from the dead? bacteria eating up the algae). This routine has worked out better for me as far as algae control.

For diseases, I'm not so sure I'm sold on that. I still got ick outbreaks from time to time the first year with my new tangs but I think good husbandry (diet, stable conditions, etc.) made them immune after a while. This was also the case on my old 60G when I didn't have any UV. I dosed vodka in that as well with great success regarding algae control.

HTHs,

Minh

 

[Ismellikefish]

vodka as in the alchohal drink???

 

[willewonka]

Vodka? Please elaborate. I haven't heard this one.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Vodka? Please elaborate. I haven't heard this one.

Here's a long thread on dosing vodka or other carbon sources to drive bacterial growth, and that growth consumes nutrients:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1260492