UV Light w/ Power Head

[gjustinj]

Hi Guys

While at the fish store today they mentioned that I might want to consider a UV light for my 125 gallon tank. Does anyone have any experience or know how on this? They had 9 Watt's int he store and said it would be perfect for a 125 G and that a submersible power head would be needed to run it.

Here are the products:

Coralife Turbo-Twist Ultraviolet Sterilizer 9 Watt
Marineland Penguin Submersible Power Head 550

Thoughts?

 

[elbowdeep29]

Some people swear by it. Others never use them. I have had saltwater tanks now for 10yrs and never used them with no issues. How ever I have heard they do good and bad for your water as in killing things your tank needs and at the same time hear they do great at keeping g algae at bay and ick is no longer a issue but just do some reading and decided if it is what your tank needs. Don't just get it cause a lfs told you to��

 

[gjustinj]

Some people swear by it. Others never use them. I have had saltwater tanks now for 10yrs and never used them with no issues. How ever I have heard they do good and bad for your water as in killing things your tank needs and at the same time hear they do great at keeping g algae at bay and ick is no longer a issue but just do some reading and decided if it is what your tank needs. Don't just get it cause a lfs told you to��

Thanks! Yea I have been trying, but no matter how much research I do this forum seems to know the 'best'.

Do you happen to know what 'bad' it might do?

 

[gjustinj]

Some people swear by it. Others never use them. I have had saltwater tanks now for 10yrs and never used them with no issues. How ever I have heard they do good and bad for your water as in killing things your tank needs and at the same time hear they do great at keeping g algae at bay and ick is no longer a issue but just do some reading and decided if it is what your tank needs. Don't just get it cause a lfs told you to��

Thanks! Yea I have been trying, but no matter how much research I do this forum seems to know the 'best'.

Do you happen to know what 'bad' it might do?

 

[nereefpat]

What are you trying to accomplish with the UV? It will not save your tank from parasites like ich. They seem to help with algae blooms. It only sterilizes life in the water column, and only what makes it through the UV, at the right wattage and flow rate.

I would have a UV last on my list of equipment to buy for a new tank.

 

[gjustinj]

Hi neereef,

I was told to use it to help prevent ich in the tank, especially for blue tangs. You mention it really doesn't help? The way it was explained to me is that if the protection slime on the fish starts to go away because of a stressed fish the uv will kill the eggs before they can hatch on the fish. So this is not true?

If so, then I will probably not buy one as it's easily another 160.00 purchase

 

[ComforablyNumb]

UV is practically useless in a reef tank...or any tank for that matter.
As the other posters have said, it may help if you have waterborne algae aka: green water (not regular algae..won't do a thing against that) but thats about it. It will not kill off parasites, etc.
Save your money.

 

[gjustinj]

UV is practically useless in a reef tank...or any tank for that matter.
As the other posters have said, it may help if you have waterborne algae aka: green water (not regular algae..won't do a thing against that) but thats about it. It will not kill off parasites, etc.
Save your money.

Yea I basically scratched it off my list based on this post so far.

 

[nereefpat]

good decision. it will kill ich, but only in its free-swimming stage, and only the ones that make it through the UV.

put the money toward the fancy light ron reefman showed you, imo.

 

[gjustinj]

good decision. it will kill ich, but only in its free-swimming stage, and only the ones that make it through the UV.

put the money toward the fancy light ron reefman showed you, imo.

Yea I'm considering that. It's almost 700.00 and Im trying to prevent myself from spending much more right now - I've spend about 2600 so far lol and still don't have one fish hah. But I am so excited and I really love those light shows, all those colors. Do you know of any cheaper solutions that still have a ton of lights like that? I even considered the ecotech radions (3x), like 1800 worth. My concern is the mounts, and how they would mount to my full 6 foot aquarium - I don't want to hang anything from the ceiling, etc.

 

[nereefpat]

I'm not an LED guy, so I'm a bad guy to ask. There are some cheaper black box type units on ebay that people like.

I run t-5 fluorescents, which would be cheaper than the LEDs you're looking for.

 

[gjustinj]

I'm not an LED guy, so I'm a bad guy to ask. There are some cheaper black box type units on ebay that people like.

I run t-5 fluorescents, which would be cheaper than the LEDs you're looking for.

Yea if I'm going to shell out $ on lights I am thinking I want some kind of lighting effects/coloring to come with it. I know I will need a different light then my current (2) Aqueon full spectrum 17W T8 24"

 

[gjustinj]

Yea if I'm going to shell out $ on lights I am thinking I want some kind of lighting effects/coloring to come with it. I know I will need a different light then my current (2) Aqueon full spectrum 17W T8 24"

I meant to add 'to support an Anemone'

 

[Stolireef]

I meant to add 'to support an Anemone'

Or any other coral pretty much. The RMS mounts for the Radions will work on your tank. AI 52HD's are also a really nice light system and somewhat less expensive than the Radions. Also, I don't think you need three lights over your tank. Mine is basically the same dimensions and two Radions throw quite a bit of intense light.

 

[Stolireef]

Oh, and the more I hear what your LFS is telling you, the more concerned I get. Suggesting a UV sterilizer, especially the ones they recommended, sounds like they want to get a really firm grasp on your wallet.

 

[gjustinj]

Oh, and the more I hear what your LFS is telling you, the more concerned I get. Suggesting a UV sterilizer, especially the ones they recommended, sounds like they want to get a really firm grasp on your wallet.

They's already got a pretty good bit of my wallet, and it unfortunately does not always replenish as fast as it's going lol.

 

[gjustinj]

Or any other coral pretty much. The RMS mounts for the Radions will work on your tank. AI 52HD's are also a really nice light system and somewhat less expensive than the Radions. Also, I don't think you need three lights over your tank. Mine is basically the same dimensions and two Radions throw quite a bit of intense light.

are you saying I could buy the Radion mounts an put something other than a Radion on the mount to save $?

 

[Stolireef]

Nope. Just that there are lot's of tank mount systems out there for LED's. AI has a nice system and I think many of the chinese black boxes also have tank mount system.

 

[GimpyFin]

UVs can be beneficial for things like algae/bacterial blooms to help clarify water, but don't count on them to do much for ich. Ich also requires a higher exposure rate than most everyhting else to kill it, if it does make it through during the free floating stage. This is one aspect of where the turbo twist falls short, even with a low flow rate. Another is they have a steel sleeve on the inside that rusts pretty heavy after only a few months. (I've used them and they are pretty much garbage, imo.) If you do want a uv, look at an Aqua UV classic. Much better. Anyway, just my $.02.

 

[gjustinj]

Doesn't sound like a UV light is worth it, so my next big item is the LED light system. I have no idea what to get argghhh lol