Uv sterilizer is no joke!

[Flippers4pups]

My current tank has been up and running now for eight months. During that time I've gone through what everyone else goes through, diatoms, algae and bacterial blooms ...etc. that every new system goes through. But even with all of the normal husbandry up keep, I've been battling the occasional blooms that have been a plague all these months. Cloudy water has been the norm in this system. Carbon and mechanical filtration doesn't touch.

Well I finally gave in and bought a UV sterilizer for this reason ONLY. Not for parasite control.

It's been two days now and I have never seen my water this clear! It's night and day! So much so that I've reduced my photo period in case there's bleaching .

If you maintain you system as needed, but struggle with water clarity, UV is the way to go!

 

[Sapelo]

I could not agree more, have really appreciated the difference the UV has made.
Just out of curiosity, what kind did you get and how much flow are you running?

 

[ddwatson]

I agree. I know they receive mixed reviews about benefits of usage, but I have found that there are benefits when it comes to algae as well as water column diseases such as ich if run at the proper flow rate and sized properly for the tank. I think proper QT and UV helps prevent issues. I won't have a tank without them!

 

[justthewife]

I agree!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Danner pond master 10w. Running around 250gph.

 

[Flippers4pups]

This afternoon the tank looks like a crystal box! Like there is no water in it! Lol!

 

[justthewife]

Is there water in it :lolspin:

 

[Flippers4pups]

Is there water in it :lolspin:

Yep. Lol:fish1:

 

[tmz]

If sufficiently large a UV sterilizer can be helpful against bacterial blooms and/or algae blooms that cloud the water. They may also have some effect on refractory organic which discolor the water. I prefer not to use mine anymore and maintain invisible water via skimming and moderate use of granulated activated carbon.

 

[REEF DIVA]

I think a UV sterilizer is a "must have" for all saltwater systems because of the potential threat of a bacterial bloom. UV sterilizers and bulb replacements are so cheap these days that it has become a very affordable piece of equipment to have and great protection to utilize.

 

[bertoni]

The number of actual bacterial blooms we see reported seems to be very small, and generally they will resolve themselves given some time and perhaps some tank input adjustments, although not always. Personally, I never bothered with one and I don't think I would get one unless I had an actual persistent problem.

 

[outy]

In 25 years ive found no need at all.

 

[sticky polyps]

For the sake of learning, I would assume there is nothing wrong with running a uv sterilizer while dosing a carbon source?? Should you lean towards a biopellet reactor while implementing ultraviolet sterilization?

Not advisable while carbon dosing??

 

[bertoni]

I doubt that a UV sterilizer would cause a problem with carbon dosing. The bacteria being fed likely live on surfaces.

 

[tmz]

Well, as I noted earlier I think they are useful when you have a persistent bacterial bloom. They usually clear up on their own,though. If they are recurring the sterilizer may limit the bactrerial population; but then, what's going to deal with the nutrient( like ammonia) fueling the bloom if the bacteria in the water column are being killed on an ogoing basis?

I stopped using mine when I started carbon dosing. It might be ok to use it but since the bacteria even though they are considered benthic do spread out througout the tank ; it seemed counterintuitive and pointless to use UV

 

[REEF DIVA]

Bacterial blooms usually (almost never) clear up on their own. It is counter-intuitive to play wait and see while the bacteria is sucking the oxygen out of the water. The smart bet is to use UV. Let me tell you. By the time you run out and get a UV hooked up on your reef, that bloom could do serious damage to your fish and coral population. You choose!

 

[bertoni]

That's not true from what I can tell from threads in the past. Bacterial blooms often seem to be a response to some sort of nutrient pulse, like a spawning event or a death, and can fade on their own. I agree that in extreme cases, a bacterial bloom might be able to cause some harm, but I am not sure that I've seen that reported.

 

[REEF DIVA]

I don't know what is going on in Los Angeles but I get blooms all the time. It makes me wonder what DWP is putting into our water. The blooms here don't go away. I don't know why? I am just tired of it and I can't afford to risk losing a client's account to see if it goes away on its own. UV's are so cheap now and there are so many practical benefits. Do you need me to send you one? I am only kidding!

 

[bertoni]

If I were maintaining tanks that got a lot of blooms, I'd probably add a UV unit, too. I just don't see that most people need a unit by default. There are exceptions, of course. Out of curiosity, are those tanks getting tap water?

 

[tmz]

To be clear, It think a UV is useful in certain situations but it's better not to have persistent and recurring blooms by dealing with the underlying issues . Bacterial blooms do abate in many /most cases that I've seen and/or read about . Killing bacteria isn't one of my goals; maintaining a healthy biofilter and organic mix is.
.I have several Uvs from days past that are doing a good job on the shelf. except for use on some seahorse fry tanks or quarantine tanks now and then.

Certainly useful in some situations but not a "must have item",IMO.