UV sterilizer ok with Mandarin dragonet?

[Zpmada]

Hi all,

I have had a Mandarin Dragonet for the past year and seems to be doing well. However, I havent been able to grow chaeto. It appears to get covered in some sort of slime hair algae and die. So, I purchased a UV sterilizer and set the flow rate for algae. Hopefully this keeps my glass cleaner longer and prevents whatever algae slime is covering my chaeto next time I try it.

BUT, what about pod population? Will the UV sterilizer kill off my pods? I took filter socks out and am seeing more pods at night. The UV sterilizer is connected to a split in the return line, and then drains back into where I plan to keep a refugium. I figure this will be good for flow and by splitting the return in half, instead of having everything flow through the sterilizer, maybe that will be better for pods? The UV sterilizer I have shows 55gph for parasites, 121gph for algae, and 253 gph for bacteria. Which should I avoid to protect pods? I assume slower flow (parasites) since that's longer exposure?

Thanks

 

[kfisc]

Let's first say that keeping a mandarin for a year deserves congratulations. I'd set it for as slow a rate as possible, opting for a slow decrease in the hair algae, and keeping a good count of the pods.

Is there any chance your lighting or feeding regimen might be an influence?

I'd almost be tempted to just put up with the hair algae, since you must be doing something right to keep the pods going well enough to support the mandarin.

 

[Zpmada]

The sump isn't empty. I have bio blocks covering the bottom, which I think are housing many of the pods.

We have a 75 gallon with 20 gallon sump but 100-110lbs of live rock. Initially I thought I picked a female but later realized it was a Male, which eat more so we are glad he is doing ok. We don't have any wrasse. Actually upgraded our 55 gallon to 75 gallon so we can get this fish so we are glad its worked out so far. Everything is centered around the dragonet hence this thread lol. Now if only I can grow a macro algae and not slime.

I used to have a hang on back refugium(CPR) which grew chaeto just fine but now I have a sump and just can't get it to take off. I'm using the same light that worked well with the hang on back so maybe its flow?

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

Can you put the hang on back into use? Better than nothing.