UV sterilizer pros and cons?
- Thread starter foster200
- Start date
AARON167
New member
My fish were always sick or dying, I put a uv sterilizer in and now no sick or dying fish. I have a mixed 90g tank and have not noticed any negative effects with my corals. I have been running a uv ster. for about 3 years. If you do decide to run one, its very important to change the bulbs as per manufactures recommendations, for mine its every 9 months. Also about every 2 months or so I have to clean the glass sleeve that the bulb fits into, it gets corroded. Good luck.
steelersfan
Member
I think that you will find the following link very helpful. It was written by Lee Birch.
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/45307-uv-u-me.html
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/45307-uv-u-me.html
I have used them successfully and did not notice any negatives. Make sure to do your research so you use the proper size and flow rate based on what you want to zap.
Here is a good place to start:
Ultraviolet Sterilization
Here is a good place to start:
Ultraviolet Sterilization
Aquarist007
New member
If you have one I would use it, if not a wouldn't spend the hefty price on them. Most of the uv's just don't process enough of the water column to accomplish what the manufactureres claim they do.
I am really leary when the manufacturer claims they will irradicate ich. There are really 3 preferred methods for treating ich and all involve the use of a quarantine tank
An alternative---I use a quarantine tank for all new purchases--fish corals and inverts.
I am really leary when the manufacturer claims they will irradicate ich. There are really 3 preferred methods for treating ich and all involve the use of a quarantine tank
An alternative---I use a quarantine tank for all new purchases--fish corals and inverts.
What do you want it to accomplish?
I've never believed there was a suitable potential benefit to my system to warrant getting one.
I've never believed there was a suitable potential benefit to my system to warrant getting one.
Billybeau1
Premium Member
Randy, Although I do not use it anymore, I used one a few years ago when I had a problem with cloudy water. Turns out the cloudiness of my tank (in my situation) was very tiny animals (don't remember what they were), but within 1 week of usage, my tank was as clear as a bell.
It was very useful in my situation and could be for others. As I said though, once the tank cleared up, I took it off line.
One thing is for sure. With the proper flow rate, it will kill anything that enters it.
It was very useful in my situation and could be for others. As I said though, once the tank cleared up, I took it off line.
One thing is for sure. With the proper flow rate, it will kill anything that enters it.
Yes, I don't doubt its utility with things like phytoplankton blooms and such that you'd want to remove.
They are fairly uncommon, however. I don't think I've ever had one that I noticed.
They are fairly uncommon, however. I don't think I've ever had one that I noticed.
foster200
New member
I had an ich outbreak a while back and I QT'd all of my fish and left my tank farrow for the recommended 9 weeks. Stupidly, I bought another fish from a LFS who run copper in all of their fish tanks and said that it was 100% ich free.. so i tossed it in. yes, i know.. very dumb. WELL... I now have ich. Im not going to go through the fish removal process again, it was horrible. I was thinking that if i run one of those in my 180 then some of the ich that is now in there would die off.. or at least be kept at bay. Only a few fish have a few spots on there fins.. everyone is really healthy and happy..so im thinking that it should work.. right? maybe?
The ich will often go away by doing nothing other than keeping a good tank, so yes, adding a UV will probably also work. But a UV is not generally thought to be very effective with ich as it need not pass through the UV to keep the tank infected. The ich organsims are also hard to kill by UV even if they pass through it.
Here's a thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=16693304
and
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=16333188
But a UV is not generally thought to be very effective with ich as it need not pass through the UV to keep the tank infected. The ich organsims are also hard to kill by UV even if they pass through it.Here's a thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=16693304
and
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=16333188
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HighlandReefer
Team RC
This is a chart that provides information on the amount of UV it takes to kill different types of organisms in a single pass.
Required Microorganism UV Dose (per single pass through UV Sterilizer)
http://www.w-m-t.com/library/pdf/UV-Microorganism_UVDose_Chart.pdf
Cryptocaryon Irritans (marine white spot or ich) = 280,000 μWs/cm²
Bacteria take around 4,000 - 11,000.
Algae = 22,000
It is my understanding that most hobby grade UV units can only kill bacteria & some algae.
Required Microorganism UV Dose (per single pass through UV Sterilizer)
http://www.w-m-t.com/library/pdf/UV-Microorganism_UVDose_Chart.pdf
Cryptocaryon Irritans (marine white spot or ich) = 280,000 μWs/cm²
Bacteria take around 4,000 - 11,000.
Algae = 22,000
It is my understanding that most hobby grade UV units can only kill bacteria & some algae.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
Another article which provides information regarding UV use:
ULTRAVIOLET STERILIZATION (How UV sterilization works) . This article explains the benefits and myths about aquarium and pond uv sterilization; By Carl Strohmeyer
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html
ULTRAVIOLET STERILIZATION (How UV sterilization works) . This article explains the benefits and myths about aquarium and pond uv sterilization; By Carl Strohmeyer
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html
wooden_reefer
New member
Most UV are not effective against ich but are effective in drastically reducing the waterborne concentration of bacteria (and algae and viruses) for fish.
What good does drastically reducing the waterborne bacteria do?
It promotes the sufficiency of non-specific defenses like some white blood cells and then allows the development of antibodies.
I'd say IME with UV the incidents of external bacterial infections are reduced 70-80 percent, no tank wide epidemics had occurred.
Most people run the UV too fast.
Personally, I will always stock new fish with a UV in QT and then in DT for a couple of months. I will not be at such disadvantage as to go without.
UV has almost no cons when in use, except in some fringe applications. Or some technical problems with leakage for some models. UV degrades most drugs so cannot be used with most drugs; straight copper is OK.
I also tend to think that UV with quartz sleeve is more efficient at the same wattage.
What good does drastically reducing the waterborne bacteria do?
It promotes the sufficiency of non-specific defenses like some white blood cells and then allows the development of antibodies.
I'd say IME with UV the incidents of external bacterial infections are reduced 70-80 percent, no tank wide epidemics had occurred.
Most people run the UV too fast.
Personally, I will always stock new fish with a UV in QT and then in DT for a couple of months. I will not be at such disadvantage as to go without.
UV has almost no cons when in use, except in some fringe applications. Or some technical problems with leakage for some models. UV degrades most drugs so cannot be used with most drugs; straight copper is OK.
I also tend to think that UV with quartz sleeve is more efficient at the same wattage.
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syrss
New member
Billybeau1
Premium Member
I also agree that a UV sterilizer should not be plumbed in line with the return pump. Way too much flow. The bulb needs surface time to kill.
It can be added with a separate small pump to match the flow of the manufacturers recommendation for the optimum kill rate. And bulbs do only last about 9 months or so as others have said.
I believe one thing I read above. Few cons but a number of possible pros.
On the ich thing, it certainly won't do anything to the parasites that have come attached to a host as the ich has to travel through the unit to be killed. It could certainly be useful in a fallow tank however.
It can be added with a separate small pump to match the flow of the manufacturers recommendation for the optimum kill rate. And bulbs do only last about 9 months or so as others have said.
I believe one thing I read above. Few cons but a number of possible pros.
On the ich thing, it certainly won't do anything to the parasites that have come attached to a host as the ich has to travel through the unit to be killed. It could certainly be useful in a fallow tank however.
HighlandReefer
Team RC
I would not use overhead UV lights on a reef aquarium. Many hobbyists experience coral death and/or problems when the glass UV shields brake on Metal Halide lights. You can run the tank water through a proper UV light setup for this puropse.
lordofthereef
One reef to rule them all
I had a fantastic research article bookmarked but has since been lost. Let me see if I can find it.
