UV sterilizer pros and cons?

[Dyzio545]

It will control diseases, kill parasites including ich, and gives you much more water clarity.

 

[HighlandReefer]

Alittle off topic but does anyone know at what point will UV kill bacteria?
Would 40,000 columns(μw/cm²) be enough?

From my post from the top of the first page of this thread:

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.

 

[AD87]

Thank you I must have missed that!

 

[HighlandReefer]

You're welcome.

 

[bertoni]

Killing marine ich takes a lot more than 40,000 μw/cm², I think. A large parasite like marine ich can swim where it wants, as well. UV generally seems useless for this disease.

UV might help with clearing the water, especially with large phytoplankton or bacterial blooms, but I'm skeptical about disease control, for various reasons. I think there's an analysis of that somewhere, if anyone wants to do some searching.

 

[AD87]

Yea im not going to be using it for disease control such a ich but for more or less for keeping bacteria in check when new anemones are introduced to a system. I am a proponent that sick anemones can give healthy anemones bacteria infections or some other form of pathogens. I wanted to make sure 40,000-50,000 μw/cm² would be enough for my goals.