UV Sterilizer?

[kdblove_99]

How many of you use them?

Do you think they are benficial in a reef tank?

I see this topic go both ways. I was considering getting one. but want to make sure it helps and the Pro's outway the cons and most of all worth spending the money on!

Thanks,

davey

 

[Justin74]

We'll after doing my fair share of reading on the topic my opinion is this:
If you like to reef on the edge and half hazardly,without any quaranting,and just plunk any rock,sand,coral,fish,critter you can get your hands on in your tank; then this tool will buy you piece of mind.
On the otherhand if you are conscientious about acclimation and introduction into your system with all things, then bad out weigh the good.

And no I dont use one. I dont quarentine my fish, I let my good fish stores do that for me. I'll watch a fish for couple weeks before purchase. Corals, I'll do a freshwater dip. The only real use and reason why people get them is to prevent pests/parasites on there fish. If you use good technique with acclimation, once your fish population is stocked, its really not needed. Again, in my opinion

-Justin

 

[robertloop]

Unless you have every nesesary piece of equipment to keep a reef already......... And you have the money/desire to purchase an item with questionable poof of results. I would hold back. Just my opinion however.

I do believe these devises may reduce the risk of disease or infection to fish. I do not feel they are a nessesity. I've never owed one. Early on i had a fish die of ich. I later learned that my water quality was toxic. From time to time in the past one or more of my fish would get ich when I introduced a new fish. It always cleared up on its own. Maybe it would have cleared up faster with the uv??? Who knows. The water quality was good. The fish were happy. Although I always keep cleaner shrimp, I doubt they recovered for that reason alone. Maybe one day I will buy one if I come across a smoking deal.

 

[kdblove_99]

Thanks Justin and Robert for your input. It was much appreciated. Looks like no UV for me

What about Ozone's, what's the opinion on them?

 

[duec22]

UV...In my opinion they kill far more benifical life than they do bad things..
Ozone in reefs is mostly used to increase skimmer efficency. However most posts I've seen indicate that skimmer production increases the first couple of weeks after adding ozone, but falls after that point. The fall off is probably do to extra clean water that doesn't have any more organics to skim out.

 

[plankton]

Be very careful with ozone as it is extremely toxic to you and your fish/inverts.

WRT UV I run one on my mixed reef and can't really comment either way. I'd say quarentining your fish, feeding good food and maintainin good water quality are far more important.

BUT, if you come across a great deal on one what the heck!

Scott