Does UV Sterilization Inhibit Coral Growth?

Drew1600 · Mar 5, 2021

Hi all

I run a 9W Green Killing Machine on my 29 DT + 20 sump. I have read that UV can kill B12, which is beneficial for coral and algae growth. Any thoughts? Thank you all so much & happy reefing!

ca1ore · Mar 5, 2021

I have run UV for years and seen no correlation.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 5, 2021

I think the potential effects from released antimony or killed bacteria (not available as food) would be a bigger concern, IMO. Is any of it significant? Not sure.

High Antimony found on Triton ICP

I also have a Green Killing Machine in my Tank and I also have high Sb at 10.

www.reef2reef.com

Courtney Aldrich · Mar 5, 2021

The concentration of vitamins like B12 in natural seawater is very low (≤0.001 ug/L = 0.000001 ppm, see: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2017.00011/full), so I don't think the water column is the primary source of vitamins for zooxanthellae algae in corals. Vitamins by definition are not produced by the organism and must be obtained from the diet. In turns out that many bacteria are able to synthesize common vitamins and thus do not require vitamins from the environment. Zooxanthela algae live within corals, but obtain vitamin B12 and likely many other vitamins from other bacteria also living symbiotically within or on corals (see: https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/galaxea/11/1/11_1_1/_pdf). So, bacteria help feed zooxanthela algae that in turn feed the corals.