My UV vs. No-UV Side-By-Side Tank Comparison

[JumboShrimp]

Long story short, the tank on the Right has been up and running about a year with a UV sterilizer, and the second tank on the Left I’m just getting around to hook up the UV today. Noticeable difference, No??

I’m doing the paper towel leak test today.

 

[Captain Hook]

BRS has a great video talking about the importance of a UV sterilizer. Don’t necessarily need a 500$ One though.

 

[JGT]

Pretty substantial difference. Tank on the left looks yellow and dingy like it’s being lit with an incandescent bulb. Everything about both tanks is the same?

 

[Grumblez]

Do you run carbon? It also does look like the tank of the left has crappyierer lighting.

 

[JumboShrimp]

No carbon— lighting is identical.

 

[JGT]

No carbon— lighting is identical.

Then you must be photoshopping the pic. Do you work for Lifegard or Pentair?

 

[landlubber]

has the tank on the left been running a similar amount of time? pretty incredible difference!

 

[JGT]

Then you must be photoshopping the pic. Do you work for Lifegard or Pentair?

In case it’s not obvious meant to add to this?

 

[JGT]

In case it’s not obvious meant to add to this?

My emojis aren’t working for some reason. Smiley face is what should have been included.

 

[JumboShrimp]

Full tank shots. The top tank has had ‘almost no’ water changes— just evaporation top-off.

I think I will give the bottom tank about a 60% water change, now that I added the UV sterilizer and hooked up proper filtration.

 

[JGT]

Pretty amazing. What is giving the un-uved tank the yellowish tint? Algae?

 

[GHOSTLY]

What uv is it? Clear difference

 

[JumboShrimp]

@JGT, I would say that the yellow tint is from an accumulation of decayed matter-- algae/cyno, food and other detritus, and what make up tannins. (As the thread points out, I've had minimal filtration on that tank for about a year, and minimal water changes; it was not my plan, but things unintentionally got stalled between setting up Tank #1 and Tank #2. I did add the skimmer about 4 months ago, but that alone of course will not do the trick with such a heavy bio-load.)

@GHOSTLY, Pentair 40W on a 150 gallon tank; plumbed from one part o the sump to the other-- not ideal, but I wasn't ready to go over the top (eurobraced) and back directly into the tank. I may in the future, but right now I think I am still getting effective algae control-- I run it 24/7.)

PS: The tank with the UV the past year has white sand; the tank without the UV has sand with a brown tinge.

 

[GHOSTLY]

I was thinking of adding uv to my evo but I don't want to risk killing every plant near my tanks

 

[JGT]

@JGT, I would say that the yellow tint is from an accumulation of decayed matter-- algae/cyno, food and other detritus, and what make up tannins. (As the thread points out, I've had minimal filtration on that tank for about a year, and minimal water changes; it was not my plan, but things unintentionally got stalled between setting up Tank #1 and Tank #2. I did add the skimmer about 4 months ago, but that alone of course will not do the trick with such a heavy bio-load.)

@GHOSTLY, Pentair 40W on a 150 gallon tank; plumbed from one part o the sump to the other-- not ideal, but I wasn't ready to go over the top (eurobraced) and back directly into the tank. I may in the future, but right now I think I am still getting effective algae control-- I run it 24/7.)

PS: The tank with the UV the past year has white sand; the tank without the UV has sand with a brown tinge.

Thanks, good info and results. I have a UV plumbed into my plumbing but haven’t used it yet as I’m pretty happy about how my tank looks. Maybe I’m living in a fool’s paradise and my tank could be even more awesome. I do feel like I have to mag my glass for algae film every couple of days although nothing much on my sand or rocks. Wonder if the UV would help to reduce the frequency.

 

[KYnewbee42103]

Jumbo I love pentair UV’s hands down the best!