Uv and phyto?

[45ZoaGarden]

Simple as the title says, will phytoplankton be fine if there’s a uv running on the tank? I’m trying to get my pod population up by dosing phyto but am not sure if the uv is detrimental to the pod’s food source. It’s an 11w I’ve sterilizer on a 45g cube. It gets roughly 3-400gph. Should I turn it off for a couple hours after dosing the phyto?

 

[Miller535]

Following along. I just hooked up a UV last weekend, and have been thinking about dosing phyto. I was assuming the same as you, turn off the UV for a few hours after dosing.

 

[Little_Red_Ryan_Hood]

I don't claim to be an expert when it comes to phytoplankton, so take my advice for what it is worth.

I would assume a protein skimmer would pull out more phytoplankton than UV would kill. I don't think phytoplankton lasts long in our aquariums. That is why most people that want phytoplankton in their aquarium dose daily.

You could turn off all filtration and remove filter socks to give phytoplankton the best chance. Or just dose daily and don't worry about it. I dose daily and my pod population has exploded. I run a skimmer, uv and one filter sock.

 

[NS Mike D]

depending on the wattage and exposure time, yes. It addition to killing pathogens it's used to make water clear by killing algae and bacteria.

Keep in mind that pods (and corals) eat both live and dead phyto (not sure if the same is true for the bacteria it kills)

Live phyto also consumes NO3 and PO4.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

How much do you dose? My lfs recommended 5ml per 20 gallons.

I don't claim to be an expert when it comes to phytoplankton, so take my advice for what it is worth.

I would assume a protein skimmer would pull out more phytoplankton than UV would kill. I don't think phytoplankton lasts long in our aquariums. That is why most people that want phytoplankton in their aquarium dose daily.

You could turn off all filtration and remove filter socks to give phytoplankton the best chance. Or just dose daily and don't worry about it. I dose daily and my pod population has exploded. I run a skimmer, uv and one filter sock.

 

[Miller535]

depending on the wattage and exposure time, yes. It addition to killing pathogens it's used to make water clear by killing algae and bacteria.

Keep in mind that pods (and corals) eat both live and dead phyto (not sure if the same is true for the bacteria it kills)

Live phyto also consumes NO3 and PO4.

So you are saying that even if the UV kills some phyto, the pods and corals will still eat it anyhow?

 

[Little_Red_Ryan_Hood]

How much do you dose? My lfs recommended 5ml per 20 gallons.

I dose 20 ml everyday. I have a 125 gallon aquarium. About 100 gallons total water volume.

Check out acroporium.com for great prices on phytoplankton. 9.99 for 16 oz.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

I’m already culturing my own actually!

I dose 20 ml everyday. I have a 125 gallon aquarium. About 100 gallons total water volume.

Check out acroporium.com for great prices on phytoplankton. 9.99 for 16 oz.

 

[NS Mike D]

So you are saying that even if the UV kills some phyto, the pods and corals will still eat it anyhow?

most phyto in a bottle that sits on shelves and then gets refrigerated after opening is dead.

I think Reef Nutrition has two versions, both are live and refrigerated right away. but the "Live" is handled and shipped differently to minimize die off. The refrigeration of both is to get them in suspended animation to minimize die off and to preserve the nutritional value of the dead cells

 

[NS Mike D]

I’m already culturing my own actually!

I'm in the process of starting my own phyto and cop culture. Pods are on their way and I have phyto fest in my fridge to initially feed them and then I'll start culturing the phyto. I need to feed a mandarin and until my sump colonies rebuild their numbers I need an affordable solution. Plus i like the idea supplementing the DT pods weekly from a culture

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Chilling them also slows down photosynthesis. It essentially slows time for them allowing them to stay alive for a bit longer.

most phyto in a bottle that sits on shelves and then gets refrigerated after opening is dead.

I think Reef Nutrition has two versions, both are live and refrigerated right away. but the live is handled and shipped differently to minimize die off. The refrigeration of both is to get them in suspended animation to minimize die off and to preserve the nutritional value of the dead cells

 

[45ZoaGarden]

I’m also hatching baby brine. Might be worth considering for your mandarin.

I'm in the process of starting my own phyto and cop culture. Pods are on their way and I have phyto fest in my fridge to initially feed them and then I'll start culturing the phyto. I need to feed a mandarin and until my sump colonies rebuild their numbers I need an affordable solution. Plus i like the idea supplementing the DT pods weekly from a culture

 

[NS Mike D]

I’m also hatching baby brine. Might be worth considering for your mandarin.

Did that, too much work. Takes a long time to train the mandarin and you need to fabricate something along the lines of PaulBs feeder. I could never get the mesh size right. The window on the brine with their yolk sac is short as opposed to dosing pods, that can self sustain colonies in the tank and sump.

On the other hand, as an occasional general tank treat I might add an airline to the phyto/pod set up.

 

[waleedreef]

if UV is designed to kill something not visible such as ich or bacteria, then how it will kill something visible such as Pods and phyto ?

 

[NS Mike D]

if UV is designed to kill something not visible such as ich or bacteria, then how it will kill something visible such as Pods and phyto ?

did you ever see a phytoplankton that wasn't under a microscope.

UV screws with the DNA (nucleic acids in particular) so the cells can function. If enough UV penetrates to enough cells the organism dies. When you see phyto is millions of single cell organism that can be killed by an overload of UV.

I don't know about pods, but they are fairly transparent for UV to hit their cells.


I think it's about larger organism having more cells to protect against excessive UV exposure.

 

[Miller535]

did you ever see a phytoplankton that wasn't under a microscope.

UV screws with the DNA (nucleic acids in particular) so the cells can function. If enough UV penetrates to enough cells the organism dies. When you see phyto is millions of single cell organism that can be killed by an overload of UV.

I don't know about pods, but they are fairly transparent for UV to hit their cells.


I think it's about larger organism having more cells to protect against excessive UV exposure.

I thought pods tend to stay on rock and glass and substrate more then float around in the water column. I mean they obviously do make it into the water column, but I believe their masses are so surfaces.

 

[NS Mike D]

I thought pods tend to stay on rock and glass and substrate more then float around in the water column. I mean they obviously do make it into the water column, but I believe their masses are so surfaces.

I agree a pod that stays on the rocks is safe from a UV sterilizer. Was someone posting otherwise?

 

[Miller535]

It seemed as though it was implied, I don't know.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

You can see phyto? I can’t....

if UV is designed to kill something not visible such as ich or bacteria, then how it will kill something visible such as Pods and phyto ?

 

[Thespammailaccount]

I'm in the process of starting my own phyto and cop culture. Pods are on their way and I have phyto fest in my fridge to initially feed them and then I'll start culturing the phyto. I need to feed a mandarin and until my sump colonies rebuild their numbers I need an affordable solution. Plus i like the idea supplementing the DT pods weekly from a culture

I have a tiny dragon pipefish that wiped out my pods and any additional ones I put in. Started to hatch baby brine. Finally found a solution. And it is so easy and cheap just lift the strainer out from the center to collect. The kit was 25 bucks and the eggs were 8 bucks and have had the same bottle for probably three months now