UV on a frag tank?

[ReefRondo]

I have a large frag system running and just wondered how many of you run a UV on your frag system. I have had a few issues here and there to begin with algae wise but things have settled as they always do eventually.

 

[BanjoBandito]

UV seems to be a better preventative for livestock like fish, specifically parasites and disease prevention and controlling waterbound algae problems, it won't do anything for surface algae buildups...UVs kinda have become a defacto answer to dinos, but I'm not so sure they really are the cat's meow when dealing with dinos. I'm setting up an algae scrubber on my next build coming shortly, and have heard good things about them and I like the "science" of whats going on. A lot of people plumb the frag tank directly to the DT water, so running a UV between the two can make some sense. I just think for the UV money there's better ways to handle what you need handled.

 

[Tamberav]

I would for Dino or cloudy water but it’s not going to help green hair algae or cyano and such. It only effects what flows through it. So it depends on your problem.

It does have the ability to increase clarity of water and therefore par.

 

[ReefRondo]

I'm not having any problems at all right now but actually interesting you mention water clarity and par as obviously in a system dedicated to coral health and growth, par is a major part of it. I will say my water is not crystal clear at all. I try not to run carbon as I have found it inevitably leads to HLLE on tangs which I have 4 of in here for algae control.

 

[BanjoBandito]

I'm not having any problems at all right now but actually interesting you mention water clarity and par as obviously in a system dedicated to coral health and growth, par is a major part of it. I will say my water is not crystal clear at all. I try not to run carbon as I have found it inevitably leads to HLLE on tangs which I have 4 of in here for algae control.

If you are having cloudy water issues then a UV would be a good resource. It'll wipe out anything waterbound in terms of bacteria and algae. Make sure you follow the flow guidelines though. I've seen a ton of people basically make a UV worthless by overdoing the pump on it.

 

[ReefRondo]

I was listening to Austin Lefevre on Rappin' with reefbum this week and he seems to think UV on coral systems are a very good idea. Worth a listen if you have time.