UV sterilizer

murphy01 · Mar 11, 2015

I think I need one. A lot of beneficial evidence sides to having one but I've seen a lot of them and getting confused. Aqua uv has been recommended to me for my 200 gallon but that runs around $400 without a pump. I saw one the same size on eBay for $65 minus a pump also. My question is, is the Aqua worth the big price? What's the difference?
Anyone have much experience with any of these?

Reefing Madness · Mar 11, 2015

Why do you want one? They only kill free floating bacteria. I've never used one, don't think a SW Tank needs it.

murphy01 · Mar 11, 2015

I've never used one before but just talking to some reefers and the local fish store suggests that it almost a necessity on a reef tank. The store may just want a sale also. I had a smaller tank for years with no issues but with this bigger tank, I'd like to have crystal clear water. Fish also have a small sign of ich. I know that a UV won't help them out but may be beneficial to the fish, especially the tangs in the future.

Reefing Madness · Mar 11, 2015

Use enough flow, a big skimmer, and a fuge, you'll have crystal clear water, trust me. You don't need the UV

murphy01 · Mar 11, 2015

Thanks, I have flow in the water and a big Skimmer but there was no room in my sump for Refugio's though.

GreatWhiteTang · Mar 11, 2015

Reefing Madness said:
Use enough flow, a big skimmer, and a fuge, you'll have crystal clear water, trust me. You don't need the UV

Agreed, ran one for. Year in my early days in the hobby thought it was beneficial. Once it started leaking 120v into my Water and shocking j removed it to. Find that not only was there no negative effects of. Taking it offline but also that my rock started to. Look healthier and corals began to have better polyp extension(probably due to increased beneficial bacteria and food in water column that the uv was just killing off) not to mention the bulbs need changed about every 6 months to be effective and are not cheap. Use the money elsewhere in the system!

murphy01 · Mar 11, 2015

Thanks guys, maybe I will. Maybe I'll get a denitrating bio churn reactor. No problem with nitrates yet but the tank is still new. What are your thoughts on those?

GreatWhiteTang · Mar 11, 2015

Any type of carbon dosing has its benefits I like the biopellet systems. Same concept. As dosing vinegar / vodka it's just a bit more consistent and stable. And a good functioning skimmer is a must so as to skim away the sloughed bacteria and keep oÂ² levels up!

Reefing Madness · Mar 12, 2015

Yea, I'd go with carbon dosing before spending money on a denitrator.

murphy01 · Mar 12, 2015

I use black diamond carbon and GFO phosphate remover in two small reactors now.

GreatWhiteTang · Mar 12, 2015

I do not run carbon myself but I use gfo and biopellet I run a geo reef reactor. With a mag 9.5 and they tumble perfectly!

murphy01 · Mar 12, 2015

Is that bio pellet reactor like the same thing I was talking about?

GreatWhiteTang · Mar 12, 2015

also I never use the sponges the manufactures provide u cut needle point canvas to fit in top and bottom of reactor, allows more water movement without the pellets flying out!

GreatWhiteTang · Mar 12, 2015

murphy01 said:
Is that bio pellet reactor like the same thing I was talking about?

I assume so, unless it's an old school nitrate reactors that just is bio media in a low flow environment. This is. Actually just a type of carbon dosing like vinegar/vodka where the pellets are the carbon food source for bacteria. They feed off the nitrate/phos/carbon then slough off the pellets and out of the reactor where a skimmer removes it from the system. Or you could manually dose vinegar or vodka, or even set up dosing pumps on timers to do it automatically. To some point it comes down to preference!

murphy01 · Mar 12, 2015

Model
Price
Buy

Reef Octopus BioChurn 120R
External Bio Pellet Reactor
Is the one the LFS suggested to me.

Humblefish · Mar 12, 2015

A UV probably does help with disease management in a tank, but how many free swimming parasites/harmful bacteria it's able to pull out of the water before they reach your fish is anyone's guess. It seems much more capable of zapping algae spores, which is how a UV can keep the water so clear. A diatom filter does the same things and is a cheaper alternative. However, I haven't used either in years.

GreatWhiteTang · Mar 12, 2015

murphy01 said:
Model
Price
Buy

Reef Octopus BioChurn 120R
External Bio Pellet Reactor
Is the one the LFS suggested to me.

I've. Seen those they look nice, I won mine at a frag show last year in a raffle. So idk any info, I can say I was using a two little fishies 550 before this one.. And it was a pain.

Www. Geosreef.com is where u can buy it though