UV sterilizer
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twilliard
Tank pests..
Good morning Randy
Do you think many people have a misconception of what UV light really does?
it destroys the DNA of living organisms, single cell or multi cell.
I have learned and installed industrial UV systems and they serve one purpose.
to alter the molecular structure
Do you think many people have a misconception of what UV light really does?
it destroys the DNA of living organisms, single cell or multi cell.
I have learned and installed industrial UV systems and they serve one purpose.
to alter the molecular structure
Randy Holmes-Farley
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Not sure what you mean. I agree that UV kills bacteria by damaging the DNA. If the DNA is sufficiently damaged they can no longer make RNA from it and so cannot make proteins. They will thrn die. Larger parasites than bacteria need a higher dose to be killed, and may not get it.
scottbapilot
Active Member
I have one on my 55 gal. It might be my imagination but when ever I turn it off I it get little clusters if hair alge
It's not your imagination. A UV will eradicate algae spores, preventing them from spreading.
As I said before, I feel a UV is useful for at least a few things - including "ich management". It just isn't a "cure" for ich, since there's no way it could realistically zap all the free swimmers before at least one reached a fish and continued the life cycle.
Don't know if this aspect has already been touched upon or not, but the bulb/lamp for a UV Sterilizer should be replaced every 6-12 months (dependent upon usage) for optimal use. You also have to run the flow thru it slow enough so that it can zap everything.
steven REYNOLDS
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I used the UV and saw a dramtic difference in green hair algae. If you can afford it ..great buy I think
Meers
Community Member
I have recently installed a UV sterilizer and had a major improvement in my fish health. They are now ich free, happy and eating well. I am most pleased with it. There are obviously rules to be followed, such as to choose a proper UV, not a clarifier, since this will only clear the water from algea, calculate the adequate size for the aquarium and purpose you have in mind, level of sterilization to be applied, etc. I have read a few articles prior to buying the lamp and the following page goes in quite a lot of detail in the explanation of why UV is good for fish health:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Redox_Potential.html
@Randy Holmes-Farley: if you have the patience to go over that long, long article...
I am positive you will have a way greater understanding of its meaning and would love to have your feedback on it. In short, it explains that UV does more than merely clear the algea and bacteria from the water column, it also has a positive impact on the Redox balance of the water which in turn helps fish immunity.
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Redox_Potential.html
@Randy Holmes-Farley: if you have the patience to go over that long, long article...
I am positive you will have a way greater understanding of its meaning and would love to have your feedback on it. In short, it explains that UV does more than merely clear the algea and bacteria from the water column, it also has a positive impact on the Redox balance of the water which in turn helps fish immunity.
SaltyBiker
New Member
I don't use one for the only sole purpose that I heard that UV sterilization can make your pods sterile preventing propagation. I have dragonets and pipefish that rely heavily on pods as their food source. Since I haven't had any issues with algae or parasites I haven't concerned myself with the idea of UV however I am curious; Is there any truth to that rumor that pods can become sterile once they pass through the UV unit?
6 months is about the best and just like with all bulbs as they near the end of their life they do not work as well. Remember just because light is coming out of the bulb does not mean it is killing anything. Also UV has no penetrating power, so any dust, dirt, food or other things will also reduce the effectiveness of the light. We did a number of culture tests to determine how long the bulb worked based on a constant use period.
Rattooth
Active Member
I have used briefly UV lights in past . I could not see much difference. It would be very low on my list of " must haves" . Usually the algae or disease you are trying to address is easier fixed another way.
I know lots of other experienced reefers that feel likewise.
I know lots of other experienced reefers that feel likewise.
Meers
Community Member
Hi Ratthooth, I do not disgree with you, most certainly not a "Must Have" item, however it has worked fine with my set. A note on the topic though, I was also using UV before upgrading to a TMC UV 30w without any success,. Once I installed my new lamp, the results were almost immediate. My research pointed that UV is only trully beneficial with the usage of properly designed UV equipment, good lamps, and an adequate dimensioning of the UV system/flow. Cheers
IMO, I would not run another large tank without UV. I've had much better success keeping sensitive fishes with it.
I compare it to a skimmer. While not needed, it sure does make it easier. A skimmer won't pull all the organics out of the water before they break down, but it'll pull a lot. The UV won't rid your tank of parasites, but it'll definitely keep their numbers lower so they won't be much of a problem.
I also take other reefers experiences with UV with a hint of skepticism. There are many factors, such as appropriate size UV, flow rate, etc, that need to be matched to your system to be effective. If they didn't use a Aqua UV or Emperor brand or something comparable, I discount their experiences. There are so many cheap, useless brands out there that aren't effective that I think they hurt the UV industry as a whole.
If the user ran too high of a flow rate, it's basically just a clarifier. It'll kill some algae spores and that's it. Same thing if it's under rated for your tank volume... you just have an expensive clarifier... you're not really using UV to its potential.
I compare it to a skimmer. While not needed, it sure does make it easier. A skimmer won't pull all the organics out of the water before they break down, but it'll pull a lot. The UV won't rid your tank of parasites, but it'll definitely keep their numbers lower so they won't be much of a problem.
I also take other reefers experiences with UV with a hint of skepticism. There are many factors, such as appropriate size UV, flow rate, etc, that need to be matched to your system to be effective. If they didn't use a Aqua UV or Emperor brand or something comparable, I discount their experiences. There are so many cheap, useless brands out there that aren't effective that I think they hurt the UV industry as a whole.
If the user ran too high of a flow rate, it's basically just a clarifier. It'll kill some algae spores and that's it. Same thing if it's under rated for your tank volume... you just have an expensive clarifier... you're not really using UV to its potential.
