UV sterilizers

[Ron Reefman]

Somebody else asked about them and raised my curiosity. Do you use one? Why or why not? How old and how big is your tank?

 

[NanaReefer]

Having done a lot of research on them myself, from what I've read it is said that in order to get the full benefit from a worthy UVS the water must move very slowly through them. Which of course the average home aquarium cannot or does not allow for. So for me it would be a waste of $$

 

[Swine]

I'd also be curious if people use ozone instead.

 

[Connie]

I use an 18W on my 180g. When I had a 90g I used a 9w. When I was a newbie I had an ich outbreak. I added a sterilizer and the ich was gone. The fish that already had the disease died, but no one else contracted it and I have not had an outbreak since. So, I'm a firm believer in them. As far as flow, the tubing going to the sterilizer is considerably smaller than the rest of the plumbing so that slows it down enough to increase effectiveness.

 

[NanaReefer]

The only parasites being killed via a UVS are the free swimming in the water column. And only if they pass through the UVS slow enough to have an effect. ICH spends very little time in the water column, especially in a tank fully of fish. It does nothing to kill the parasites on the fish, in the SB or on the rock.

 

[EcoFrags]

i've had UV sterilizers on my tanks and i've never used quarantine i find that running the water thru it slow on a sump that is run slow in a high flow tank has given the highest yield of dead micro organisims in my tanks (bio major so i checked =P) and that it can be effective in preventing the spread of disease from what i've seen

 

[Connie]

The only parasites being killed via a UVS are the free swimming in the water column. And only if they pass through the UVS slow enough to have an effect. ICH spends very little time in the water column, especially in a tank fully of fish. It does nothing to kill the parasites on the fish, in the SB or on the rock.

I agree that sterilizers do not kill parasites that are already on a fish when you get it, but just from my experience, it keeps it from spreading to the other fish. I also realize they kill some of the good stuff too, but I'm just stating what has worked for me. EcoFrags, I don't quarantine either. Maybe I've been lucky so far but I am attributing it to the sterilizer. :smile:

 

[fyrfytr]

I have researched these myself, with a new tank and all I wanted to make sure I was on the right track. It seems as though as many people as use them don't use them and each have a valid reason for or against using them. As someone who just had SOMETHING take out all of the fish in my tank, something like this does now perk my curiosity more. The question would be, in a tank with sump/fuge system, where would you put the UVS?

 

[Swine]

You just have a feed from and back into the sump. It is independent of the flow to/from the DT. They usually requiere such low flow so it cant be plumed inline with a skimmer. You could potentially plumb it inline with a media reactor though.

 

[scooterc268]

I've got one, 18w with about 250gph powerhead. Not for parasites but more for killing algae free floating in the tank. I don't have to clean the glass that often (maybe once every 2wks) but one could get the same results from water changes and an ATS. I don't have an ATS on my tank yet.

I thought about doing ozone but still researching.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Pappy]

I run a turbo twist on mine (12x I think).

 

[90greefman]

I have a 90w on a 280g tank. Only run it occassionally. Same reasons as scooter stated.

 

[cdness]

I have a couple of them, but none are currently installed on my tank. I did have cleaner glass and when I find a place to mount it, one will be back on the tank... I need a fish room

 

[coralfish keeper]

i run a uv on my quarantine tank just for that added protection i run a turbo twist with a 100gph pump

 

[Rikerbear]

I like having them on my FOWLR tanks, but never ran them on my invert tanks as I wanted to not kill things in the water column that they were eating.

 

[robby2782]

I used to run one and had success against ich outbreaks whether one chooses to believe it or not. It does heat the water up though which is my I sold it.
I decided quarantine in my frag tank was better anyway.

 

[EpicWin]

I recently stopped using one. I paid the price, algae growth doubled and spread rapidly. Also disregard basically everything you hear in forums about ich. I have a degree in microbiology and genetics and 99% of the info I see on the forums is hearsay or stated out of context. A uv sterilizer will help to slow the spread of ich no questions asked

 

[specialk]

I recently stopped using one. I paid the price, algae growth doubled and spread rapidly. Also disregard basically everything you hear in forums about ich. I have a degree in microbiology and genetics and 99% of the info I see on the forums is hearsay or stated out of context. A uv sterilizer will help to slow the spread of ich no questions asked

Love to hear that! Just switched everything over from my 90 gallon to a new 125 gallon. Was using a 300 gallon capacity sterilizer and never lost any fish or had problems with my 90. However waited 2-3 weeks to get the sterilizer ripped apart from the old tank and plumbing, so I got it on late. Had a crazy ich outbreak and now lost 8 fish!! Now Im not saying the UV sterilizer would have totally saved this problem as I know ich can pop up at anytime from a host of problems ... but I find it odd that all of a sudden Im dealing with my first ich outbreak ever in this hobby. I am and always have been on the sterilizer bandwagon.

 

[rworegon]

I run a 25w SmartUV on my 90 gal. I run it off a manifold that feeds the Fuge, GFo, and carbom reactors. Each branch has a ball valve to control flow so its pretty easy to control. I can't give you a gph because I dont have a meter and haven't taken the time to do the bucket fill test and do the math. All I can say is I look at the outflow and the flow is pretty slow. I discharge the water into the return section of the sump. My glass stays cleaner and I haven't had an ICH outbreak since I installed it. I do QT my fish, but after losing half my fish to a disease outbreak before I can't justify taking extra chances.