do you use a UV Sterilizer

[smellsfishy]

do you use a uv sterilizer on your reef

[Joe Reefer]

no

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

Yes, on my seahorse tank & on the tank with my Powder Blue Tang (aka Ick magnet). It really helped keep the ick under control until it learned not to be stressed out by the other fish.

Anthony

[Ruth]

Nope. Don't intend to either.

[Denis]

Nope, I prefer ozone.

[Samw]

Yes, it is one of the most important pieces of equipment in my system for keeping difficult corals. I believe it was useful for destroying bacteria and neutralizing toxins that prevented me from keeping Acroporas and Bird's Nest corals in the past. For fish, it was not important. I didn't notice any difference in ick before and after the UV. I had long bouts of ick even after running UV 24/7. In both cases, the ick eventually goes away on its own and fish are fine.

[TheReefGeek]

Yes I do, and I have run my current tank without it, and with it, and it is my second most favorite piece of equipment after my skimmer.

The benefit I get from it is the huge reduction of slime algae. I have to clean coralline off my glass before I have to clean green slime algae.

My front glass magnet cleaning went from every couple days, to every couple weeks to keep it algae-free.

[muck]

no

[TheReefGeek]

One thing about UV is the costs vary a lot, so buy carefully.

I use a Coralife Turbo Twist, and all I have to do is replace the bulb once a year for $60.

But on some you have to replace the quartz sleeve as well, pushing the yearly replacement cost up around $150-200, which is what I paid for my whole 18w sterilizer.

Some of the fancy models also have some quick cleaning gizmos, but my Turbo Twist does not, then again there is no need, when I replace my bulb, there has never been anything to clean inside whatsoever, no green slime algae, no coralline, nothing.

[Samw]

For fish, it was not important. I didn't notice any difference in ick before and after the UV. I had long bouts of ick even after running UV 24/7. In both cases, the ick eventually goes away on its own and fish are fine.


WRT Ick. I'm sure UV can help. But I think it didn't help for me because my sterilizer is only 9W. I think for ick, higher powered sterilizers might be better.

[Puff]

where should the sterilizer be located? near the sump? or up by the tank?
griffen hooked me up with one yesterday that he wasnt going to use...im not too sure where to put it.lol. or if i should use it or not.

i read that it zaps both bad and GOOD bacteria...so im a bit cautious of using it.

[shotzee]

The effectiveness of a UV sterilizer is also dependant on the rate at which water passes through the device. Bacteria are the easiest to eliminate with UV while parasites take longer = you need longer exposure time to the UV to kill them = use a pump with a slower flow.

[TheReefGeek]

That is why I like the coralife turbo-twist design, the water is exposed longer to the UV light, so even though I only have an 18w for a total gallons of over 300, it works well.

[Samw]

The effectiveness of a UV sterilizer is also dependant on the rate at which water passes through the device. Bacteria are the easiest to eliminate with UV while parasites take longer = you need longer exposure time to the UV to kill them = use a pump with a slower flow.

Yes. The TurboTwist 3X is rated for 100-200gph pumps. I wanted to kill parasites if possible so I'm using the smallest Maxijet pump which is rated at 106gph.

[TheReefGeek]

I t-off my drain line to my sump with a valve to go to my 6x turbotwist, couldn't tell you the exact gph, but probably 200 or so.

[Samw]

Just found this chart for Max flow rates for each wattage. Seems accurate. If so, then 8W-9W is probably not effective against parasites which correlates to what I'm seeing in my tank. I'm sure it helps a bit. Its just not that significant for me.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=21


UV Rating Bacteria/Algae Kill Dose Parasites Kill Dose
Watts Max Flow Rate Max Flow Rate
8 120 GPH N/A
15 230 GPH 75 GPH
18 300 GPH 100 GPH
25 475 GPH 150 GPH
30 525 GPH 175 GPH
40 940 GPH 300 GPH
65 1700 GPH 570 GPH
80 1885 GPH 625 GPH
120 3200 GPH 900 GPH
130 3400 GPH 1140 GPH



EDIT: Found another

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?acatid=423&aid=440




UV Bulb (Watts) Bacteria and Algae (gph) Parasites(gph)

4 60 N/A
8 120 N/A
15 230 75

[Reefer Rob]

No. UV sterilizers kill some of the most important foods for your corals- the planktonic lifecycle stage of many of your sandbed organisms etc. My system is full of life, and I plan to keep it that way :wink:

Rob

[Samw]

Personally, I would love it if it could kill the plantonkic stages of bristleworms. Doesn't seem to. I have too many. Also I've seen no impact on my pod population. Even my Mandarin and 2 wrasses can't make an impact on them. Actually, my pod population has increased. I think this is due to more macroalgaes for them to hide in. Luckily, I don't have any animals or corals that need phytoplankton or whatever is being killed off by UV though I have read that the amount of phytoplankton in the tank is insignificant as a food source.

I have to say that I had no idea what was going to happen to my tank when I was installing the UV. After having seen the results, I am far too happy.

Just one of many articles: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=31

[TheReefGeek]

Me too, and I love cleaning off my front glass every 2 weeks instead of 2 days. That alone was worth the UV sterilizer's weight in gold for me.

[EmilyB]

I've used one in the past for slime algae, a 25w I think. Didn't see any improvement.

I have ick in the big tank I guess. It pops up now and then with a new fish. My new powder blue's been there a few months now and has no more ick, so I don't think a UV would have been any more benefit there.

[Samw]

I've used one in the past for slime algae, a 25w I think. Didn't see any improvement.

I have ick in the big tank I guess. It pops up now and then with a new fish. My new powder blue's been there a few months now and has no more ick, so I don't think a UV would have been any more benefit there.

Hi Deb. I understand that UV isn't needed for treating ick since fish can naturally get rid of it on its own. But are you saying that the Ick stayed on the fish just as long even with your 25W UV running? I would have expected that the more powerful UV would reduce the number of days that the fish will have ick. That would be the benefit.

As for slime algae, yeah, it would have to go through the sterilizer in order to kill it.

So I think its fair to say that its useful for tanks with problems (like mine) and not useful for healthy tanks like yours.

[Skimmerking]

I have the 36W turbo twist and what a waste of money for my 170 gal tank. ick or no ick it doenst kill crap in the tank. it never worked for me. ozone will be the next treat for the tank.

[Snappy]

Yes I use one but am unclear as to it's effectiveness.

[Samw]

Yes I use one but am unclear as to it's effectiveness.

Greg, has your rate of STN decreased since putting it back on?

[Rondelet]

Yes. I was using a small 8w "LifeGuard" unit on my 35 gal Q tank (the units sold by Pentair Aquatics). It was given to me - so the price was right! :lol: To pump the water through it, I hooked it up inline with a small Fluval canister filter. The Fluval was on its last legs so the flow rate was very, very slow. How much of an impact it had is difficult to say. I did have one fish go through Q with ich that cleared up, but I used a variety of approaches - in addition to the UV. I've since taken it out as I replaced the Fluval with a Magnum and am not sure if I will put the UV back in-line.

I think UV system are beneficial for reducing infectious agents - in particular bacteria and infectious stages of Ich and similar protozoans. If I had a serious outbreak in my main display, I would seriously consider the use of UV as a part of a strategy to beat the parasite back where copper would not be an option. However, they are not fool proof and effectiveness depends on many factors alluded to by others (wattage of bulbs, age of bulbs (aka intensity), flow rate (aka contact time). It's not surprising that many large commercial aquaculture operations use them effeectivel to manage disease (or more correctly, to reduce the infectious burden on their fish).