Running UV for Reef Tank?

[ottoman]

How many of you are running UV for your reef tank? Will this kills the bad and also the good bacteria in the tank? What is the + and -? Please advise. Thanks.

[guysmiley]

I run UV. I have a powder blue tang so it's cheap insurance. It doesn't seem to do any harm but keeps parasites under control.

Garrick.

[ottoman]

Sounds great, Garrick.

Is there any harm to coral and SPS? Any one who is running UV, please comment.

[guysmiley]

I haven't noticed any harm....

Garrick.

[danny zubot]

I had one running for a while on my 65 gallon tank. It was an 18 watt sterilizer rated for up to 250 gallons. I bought it to help control diatoms, and in my all out assult I also upgraded my skimmer, added a kick *** cleaner crew, including a very fat now, lawnmower blennie. As well as cut my bioload in half. Needless to say I can't rightfully say what finally got the diatoms under control. The UV probably helped, but then so did everything else.

I haven't used the sterilizer for several months now, and the green hair algae is still at bay. If you are debating one for water quality, I'd save your money for a skimmer upgrade. If you want it for "insurance" like guysmiley then I can't really say one way or another. The only thing I can say about UV and bacteria, is that the bulk of bacteria, good or bad, live in the rocks, not the water column. So I think UV will have a minimal effect of the bacterial populations in a tank.

[ottoman]

Thank you for you information.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

With ick magnets like Powder Blue tangs, I've been unable to keep them unless I had a strong UV going. It keeps the ick at bay IME.