who here uses a UV sterelizer

jcegt87

jcegt87

Dude Dude DUDE!!!!!!
i was wondering ive read it kill good and bad

what about copepods and small nanocritters

whats your view on the UV im indecisive still on weather hook it up or not

would it be ok too hook it up once in a while

as i posted in a past thread on of my fish had ick now i have noone in the tank xept for my cleaners and some hitchhiker

which include

2 hermits
3 turbo
2 spaghetti
3 bristleworms
and 2 peppermint shrimp

like i mentioned before can i hook it up lets say for about a month then turn off or should it be CONSISTENT meaning once its on leave on and just change bulb
 
There are pros and cons when it comes to UV sterilizers.You need to weigh those things and decide if its right for you.Yes it will kill nearly everything passing through the membrane(algae,pods,bacteria).

Pros-kills algae spores,possibly reduce illness(Ich) in fish,makes the water much clearer.

cons-kills beneficial bacteria(usually not a problem because most are coated on the sand,rocks and not in the water column.),kills pods that get sent through it and free swimming pods,cost and upkeep such as bulb replacement,cleaning.
 
Unless your trying to maximize a system for reasons of commerce UV lights usually are not worth the cons. If you are running a propagation tank where it is full of SPS mother colonies, pods, fish and such are not even a consideration they are often used for reasons of water clarity alone as the propagators wish to make all their lighting count. In commercial quarantine tanks they are often used and would be quite beneficial in home quarantine tanks as they do not normally include pods and such. If your just worried about ick reoccurance as a result of your last outbreak, ick can not live a long time without a host, I believe their cycle away from a host is only about three weeks. UV lights can be used only during breakouts and water clarity problems but you have to consider that as long as water is running throughthe UV light apparatus the unit is getting covered with filth and that filth will block the UV rays when the unit is finally turned back on. So you will still have to clean the unit whether your turning on the bulb or not. I will go so far as to say if I already have it I would definately use it. They do what they are expected to do, and typically do it well as long as you keep the units clean. They are grossly overpriced though, considering that most the units are basically PVC or ABS plastic with cheaply made power units.
 
Like others have said, it depends on what you want one for. I run one 24/7. purpose is for algae spore, virus, bacteria, sterilization, and for water clarity. it is tapped off of the main sump. if you have no need for one do not run it. if the time should come that you have a condition in your system and the uv sterilizer is the piece of equipment you desire then use it. Seems you may want to do a bit more research on sterilizers before turning it on. use equipment only when you are familiar with its purpose and effects on your system. good luck.
 
I know I am gonna hold off on this one for a while. Maybe one day I will feel the need or more research will come out that says we need it.
 

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