To UV or not UV?

[frameguy]

I have run UV sterilizers in the past. I have a 55 gallon reef, live rock, sand, livestock. I like my fish so I won't be doing sps corals. So I will have shrooms, zoes, hammer , ricordea, etc. I am careful of livestock I add but would like a decent UV. What are your thoughts on them and if you are in favor is there a good hang on unit. I set up without a sump, I have a huge Reef Octopus hang on skimmer, a fluval can. with surface skimmer for phos guard, charcoal, and pre filter which I clean weekly. Thanks. I need to get some posts so I can sell some gear.

 

[Krish]

Welcome to the forum! I've personally never used a UV sterilizer because I personally never felt a need for one. You will find some that do use them as well as those that don't, but in the end, its all a personal preference.


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[NC2WA]

frameguy,

Welcome to RF !!!!

This is a debate where you either like UV or dislike UV..

Personally, I like it and have a 80w AquaViolet UV unit for my ~500 gallon total water volume system. My bioload is mostly fish, so I need water quality to be clean and clear. I would think doing regular water changes on a 55gallon would be sufficient and a UV is not needed, but again this is YOUR call.

The one thing will add about UV is this: Using a UV DOES NOT completely eradicate Ich from a system; it can however kill free floating trophozoites in the water column which can reduce the Ich cycle (which is approximately 28-30 days)

I would read the following sticky from Lee's forum and then you can make your own decision:

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f15/uv-u-me-37925/

 

[HUNTER01975]

I have a little coralife 9 watt twist on my tank it needs a new bulb but it does seem to help very slightly with water quailty. I think i next time I would go to like a much bigger size than rated for so it would do more. the trick from what i read on them is to find the blance of water speed threw the uv to fast and it is really not doing any good.. hope that helps..

 

[DTECH07]

I've found they are great as long as you keep up with the bulb replacement and maintenance buts thats true for the components we use in our tanks right.

 

[NanaReefer]

Unless you can somehow make it so as the water runs slowly through/past the UV lamp...total waste of money. Especially for the average reef keeper. An expensive toy that is unnecessary. More is removed from our water column via simple water changes then any UV can do.


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[kpiotrowski]

the best way I ever heard it was " everything bad in a reef tank loves to free swim, and most of the good stuff stays put"...(on/in rock, substrate etc.)

 

[NanaReefer]

the best way I ever heard it was " everything bad in a reef tank loves to free swim, and most of the good stuff stays put"...(on/in rock, substrate etc.)

Hence water changes


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[allenho1]

I use a 50W UV in my 300-gallon FOWLR tank, and power it with a 300 gph powerhead. I probably get about 200-225 actual gph, so a 50W UV is probably overkill, but I don't want those nasty little things in my tank.

 

[SantaMonica]

I've used UV repeated on ich, and it worked every time.

 

[oldsaint]

I've used UV repeated on ich, and it worked every time.

Curious how you determined the ich was irraticated from the system. Rather than the fish just building an immunity to the parasite.

 

[NC2WA]

UV does NOT, repeat does NOT eradicate ich from a system..it does kill free floating tomites..

 

[SantaMonica]

Because when I took the UV off, the ick came back. Put the UV back on, and the ick left again.

I only use a UV when needed.

 

[oldsaint]

Because when I took the UV off, the ick came back. Put the UV back on, and the ick left again.

I only use a UV when needed.

I've tried my best to train ALL of the theronts to swim through the UV but they just won't listen.

 

[spieszak]

the best way I ever heard it was " everything bad in a reef tank loves to free swim, and most of the good stuff stays put"...(on/in rock, substrate etc.)

uhhhmmmm... can you tell me what the bad things are that you think this applies too? I'm just confused with the statement because the bad stuff I've been most concerned about in my tank doesn't really free swim. As an example, I worry about algae, cyano, dinos, flat worms, red bugs, invasive macros, AEFW, etc... none of which swims. Things I'd like to keep in my tank like phyto plankton, mysid. pods, etc free swim and can be taken out by UV, especially the phyto.. So, I'm not disagreeing with you, but I'm pretty sure I'm missing your point, and I hate that.

 

[spieszak]

I've tried my best to train ALL of the theronts to swim through the UV but they just won't listen.

You'd have to be one heck of a cult leader to inspire that kind of mass suicide...But, I bet if you produced a video of the training sessions you could sell copies... they could put it next to the 'reef safe ick cures' on the shelf at the LFS.

 

[oldsaint]

Because when I took the UV off, the ick came back. Put the UV back on, and the ick left again.

I think if you were to say this aloud it might ring a bell.

If the ich is coming and going with the addition and removal of UV then logic tells us the ich hasn't been removed from the system. Is the UV helping, possibly, more than likely with the theronts that happen to make their way through the UV. But the parasite has not been removed from the system. The fish still have ich. Which would be visiable with gill samples. If the fish survive the infection they will build an immunity but will still be living with the parasite. It has been documented the immunity can last 6 months. But, the real problem as I see it is when you add more fish they will not have an imminity and inevitably be infected.
In my mind a much better long term solution would be to incorroprate a good QT/hospital plan into our husbandry.

A very good article on ich.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fa164

 

[oldsaint]

You'd have to be one heck of a cult leader to inspire that kind of mass suicide...But, I bet if you produced a video of the training sessions you could sell copies... they could put it next to the 'reef safe ick cures' on the shelf at the LFS.

Actually, I just screem really loud at the ich and it falls off the fish. Only problem, about every couple of weeks they come back and I have to yell at them again.

 

[Blue Lip]

If your tank water turns green, then a uv will work. If you are interested in eliminating parasites then have a quarantine tank.