UV sterilizers, are they worth it?

[MarineTeng]

I'm looking at getting a UV sterilizer possibly for my new reef tank in which i plan to keep zoos sps and some lps, would it be more beneficial or would it hurt it, i read up on it some and basically it just kills single celled free floaters with radition good or bad, just like to hear your thoughts

 

[DonW]

I ran one for awhile and eventually gave it away. I think the money is better spent on a skimmer upgrade.

Don

 

[bc_slc]

I know Nikki uses one. Maybe she will pipe in.

I don't personally use one.

Mat

 

[moortim]

I use one, I never noticed a difference when I added it but it is just another precautionary thing. I figure it won't hurt. For the most part I agree with DonW, I wouldn't spend very much money on one.

Tim

 

[jammet]

I used one for about a year, if I was to get another one I would use it in a quarintine tank only really. The major downfall with it in your main tank is that anything and everything that passes through it dies. I know it can add to cycle time and when you add new coral/fish, the cycle that they cause is slowed down a bit due to UV's.

Not to say that they are bad to have at all, its just something to think about.


If you do get one just remember, the longer the contact time the water has with the light the better.

 

[nccmike]

for what its worth, I made the mistake of trading some frags for a clown tang and it introduced ICH to my tank. My purple tang had like 20 some spots on it.

I purchased a current UV light and within 2 days it was gone. I also fed it garlic soaked food but its gone.

I know this topic is open to debate but this is just my experience and it worked for me. Maybe just luck or whatever but whatever its been gone for about 2 weeks.

I just changed my filter above my wet / dry and as always it was loaded with pods.

 

[moortim]

Just another success story I have a friend with a freshwater tank that had a terrible algae bloom to the point where the water was completely green. After a couple days with a UV running it cleared right up.

Tim