UV Sterilizers

[psu1f]

Does anybody use these? And how well do they work?

Thanks

 

[Brenden]

They work good for cleaning the water and helping to reduce parasites in the water. They are not a cure for ich etc as some claim. ( I have a 36W turbo twist)

 

[Krish]

They are also good for killing free floating algae spores that pass over the UV light. Some people use them and some don't which in both cases all people have success with their aquariums. Whatever works best for you, but not totally necessary

 

[Jan]

What do you think about the theory that these sterilizers also kill pods that pass by them in the water?

 

[pledosophy]

If a UV is run at a flow to kill parasites it will kill pods as well. Idealy a UV should only be run after a prefilter so that no detritus passes through the UV allowing bacteria to only be partially exposed which can lead to mutations and stronger bacteria, in which case, pods would not pass through the filters anyways.

UV's will not kill all pods, they will just kill the pods that pass through them, the same way that a cannister filter will trap and eventually kill pods that pass through them.

I have run UV's for years and have a ton of pods in my systems. The pods are quite prolithic and between the display tank which contains small piles of LR towards the rear of the tank, and the refugium I have more pods then anyone could want, even though I run an oversized UV.

Personally for the stock I keep, I will always have a UV.

JMO