Yes or no on UV sterilizers?

[marlinmero]

Still doing my plumbing and wanted to get an opinion on these. its a little 9w but i have two of them i was going to run together. the twist ones.

 

[jrgilles]

Hey, I have one of these my bro gave me before I set up my tank. I've been running without it, but I have some green film algae that has started to buildup on the glass, so I installed one of these last night to see if it stops the film algae.

I'll let you know how it works. I've heard mixed opinions on UV sterilizers. Anyway, I'll let you know if it helps my film algae issue.

 

[NC2WA]

Marlin..

Without hesitation or reservation, YES !!!!

I have an Aqua UV 80w (2x40w) and love it..it is the primary reason I am able to have 15 fish with mostly large angels and tangs in my 375g tank.

you are welcome to stop by and see it anytime.

Kirk

 

[jrgilles]

Hey Kirk, question for you since you've chimed in on this thread.

Is the 9W UV 'corkscrew' type sterilizer I added in to my system enough to do anything in your opinion? Seems kind of weak compared to your 2X40W, but my tank is way slower. I have pretty slow flow going through it, so between that and the exposure time, I'd think it was ok, but I'm curious what you think...

I do have a second one down in the basement, but it would need a new bulb.

 

[capdippe]

Are UV systems ok for a loaded reef tank, or does it strip good bacteria?

 

[NC2WA]

Rob,

Can't say unless I know the model and brand of your UV.

I would also recommend reading this sticky (if you havent already):

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=37925

 

[Dalbery]

Marlin,
What are you hoping to get out of using a UV? Do you have a chiller or forsee any isuues with heat? Answer these and I can give you an answer

 

[crazyfish253]

Are you going to be adding a lot of fish in a short time from many different stors?

 

[crazyfish253]

The general consensus is that an aquarist that has a well maintained and uncrowded aquarium, as well as follows good quarantine procedures when introducing new specimens to their system, a UV light filter is not necessary. about .com

 

[marlinmero]

Its funny people here say yes. another forum i got about 6 no's. lol i was told that along with zapping bad stuff in will zap good. and having a dense populated reef tank theres a lot of good bacteria a UV would kill?
Dalbery-not sure what i was hopeing to get out of it. maybe just prevention of disease or algae? No chiller and heat has been an issue. but i recently got an AC for my house and i have it kinda blow by the tank. so the temps been staying good.
Crazyfish-Nope no new fish. i just did a tank swap and will be adding a whole bunch of corals and about 7 fish to the tank tomorrow but its all old live rock and sand thats been in the tank for years. And i used the sump from the old tank as well.

 

[NC2WA]

no, uv doesnt zap good stuff..I have a ton of pods in my tank and sump and run my uv sterlizer 24x7

 

[ac7av]

I feel it is 100% important that you know what it is before you use it in your tank. Read the sticky about UV clarifiers before you use one. You don’t just plug them in and forget about them and you also need to change the light often, and you should run it 24 hours a day. The heat in my opinion is of little concern. Using a 9 watt UV is not really going to heat anything. Most of us use at leas a 200 watt heater and its designed to heat. A 9 watt light is not going to produce 9 watts of heat into the water, it will be less but I do not have any figures to give on that. UV will not remove film algae in your tank. It will not kill anything that is not free floating in the water. Size of the partials flowing threw, and dwell time in the UV light all plays a factor on the UVs ability to sterilize that particle. Longer dwell time is better but you have to find what you think a happy medium is for you system. I would estimate a 9 watt UV in a marine tank could do best with about 100 gallons per hour flow threw it. IMO if you like fish in your tank and your thinking about using one then I think is it well worth your time and effort to include it in your system. I run two 36 watt units on a 210 gallon heavily stocked tank.

 

[marlinmero]

alrighty thanks, i have two of the 9watt turbo twist im going to run piggy back. so should kinda equal 18watts?

 

[ac7av]

By the way I never asked NC2WA how his are plumbed in but I found that running them in parallel had a huge impact in the back pressure in these units. Because the coiling is so thin and tightly wrapped around the light for maximum exposure, there is a lot of back pressure in them. Just a thought for you on that.

 

[marlinmero]

Didnt think of that. thank you

 

[NC2WA]

ac,

my uv is plumbed off the main return and goes back into the DT (drill holed on top of tank).

if needed, I can take pic 4u

 

[OldFishMan]

UV kills everything in time --- the current thinking is life did not form on land until the Earth's Ozone layer developed to block UV.

It is your call --- it will not harm the aquarium life or the beneficial bacteria. The aquarium load can be increased about as much as you can by raising Redox.

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Redox_Potential.html

Keep the skimmer running !

OFM

 

[DonW]

The aquarium load can be increased about as much as you can by raising Redox.


OFM

To a degree within reason. Orp is not a good measure of water quality. Elevating orp via O3 or slightly with UV needs to be kept to about 450mv.

Don

 

[ac7av]

See not its getting just way techy what its ORP and O3?

 

[DonW]

See not its getting just way techy what its ORP and O3?

Oxygen reduction potential and ozone.

Don