Who uses UV, and what do you believe the benefits are? - Page 3

Dwayne · 01-21-2005, 12:59 AM

UV kills 'stuff'. The problem is it also kills good stuff. Like free floating food that corals eat. I think they have a place, but it aint on a healthy reef tank. JMO.

clownfishcrazy · 01-21-2005, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sea monkey

i put two of them in there ; ) it is not my Q tank anymore because i finished stocking my main tank .

what i found is all the white crap all over them . i assume it is ick

It looks like brooklynella but I don't know if gobies can get it, mostly just clownfish get it.

Irenicus · 01-21-2005, 10:21 AM

It looks like Brook to me also.

A year or so ago I bought a Small Niger Trigger from a LFS and shortly after being in QT it came down with Brook.

While its a disease that most clowns get, other fish can sometimes get it too.

I forget how to treat brook but if I remember correctly I think it involves formalyn.. don't quote me though.

Graham · 01-21-2005, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dwayne

UV kills 'stuff'. The problem is it also kills good stuff. Like free floating food that corals eat. I think they have a place, but it aint on a healthy reef tank. JMO.

How did I know you'd take this position?

Good stuff like what, D? Bacteria, phyto and parasites?

Corals don't care if their food is moving or not...I can tell that by how eagerly they eat all the dead food they get.

I guess it's really a personal decision (BTW, I've seen several quite healthy reefs tanks with mega UV's 24/7). I personally want phyto skimmed out, more bacteria skimmed out, and organics converted to something skimmable (not to mention the orthoPO4) ASAP. That's what UV does.

tico mike · 01-21-2005, 10:46 AM

I agree with both Dwayne and Graham. But with UV killing your coral food, it makes it tougher for things to reproduce and keep the food supply. A healthy reef tand doesn't NEED it, but you can't say it doesn't help. Healthy inhabitants can overcome the bac. and parasites as long as they don't bloom, which goes back to a healthy reef tank...and around and around we go.

HFG · 01-21-2005, 11:53 AM

I have read that they break down toxins, which is more importiant when you have a mixed tank. Soft corals don't shoot out targeted toxins as much as they just ooze them out. It should also make some things easier for the skimmer to take out. So, having it before the skimmer can help. .... Can any more experience folks confirm these two things?

As to what size wouldn't more be better (other than at some point your just paying for more electricity than you need). The importiant thing, I would think, is to have the right amount of flow. Too fast for a certian light, and the bacteria probably will not get enough exposure to kill them.

geshields · 01-21-2005, 12:00 PM

I have a 120W on my 450G and a 15W on my temporary tanks. I just set the 15W up about 3 days ago and I can tell you that it does increase skimmer performance.

Derek (otolith) has confirmed this also. He has a 40W on his 180 and he saw the same results...

The skimmate has become darker and the water is a lot clearer. Any of my corals that had a brown or green tint to them are starting to get their natural colors back. I do not have to scrape the front acrylic as often...

Whether a UV is good or bad, you decide. It is not an essential piece of equipment, but it makes my life easier...

Someone mentioned the proper flow rate and that is real important. Too fast and it will not "kill" enough.

Greg

Dwayne · 01-21-2005, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

How did I know you'd take this position?

Good stuff like what, D? Bacteria, phyto and parasites?

Corals don't care if their food is moving or not...I can tell that by how eagerly they eat all the dead food they get.

I guess it's really a personal decision (BTW, I've seen several quite healthy reefs tanks with mega UV's 24/7). I personally want phyto skimmed out, more bacteria skimmed out, and organics converted to something skimmable (not to mention the orthoPO4) ASAP. That's what UV does.

And I knew you'd take a counter position.

We come to the age old battle of live vs. prepared food. Both work well. Both have benefits and disadvantages. I whole heartedly agree that is a personal decision. I choose to provide as little prepared or artificial food as possible. I do water changes when I remember and have time (seldom, but they do occur).

Yes, you can have a healthy reef tank with a UV, but not a 'naturally' healthy tank. I'll avoid the skimmer debate for the moment.

Just another opinion.

Graham · 01-21-2005, 02:58 PM

HFG,

I'd suggest Googling "DOC and UV" or "Dissolved Organics and UV". There's lots of scientific documentation about UV and how it breaks-down dissolved organics - turning them into salts, water, small nitrogenous compounds, etc. It's a widely used practice in water treatment. If you can make these organics polar (break some bonds, as UV does), you can make them more skimmable.

clownfishcrazy · 01-28-2005, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham

Can someone tell me what a UV "wiper" does? I'm clueless...

The white thing is the wiper, this is a promo unit, one that you would buy wouldn't have the viewing window.

Here is the unit with the wiper extended, it isn't even extended all of the way. You need to have clearence to extend the wiper, cause otherwise it doesn't work.

Here is the unit with the wiper all of the way in.