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

WildPraire · 01-18-2005, 11:57 PM

Hello,

Just thought I'd throw this out there to see who is using UV on reef tanks and why?

Sue

djyox · 01-19-2005, 05:16 AM

I would kinda like to know as well....

Minnreefer · 01-19-2005, 08:37 AM

I use a BIG uv on my 135, it is a 150 watt high output. I have not seen any ill effects fromit and I know that I have not had any problems with my fish. I look at it as a insurance, to help keep the tank water as clean as possible.

Here are a couple of different threads about it

http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...1&highlight=uv
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/sh...3&highlight=uv

HTH

Jon

S14_Silvia · 01-19-2005, 08:56 AM

I was also interested in plumbing one into my 75 gallon, but I have no idea which one to get. There are so many out there. Can anyone recommend one over the other and possibly some places to get them online or locally?

clownfishcrazy · 01-19-2005, 10:13 AM

From my experience emperor are the best uv sterilizers.

redlion4 · 01-19-2005, 10:21 AM

We run a 15 watt Aqua Ultraviolet sterlizer with wiper on our 55 gallon. Here are the Aqua UV various models at Dr F&S.

Truthfully, it is a "leftover" from when our tank was FO. As a FO tank, we were constantly battling disease. We were tired of quarantine, copper, and the likes and decided to give UV a shot. Adding the UV did help reduce the frequency and severness of sickness at the time, but it did not eliminate it.

We decided to keep it installed even when converting over to a reef system. Call it luck, a better system, or just simply less fish, but we have yet to have a single problem with sickness since converting (knock on wood). We have had fish deaths, but no infection or widespread diseases in the tank.

We have discovered at least one down side of the UV on the reef system. The heat and light tend to precipitate calcium (carbonate?) onto the glass tube. It can become rather thick. The tube needs to be checked on every month or two and cleaned if needed since the precipitate reduces the effectiveness of the UV. The worst build ups ever observed corresponded with when the tank Ca and Alk were not balanced correctly. Precipitation has been minimal (to none) since the cheistry was balanced.

Ryan.

Sea monkey · 01-19-2005, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Minnreefer

I use a BIG uv on my 135, it is a 150 watt high output. I have not seen any ill effects fromit and I know that I have not had any problems with my fish. I look at it as a insurance, to help keep the tank water as clean as possible.

have you seen any positive effects you can attribute to using it ?

why did ya get it in the first place ? was it because you has an issue you wanted to deal with and you thought UV might help or just because it sounded like a good idea ?

i'm no expert but it seems to me this is one of the things that has potential to do harm so unless you feel you are getting allot of benefit out of using it , why use it ?

Seems this hobby has a billion and one ways to spend your hard earned dollars , quite a few of them seem to have very little benefit. this "might" be one of them.

S14_Silvia · 01-19-2005, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sea monkey

Seems this hobby has a billion and one ways to spend your hard earned dollars , quite a few of them seem to have very little benefit. this "might" be one of them.

That's what I'm worried about. I'd hate to waste $ on things I don't really need.

tico mike · 01-19-2005, 10:43 AM

IMO, Unnecessary. It has it's applications. If you are SPS and into delicate species it has it's place. A 24/7 fuge, bare bottom tank with good skimmer and occasional carbon use, water changes, kalkwasser, trace elements are all you need to keep just about anything.

Sea monkey · 01-19-2005, 10:52 AM

I would think about getting one if algae was taking over my tank or if fish were dieing from parasites all the time. Personaly i have spent enough money on my tank and unless i feel that i need a item i try not to buy it . i no longer buy things just because it sounds like a good idea.

more to the point . if you are killing your fish that often or have that bad of an algae issue there most certainly another issue causing it.... over stocked tank , no quarantine tank , over feeding , not changing water often enough , useing a product with nitrates or phosphate in it, lazy acclimating, bad choice of tank mates, the LFS you buy your live stock from has thier own issues........ could go on and on

i know there are alot of people who use them and swear by them and they may be a very usefull tool but i wouldnt buy one unless there was a specific issue i was trying to deal with that could not be dealt with other ways.

tico mike · 01-19-2005, 10:58 AM

I agree with Sea Monkey and not just because he makes Reef Chilli. If you are doing everything else right you don't need it. If you want to spend some money, buy an informative book or upgrade your skimmer or lighting or a new bucket of salt, trace elements, an R/O unit....

WildPraire · 01-19-2005, 11:41 AM

I'm not losing any stock at all. My question was more about that I've read it increases the efficiency of the skimmer. It's always interesting to learn from those with more experience, and see what they feel it has or hasn't done for them. Keep it coming, I'm listening! err... reading.

Sue

redwinger · 01-19-2005, 12:28 PM

I have read that calfo suggests using ozone over a uv sterilizer.

FastFish720 · 01-19-2005, 12:46 PM

Was about to say the same thing.

Graham · 01-19-2005, 01:13 PM

Yes, it increases the skimmer's efficiency. It's also more effective than carbon at removing organics, since it breaks them down and allows them to be skimmed easier - removed rather than retained. It also allows the organic breakdown products to bond with orthophosphate (normally unskimmable) that can be skimmed. There are some who believe that carbon is only effective for about 12-24 hours because the surface gets covered in bacteria, which prevent organics from getting past them and trapped in the carbon. Basically, carbon filters turn into biofilters within a very short time. Makes perfect sense to me, but believe what you will...