Life the Universe and Everything - including UV Sterilizers

[Spanky]

We'll play a little good cop, bad cop. I'm not really in the hobby end of this, I'm a Marine Pathobiologist by trade. I do have a 350gal reef tank at home though.
In the purest definition of reef tank, you would have very few fish to contend with. However, the fish in you tank are the ones that have the most pet potential. If you read through some of the posts on the boards you see a lot of "help my fish in my reef tank have ick". #1 there is no proven safe treatment (chemical) for ick in a reef tank. #2 there are other paracites/diseases than ick, that I feel go unidentified and just get grouped into ick. Learning how to identify different paracites and proper treatments is part of the learning curve.
People need to do some reasearch on UV's, there's a lot of info out there.
A properly sized UV (flow rates) will raise your orp/redox.
Lower bacterial counts.
Control or slow down the progression of a paracite/viral infection. In effect buying you time to figure out what's going on.
Give you a safety net.
A UV does not have to be run 24/7. It can really come in handy when you need it. Most people do not quarantine critters (shrimp, corals, LR, etc). Even though they would never consider adding a fish to their reef tank without quarantining, they will bring critters home and just put them in the tank. This is a major problem. Most tropical fish paracites, the ones you will more than likely run into, go through a stage where they are attached to a substrate (including inverts). Now they can be brought into your tank on corals, LR, anything. Even from "trusted sources". There is always a certain amount of stress involved every time a fish is moved. Even after quarantining, moving a fish into a new environment with a new pecking order creates a huge amount of stress. The established fish may have built up a certain amount of resistance to the levels in your main tank but the new guy hasn't. A UV (properly sized again), will more than likely, get him through this hump.
All that said, personally, I would never set up a tank without every "safety net" known to man. I don't like looseing my friends.
HTH and just my $.02
Jerel


Stop laughing Doug, of course I'm ODing on coffee.

[Doug1]

Jerel, lot of interesting points you raise.
Not being trained in science I come by my theories the usual way. I stole it and tried it and discarded what didnt work for me
I agree with your assesment on no reef safe cures for ich and the lumping of pathogens into the ich category. Most people havent the knowledge or resources to properly ID marine diseases so they go to the LFS and buy something in hopes it will work.
I have long thought that a UV would be a valid Q tank tool, for any new animals going into a system. You're right on other organisms introduced. One never knows

[Minnreefer]

Very interesting thread, and I agree with what you are saying. Everyone in this hobby should read this thread even if they don't agree with everything that you are saying. Many of us do not put as much control or care into the entire system as needed. I am just as guilty as the next person. Many of us, me included, think that since we are human and have some thought process that we can mimic the reef system and ocean in our tiny tanks. Think of how many years it must have been to domesticate cats and dogs yet this is what we are in theory trying to do with reefs in a very short period of time. I would not classifiy my self as a "peta" type of person but every so often we need to think about what we are doing and what we are trying to accomplish and at what cost it may be inflicting. This is also my rambling 2cents worth.
Jonathan

[Spanky]

Doug, Jonathan,
Thanks for the replies, and thanks for taking the time to reply with well thought out answers.
Being a "fish doctor" by trade, it has amazed me that for all practical purposes, what seems to be most peoples definition of a reef tank is really a highly refined plant tank. They go out and buy all this high tech lighting, calcium reactors/additives, and everything they need to keep their zooxanthellae happy. Well anyway, the fish seem to be an afterthought.
I think there needs to be a new term.
FOWLRALC - fish only with live rock and a lot of critters (also need a new Graemlin - tongue and cheek).
Jerel
[list]

[Minnreefer]

I welcome you to the board and I personaly like haveing a different perspective on the hobby, I feel that it make us all grow.
Jonathan

[Alice]

Hey Jerel;

I'm a bit ignorant about UV's. After reading that they can kill planktonic life in the water column I judged they weren't for my reef tank. Are you saying that they don't kill planktonic life or that the trade off of lowered disease tips the scales past 50-50?

My 55 went through a nasty ich episode when it was about 6 months old, pulled the fish out for 6 weeks, yada, yada and I have to tell you, it was no fun at all. I'm sure the fish liked it even less. I like the idea of keeping my fish healty but I also have my corals and other critters to think about.

What's an effective size and flow rate for a UV vs. tank size?

~Alice

BTW, where can I find a reaaly *big* UV? I think I'll hook it up to an immersion tank and make my kids sit in it everyday for about 2 hours. They keep bringing home every bug under the sun and they want to share it with me!

[Spanky]

Alice,
Ah, the many uses of UV LOL. Did you get the trip planner I sent you?

Are you saying that they don't kill planktonic life

Isn't this funny, One argument says they don't kill paracites and the other says that they will kill all your planktonic life. HUH!
On that note, our tank has about 2" on LS, lots of LR. Working on pictures of the tank, Jorge had to run it all through Photo Shop to take out the "particles" in the water. I think because we feed so heavy, no UV in the world could keep up. You know you don't have to run it all the time.

What's an effective size and flow rate for a UV vs. tank size?

This is where you have to trust the manufacturer, read up and use you best judgement. Most pet oriented ones I've seen are highly overrated and also seem to be lost in the dark ages. I really don't want to recommend a certain brand here, if your interested email me and I will tell you who we use. OK? There are new bulbs out that the pet industry, for some reason, doesn't use.

Anyway,
HTH
Jerel

PS, thanks Jonathan. I appreciate it.

[Doug1]

Jerel, in spite of my wierd humor I do relish good input, esp from one with formal training, Thanks for hangin out with us

[Spanky]

I didn't notice any weird humor!

Now go fry that chicken!

Your welcome,
Jerel