UV for seahorse tank?

[au01st]

I've been trying to do my research before I finally get my pair of ponies, and I haven't seen much about the use of UV, but I've seen plenty about the diseases they can catch. My tank is a 24g and I was thinking of going with an 8w Aqua UV unit. Is there any reason not to (besides the death of pods?) Is a UV necessary? I understand their use on reef tanks; I don't run one on my 90, yet, but the cost is considerably less for the smaller one appropriately sized for the pony tank, so I feel I could add it if needed. Worth it?

[Avi]

UV-sterilizers are really very limited in their effectiveness in a tank with any appreciable amount of live rock. As you, no doubt, know already, they only kill what passes through them and because of the live rock, the parasites don't necessarily pass through them because of all the live rock which shelters them when they aren't free swimming. My own theory (which may be called a "guess" more than a theory) is that coral consume the spores of parasites and that's why it's much less likely to have an outbreak of ich or velvet in a reef than it is in a FO or a FOWLR. So, would you have corals in with the seahorses? If the UV-sterilizer isn't more than you're willing to spend, then get it, because we should do as much as we can to make the fish safe. But don't expect too much from it.

[lucycat]

i always run a uv after getting an out break of vibro it did stop it from spreading.also if you are not using live rock and corals it would help stop a whitespot outbreak,but its a matter of choice i prefer to have one but others dont.i would weigh up the advantages and disadvantages and then decide

[Peka]

I run UVs on all my tanks, even my fry tanks.

[reefstew]

I use uv on my sh tank, & all grow out clown fish tanks but I don't use one on my 240 reef-fish tank.