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View Full Version : Why no UV sterilizer with Biopellets?


atlfishes
01/12/2014, 10:48 AM
In doing some preliminary research I've read that one should not use a UV sterilizer with biopellets. The articles do not give any reasons why that is the case. Anyone have a good explanation or any experience running a UV with biopellets? If I were to setup the biopellet reactor to feed the skimmer and then have a UV after the skimmer would that be okay?

watsonj
01/12/2014, 12:17 PM
I have used a UV always with Biopellets for the last 4 years no issues and the pellets have done there Job.

AndysReef
01/12/2014, 02:08 PM
The uv will drastically slow the growth of the bacteria

atlfishes
01/12/2014, 02:18 PM
Doesn't the carbon source (biopellets) and nutrients in the tank determine the growth of the bacteria? The UV won't impact those. It could kill the excess bacteria that doesn't get skimmed out of the system. I don't know if that would have a material impact?

The uv will drastically slow the growth of the bacteria

watsonj
01/13/2014, 09:24 PM
I'm my experience with three tanks over the last 4 years it has not made any difference

brandoniscool
01/13/2014, 10:09 PM
isn't the bacteria on the pellets and not in the water column? if UV sterilizers affected bio pellet use would it also have a negative effect on all other types of biological filtration? pellets are just another filter media aren't they?

disc1
01/13/2014, 10:41 PM
Doesn't the carbon source (biopellets) and nutrients in the tank determine the growth of the bacteria? The UV won't impact those. It could kill the excess bacteria that doesn't get skimmed out of the system. I don't know if that would have a material impact?

The purpose of the biopellets is to create biomass to use up the excess nutrients in the water. Those bacteria get skimmed out removing the nutrients they assimilated along with them.

The UV blows bacteria up like the Death Star. All those nutrients you were trying to remove from your tank go right back into the water.

Killing something doesn't make it go away. You gotta deal with the body too. :)