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Unread 11/28/2009, 03:58 PM   #1
gauma369
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use of UV sterilizer on reef tank

Ok so Im changing my 120 FOWLR into a reef tank getting used T-5 fixture from a friend. Im pretty excited. Back to topic and question I have. Is it really bad to run a UV sterilizer on a reef tank? I have heard pros and cons. My friend has run one for 2 years now and loves it. I dont have one running now but I have slight algae problem. Nitrates and Phosphates are low but I seem to get algae growing on glass and mostly the overflow boxes. I had bought a couple more turbo snails which have taken a big dent out of it but it continues to grow even after like 3 months. No like I said it isnt bad but I would love to clean it up a bit and be more like the pictures of everyones tank on here. I know UV sterilizers kill all bacteria including the good stuff but how much good bacteria is really just floating in the water column? I thought most of it was in the substrate and live rock. I have a bare bottom tank so i don't have the substrate but I have live rock. So it comes down to is it bad to run a UV sterilizer on a reef tank?


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Unread 11/28/2009, 04:08 PM   #2
sc reefer
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I think you should run it on the tank for the first few months to control algae, then let the tank take care of itself. Also run it as you are adding new fish to kill any possible parasites.


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Unread 11/28/2009, 04:39 PM   #3
gauma369
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the tank has been running for about 3 months but everything was transfered from my 75 gal which was running over 3 yrs FOWLR.


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Unread 11/28/2009, 07:06 PM   #4
Chi6488
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I will let you know about 2 months. I unplugged mine today and will see how things go. My nitrates have been out of control and I have turned water over at least 5 times. Maybe the UV is killing EVERYTHING


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Unread 11/28/2009, 07:12 PM   #5
Aquarist007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chi6488 View Post
I will let you know about 2 months. I unplugged mine today and will see how things go. My nitrates have been out of control and I have turned water over at least 5 times. Maybe the UV is killing EVERYTHING
IMO its probably killing very little. They process such little water in gph that they are not as affective as the product sellors state them to be
I you have one already, sure run it but if you do not have one it is an expensive tool for what it actually accomplishes


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Unread 11/28/2009, 07:25 PM   #6
sedor
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The lower end UV sterilizers are worthless IMO, however if your going to run one, I agree with sc_reefer in that it should only be run some of the time...Its a nice tool to have in an emergency as well.


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Unread 11/28/2009, 07:47 PM   #7
iamwrasseman
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what bad comes from running it all the time ? i have a 160 watt unit and wanted to use it on my new 300 gal tank but not if it will hurt anything .what are the actual cons of the unit ?
thanks Dave


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Unread 11/29/2009, 12:05 AM   #8
Aquarist007
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what bad comes from running it all the time ? i have a 160 watt unit and wanted to use it on my new 300 gal tank but not if it will hurt anything .what are the actual cons of the unit ?
thanks Dave
nothing really other then a false sense of security that it is actually doing something


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I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken

Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock
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Unread 11/29/2009, 12:12 AM   #9
leafeater
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I bought a tank from a lady who was running a 9w coralife. I added all her fish to my tank and never used her sterilizer. The fish look great at least the ones that made it past the carpet.


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Unread 11/29/2009, 12:21 AM   #10
sedor
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Originally Posted by iamwrasseman View Post
what bad comes from running it all the time ? i have a 160 watt unit and wanted to use it on my new 300 gal tank but not if it will hurt anything .what are the actual cons of the unit ?
thanks Dave
I've never used a UV sterilizer so I can't speak from personal experience, but the supposed "cons" of using a sterilizer is that is kills...well pretty much anything that goes through it, including the beneficial bacteria your tank relies on. Of course very little of this bacteria actually resides in the water column, so on second thoughts keeping it on 24/7 may not be all that detrimental.


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Unread 11/29/2009, 12:27 AM   #11
Aquarist007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sedor View Post
I've never used a UV sterilizer so I can't speak from personal experience, but the supposed "cons" of using a sterilizer is that is kills...well pretty much anything that goes through it, including the beneficial bacteria your tank relies on. Of course very little of this bacteria actually resides in the water column, so on second thoughts keeping it on 24/7 may not be all that detrimental.

In the context of this post---I would worry about a uv sterilzer if I were using a refugium to produce copopods etc for fish in the display tank,
In that case I would run it on the drainside of the sump so it didn't interfer with copopods returning to the display tank.


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I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken

Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock
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Unread 11/29/2009, 12:31 AM   #12
sedor
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Good point, way to call me out for not reading all the way through


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Unread 11/29/2009, 01:26 AM   #13
iamwrasseman
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so its not detrimental in any other way ? seems like a good security blanket for parasites and algea ,not to mention any live pathogen that resides in the water .
thanks Dave


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Unread 11/29/2009, 04:51 AM   #14
ironwill723
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I run two TurboTwist 12x's on my 220g. 72watts of UV. I never have had any disease problems.


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Unread 11/29/2009, 07:03 AM   #15
seafloor09
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sedor View Post
I've never used a UV sterilizer so I can't speak from personal experience, but the supposed "cons" of using a sterilizer is that is kills...well pretty much anything that goes through it, including the beneficial bacteria your tank relies on. Of course very little of this bacteria actually resides in the water column, so on second thoughts keeping it on 24/7 may not be all that detrimental.
You contradicted yourself there????

If you want it for desease control it s/b on 24/7

If for algea then it can be part time.

But if you have it I would just leave it on.


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Unread 11/29/2009, 03:21 PM   #16
iamwrasseman
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cool so theres not really any bad side effects ?
thanks Dave


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Unread 11/29/2009, 03:26 PM   #17
jenglish
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not besides an electric bill

THere is little "good" bacteria in the water column. I have heard some say it kills corraline algae spores... If I thought it did that effectively I would own one!


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Unread 11/29/2009, 03:29 PM   #18
iamwrasseman
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awesome thanks for the words of direction !
Dave


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Unread 11/29/2009, 03:30 PM   #19
FISHSTICK745
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I ran one for about 9 months, took it off line about 2 months ago and nothing different. Maybe they are good for QT. I don't know.


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Unread 11/30/2009, 01:48 PM   #20
wooden_reefer
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Originally Posted by iamwrasseman View Post
what bad comes from running it all the time ? i have a 160 watt unit and wanted to use it on my new 300 gal tank but not if it will hurt anything .what are the actual cons of the unit ?
thanks Dave
You need to change the UV bulb more often.


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Unread 11/30/2009, 01:51 PM   #21
wooden_reefer
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Thinking that most UV sized to kill waterborne bacteria will kill everything, even just waterborne, is alarmist.

In general, UV cannot kill enough ich to be effective to limit its spread. It cannot kill off most larger organisms to eliminate them in a tank.


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Unread 11/30/2009, 04:55 PM   #22
ordy1
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Depends on who you talk to.

UV will kill most pathogens that are in the water column. It will kill them by scrambling their chromosomes. But only if the flow rate is slow enough to increase the dwell time, thereby increasing the UV dosage, and the intensity is large enough. With that said most aguarium UV's won't kill ich, copepods, pretty much anything bigger than mold spores. Your chances of killing some of these organisms increase as the flow rate decreases and the zap dosage increases. It will not totaly irradicate all these organisms. It will help though. It will help irradicate most algae spores in the water column. If your fish contract ick, and you want the UV to get rid of the ick, nothing short of running the fish through the sterilizer will get rid of the ick.(snark)

For the unit to work slow down the flow rate( don't buy most manufacturers claims of running a 25 watt sterilizer at 800 gph. The bad organisms will giggle and thank you for the free tan) I run mine at around 175 gph. Clean the quartz sleeve at least once a month. Change the bulb at least every six to seven months( especially if you run it 24/7 like I do).


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Unread 11/30/2009, 06:01 PM   #23
chow
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You also have to consider that using a UV sterilizer will possible kill beneficial bacteria in the water column as well as any "potential" bad ones.


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Unread 11/30/2009, 06:27 PM   #24
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I have a 40 watt on my return side. It's a little insurance on free floating parasites. Once a month I turn it off for a copopod bloom, then turn it back on.


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Unread 11/30/2009, 06:30 PM   #25
wooden_reefer
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You also have to consider that using a UV sterilizer will possible kill beneficial bacteria in the water column as well as any "potential" bad ones.
I think you don't have to.

I think beneficial bacteria are not found waterborne in significant numbers.


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