Do you run UV sterilization?
 

1. Yes
2. No
3. Yes, but don't think it does anything.
4. No, but want to.

Can someone explain to me why this is a good thing to have?

floating bacteria and other living stuff will pass under intense UV light, which kills the living stuff in the water. This can often help make sure that you kill parasites, viruses, bacteria, etc which would normally just survive in your water and cause you problems.

Running Zeo I can't but I did before for about a year. Then I went to check on the bulb and the thing was burnt out. Don't know how long it wasn't working but figured if I didn't miss it why keep it. Never had any problems with disease
Actually think it kills more good stuff than bad

J

I find strong UV (40w+) helped to keep ick-magnets like Powder Blue Tangs healthy & alive.

I now have a 80w on my 210g & my 40w (needs new bulb) with a temporary 25w (till I get a new bulb for the 40 watter).

I wouldn't bother trying to keep ick-magnet tangs without one.

Chin has a 80w UV and ozone on his system & that probably accounts for the recovery of his very icky Achilles tang this week.

Anthony

OK...I should reword that....I understand what UV disinfection is for but it isnt just killing the bad stuff in the water.......this is more what I am asking because its killing everything that goes through it.

My achillies tang went through about the same sequence of attack/recovery as his...but I don't have a UV sterilizer. Obviously, his running of UV didn't prevent the ick attack in the first place. This makes me wonder if the UV is at all effective against ick.

Very good for fish only tank

As I am on ZEOvit I can not use UV.

Prior to the use of ZEOvit I used UV rather sparingly to control algae and disease. Turn it on for a couple of days and your yellowy green water becomes crystal clear.

Tom R

It went into the tank with ick from transport stress. If it wasn't for the UV & ozone, I don't think that an ick-magnet that is notoriously difficult to ship would have recovered that fast since the ick would have kept on reinfecting the Achilles if they hadn't been killed off by the UV & Ozone.

unless
 

unless ....... in the first place the tang had already acquired the ick from the store it was purchased from.
I run an 80W UV 24/7 on my tanks.

Let us know if the ick returns to your Achillies or not. In my tank, without UV, it comes and goes...never goes completely away. If you can eliminate it completely, that's a real testimony for UV.

can't. running zeovit.

ozone
 

i run ozone too so unfortunately it will not give UV all the credit. No ick return yet but its only been a short time.

I think they're good for newer hobbyists, they help control parasites and increase water clarity. Once you've been in the hobby for a while and you've invested in some nice equipment, you water quality has increased to the point where parasites are no longer an issue. When the fish are healthy in a stable environment they seem to be able to control their parasite level naturally and prevent an outbreak.

At least this is what I've found. I also run Zeo, so I couldn't use one even if I wanted to.

I could see using UV in series with your RO/DI since UV removes Chlorine.......or use it on your water change storage on your recirc line....

That's a great Idea.

J

Thanks......but that will be it for awhile now...I only get good idea's very sparingly.

Hey, I always used one, back in the '80,s. :D

I do see a lot of bare bottomed sps tanks in the US, running large ones. I once read many of the reasons why, but not close enough to remember why they thought it was so important. And FWIW, those running the large sterilizers, dont use ozone or at least the ones I read.