Worst Month Yet.

[Zoaelite]

As much as I enjoy the idea of trail and error (As our fish tanks are practically giant experiments) learning from others experience is a highly valuable tool in this hobby. Not only will it save you money and headaches but more importantly it will save the lives of the animals we care for.

As abrasive as these "people who didn't have love growing up" might be in the end they are the ones supporting proper aquarium husbandry. These are not rocks we are talking about, in the end they are living breathing animals just like ourselves.

For fear of starting an ethics debate back onto topic , UV sterilizers can be useful tools but it depends on what you want your final result to be. You are sterilizing the water of life so you will be killing both the beneficial and detrimental in one sweep. I personally don't run one as I'm using both Bio pellets and bacterial supplements to combat nitrates. Also a healthy reef is full of life, if you have ever seen tank water under a microscope you would be blown away (There is a massive amount of diversity in just a drop). Adding a UV sterilizer will destroy this, I personally think they are helpful for setting up FOWLERS but should be avoided in a reef tank.

If you are looking for an actual fix instead of a band-aid ensuring healthy plump fish is your best bet, Ich and most marine parasites take advantage of stressed fished because of their diminished slime coats. Adding fish slowly, ensuring they are healthy before they come home and feeding them a highly varied diet soaked in a vitamin supplement will ensure there health.

UV sterilizers don't really have a down side IMO other than the extra cost and maintenance, they won't effect your bacteria population and won't really have an impact on other beneficial organisms either but if you're overly concerned about pods and whatnot run the UV during daylight hours only since the free swimming organisms are more active at night.

Interesting

The general consensus is that an aquarist that has a well maintained and uncrowded aquarium, as well as follows good quarantine procedures when introducing new specimens to their system, a UV light filter is not necessary. For those that may be deciding on whether a UV light filter should be added or not, here are some other points to consider.

* Most effective when run 24/7.
* Most effective if the water is clear.
* Most effective if bulb is new, or replaced regularly (at least every 6-8 months).
* Most effective if the UV light penetrates less than one inch of water.
* Effectiveness can be hindered if the water passes to fast past the bulb. Most effective if the exposure time of the water to the UV light is longer than one second.
* The effectiveness of UV light can be hindered if there is light blockage, i.e. a salt encrusted bulb.
* It can help to prevent future water borne pathogen reoccurrences, once the initial problem as been completely eradicated from the aquarium.
* UV light not only kills unwanted organisms, but beneficial ones as well.
* Because it can destroy beneficial microscopic organisms that some reef tank inhabitants may depend on as a food source, UV light should not be run during feeding time.
* It only destroys organisms that are free floating IN the water as it passed by the UV light, i.e. it will NOT get rid of an ich infestation that is already ON fish, or cure a bacterial disease a fish may have.
* Should never be run when treating with any drugs or medications.
* UV can also alter the structure of some dissolved chemical compounds.
* UV light can be damaging to the human eye, so DO NOT look into the bulb.
* Always unplug the unit when working on it to prevent possible shock if it breaks or gets wet.
What Is It, and How Are UV Sterilizers Used in Saltwater Aquariums

By Stan & Debbie Hauter

Just a little bit of extra info before you run out and spend more money.
Levi

[Milad]

+1 with zeolite. UV sterilizer ive stayed away from. im doing zeobak + biopellets

actually my first question when someone told me about a UV sterilizer was, WTF wont that kill the good stuff?

[sphelps]

What does zeobak have to do with anything, is this guy using it?? If you're supplementing with bacterial type additive a UV will obviously interfere but if you're just starting out like I mentioned it's a good tool to have especially when a QT isn't being used. You don't have to use it forever, just when you need it.

Yes a UV will kill virtually anything that passes through it but yet what exactly would be considered beneficial? The amount of free swimming bacteria compared to the bacteria that attaches to surfaces is minuscule so it won't have an effect on your tanks ability to cycle waste. Other organisms are virtually useless to someone starting out and is just trying to get a fish population established. Sure once you have an established reef and want to start keeping fish and other animals that require these micro-organisms you don't want to run a UV very often but until then it's a good tool to have.

It also obviously won't cure a fish with ich but talk to anyone who's had problems with ich and you'll learn it usually comes in waves. The fish will get ich and recover fine but it recovered by the use of it's slime coat which is now depleted. The second wave comes and the fish cannot usually recover. The UV HELPS prevent the second wave and other fish from being effected.

[Milad]

Originally Posted by sphelps

What does zeobak have to do with anything, is this guy using it??

read the post before mine. zeolite was talking about biopellets and bacterial supplement so i was just commenting how i do same with zeobak and pellets.

are you still mad i said bigger is better? its really how you use it that counts....