Is it OK to dose Vodka and run an UV ?

[Cal_stir]

i used a vertex UF15 and a maxijet 1800, i had previously glued the hose barbs in so i had to use hoses, i think a nextreef MR1 or SMR1 would be a good reactor for a build. heres some pics, the blue tubing on the right is water being drawn from the sump, the red tube out the top is water returning to the sump directed at the inlet of my skimmer

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by daniella3d

Well pretty much everything going through the UV will be killed if it is strong enough and if it is going through it slowly enough. Surly floating phytoplanktin and zooplankton will be killed, water become sterile.

I have looked at the water from my aquarium under a microscope and found a lot of little buggers here and there. The water become alive after sometime, from snails, crabs, shrimps larvae. I even had coral spawning and reproducing in my aquarium. So yes the water is pretty much alive and the UV kill most of that.

I never used a UV, never had a problem with any parasites because I do a strict quarantine and treat for what ever is in there as it goes. I think it is a better way of dealing with parasite than leaving them on fish in small quantity and trying to control them after with a UV. The fish will always have a small amount on them and be susceptible to outbreak.

Multi million dollars public aquariums often use natural sea water, so they don't really care for the cost of water change So they probably need the UV to kill what ever parasites could get in with the natural sea water. Since they have a free supply of sea water, they do more water change to control the nitrates etc...I wish I could be near the ocean and get free sea water...then I would definitly use a UV to run all the water through it very slowly to make sure it is clear of nasty parasites and protozoares.

I had a UV in fresh water for my discus because they has a problem with flukes..prazi resistant flukes, but the UV never did anything for the flukes, so I sold it when I got my saltwater tank. I never needed it.

In Coral magazine in an article called "Anorexic Reef" they explained that SPS grow much faster and better in a year old mature aquarium or more because of the zooplankton living in the water and feeding the coral. I have no doubt about this from what I saw in the microscope, so no more UV for me.

hey lookie we finally agree on something must be the new year

+1 to this


heres a cool read its very long but worth the time, youd be surprised whats in our water column and this may dismiss some myths or not. i know one thing i got from this read is every system is different as is our natural reefs and whats in my water column may not be whats in yours.


http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2011/3/aafeature


def a good read

[Casey8]

Thank you very much for this useful link, reefwars. Compared with the higher wattages they were talking about, I only have a 18W UV, do you think I still better have it turned off for good ?

[reefwars]

i guess the answer to the op's original question is yes it is ok to use a uv and carbon dose uv still doesnt prevent ick though

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Casey8

Thank you very much for this useful link, reefwars. Compared with the higher wattages they were talking about, I only have a 18W UV, do you think I still better have it turned off for good ?

i havent had a uv on my tank in years and to be honest i havent had ick in any of my tanks for years and ive gone through quite a few tanks lol from reading that article running a uv wont be counterproductive with carbon dosing so its your own call if your using it and its working then i say dont fix whats not broken but im not a fan of using them in saltwater.

[Casey8]

I think I have a phobia with ich after I saw how all my previous fish died from that terrible disease. The UV is just a thing that makes me feel more of an extra layer protection, but maybe not, just like you said it is not preventing ich.

[Casey8]

Originally Posted by phi delt reefer

Running UV will not kill the beneficial bacteria as most are stating here - this is a running myth that has been passed on from person to person with no real data (that i have seen atleast - and i spend a lot of time online ).

lets look at some examples;

1. in reef tanks you can easily do 50%-100% water changes without heavily impacting the bio filtration the system is capable of. Why is this? Because the MAJORITY of the beneficial bacteria are housed in your sand bed and on your rock NOT in the water column.

2. when you want to see new rock you dont use old tank water (though it helps somewhat), you use a piece of ESTABLISHED live rock because it contains the majority of the bacteria you want in your system.

I agree it is feel as an extra laayer protection

3. multi million dollar aquariums USE giant UV sterilizers with no issues and their bio loads - this includes reef systems, not just fowlers.

4. the water running through the uv filter should be mechanically filtered first or you will clog up the system and reduce the efficiency of the system. Pods shouldnt make it through mechanical filtration if you are doing it right. you want to use the UV to kill algae spores and water borne bacteria. Also - skimmers also pull pods out of the tank and nobody seems to be removing those off their systems.

5. is there any proof of a tank crash or algae bloom from running UV? (if the uv was killing beneficial bacteria then your phosphates and nitrates would jump feeding such a bloom or killing fish and corals)

6. lots of people run UV and are just as successful as those that don't. Its an extra layer of protection. If you are going to use it get a good system (like the Emperor Aquatics units) and get a Tom's Flow meter and make sure you are running the correct flow through the unit to optimize the filtration.

I agree with you, it feels as an extra layer protection

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by Casey8

I think I have a phobia with ich after I saw how all my previous fish died from that terrible disease. The UV is just a thing that makes me feel more of an extra layer protection, but maybe not, just like you said it is not preventing ich.

it happens and it sucks thats for sure, at least now being through it once before you have a better understanding. how come you cant set up qt tank?? hypo is the best choice for prevention but as good as it is i dont do it, i dont buy a whole lot of fish anymore im a coral guy but when i do buy fish i prefer to buy off friends or at least healthy lfs i dont shop at dives and i buy fish suited for my tank. and i guess the old saying if its too good to be true it is lol you know when some low traffic lfs gets in a huge fish order and has something youve wanted for so long for so cheap so you cant resist and then a couple weeks later your kicking yourself in the butt for going there lol

i do feed garlic reguarly though and keep a low bio load so im guessing a combination of the 2 is whats working for me

[Casey8]

I used to have a quarantine tank but most of them died in a week - from stress - I guess. Most of fish that I wanted/bought were from LFS because I have no luck to compete with another canreefers here. If they were not gone too fast, it was because too far away not worth a ride just for a fish.