Whats a UV Sterilizer?

[NJ Devils Fan]

(see topic)

[JamisonBWolsh]

A UV sterilizer kills off all bacteria, ich and free floating algae. I think its mainly used for saltwater. The bulbs are expensive and lasts half a year. This can be used for FW!

[NJ Devils Fan]

Is it important to have it in a new tank or a tank with nothin wrong with it?

[JamisonBWolsh]

I hope some other people respond to this thread. A VERY good question. For both those questions, the answer is no. Like I said, SW poeple use it more often. It does a Great job for a FW tank as well. Its not needed unless you have major algae problems, constant ICH issues, or Viruses that causes illnesses. As long as you keep up with weekly water changes, your tank should be find.

HOWEVER, If you have the money, its a good "toy" to add (Toy i mean, so you can say to everyone, I got a UV STERILIZER!). IT does work and is no Gimmick. A Nice Addition. You dont need it if you dont have the above problems.

[NJ Devils Fan]

Ok, I see, thanks. About how much do they go for?

[JamisonBWolsh]

Here is one:


RAINBOW 25 WATT UV STERILIZER - 1 1/4

Lifegard Ultraviolet Sterilizers produce UV light at 2537 angstroms, exerting a lethal effect on the unwanted, disease causing micro-organisms. Lifegard UV Sterilizers, when used properly, are extremely beneficial in destroyingdisease causing Pathogens, Harmful Bacteria, Mold spores, Yeast, Virus, Protozoa, Fungi as well as Algae. Lifegard UV Sterilizers use pure hard quartz material in their bulbs, which dramatically increases the UV output as compared to other conventional bulbs of equal wattage. Pure quartz material resists solarization and improves thelongevity of the UV bulb. The unique test tube like pure quartz sleeve isolates the bulb from water contact, providing an optimal bulb operating temperature of 100º F (38º C). This optimal bulb temperature results in a 35%higher UV output over conventional units without sleeves. 1" slip x 1 1/4" slip
Price: $129.99
ASWO#21001
STATUS: In Stock
QTY:

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Other Sizes Available for:
RAINBOW 25 WATT UV STERILIZER
RAINBOW 8 WATT UV MODULE $109.99
RAINBOW 40 WATT UV MODULE $169.99
RAINBOW 8 WATT UV MODULE $109.99
RAINBOW 40 WATT UV MODULE $169.99


Here is a link to petwarehouse..type in UV sterilizer and you will 4 pages of products.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/search/search_action.cfm

[NJ Devils Fan]

Wow, they are pretty expensive. How do you know what size you would need for a tank?

[JamisonBWolsh]

Thats the price for just the unit and 1 bulb. I think you have to replace the bulbs every 6 months..Can be VERY expensive. Im not sure on the wattage. Logically, I guess, the higher the watts, the faster it "cleans" the water??? Thats what i think. Equipment not needed, IMO. But it works great! If you have the money...

[slipknottin]

most SW keepers dont use UVs. Only the minority with fish only tanks do.

There certainly not neccessary and are expensive to purchase. It will kill green water, and water born diseases and pathogens.

Good tank maintence will prevent both of those from happening. There are quite a few people that have them attached and ready to run, and turn them on at first sign of problems with either disease or green water... but its a waste of money if you never need it.

The higher the wattage the faster the flow rate through it. Usually their run either on the output of a canister or a powerhead, in either case choose the UV that closest matches the flow rate it will have.

[JamisonBWolsh]

I agree its not needed if you take care of your tank (everyone does right?). Is it a Waste of Money? I dont think so. If you have problems with your water supply or have uncontrollable algae (and you dont have a pleco or dont feel like cleaning the algae), this device is EXTREMELY HELPFULL. But for most FW tanks, I dont think its needed. Your call though. If you have the money to spend, It wont hurt. PLus, if you have a water supply source thats questionable, this device will kill all the bacteria (most anyways)

[ewok]

i have never used one and have only been exposed to one at a friends house in very limited applications.........BUT, i still disagree with alot of this rubbish posted. sorry jameson, cite references please if you can.

uv from what i have seen is mostly for bacterial and virus control. the small nasties you really can't see. yes it does have expensive bulbs that need to be replaced regularly. and that's about all i can go along with......

it *might* have uses with green water, but i tend to doubt it, i just don't see it as the right type of application....... it will NOT filter the water and that is more whats needed.

ditto for ich, that's mostly bull, it will kill some i am sure, but very limited numbers from what i remember reading.... same as above: it will NOT filter the water and that is more whats needed.

either of those 2 problems would be much better handled by diatom and/or good tank maintenance......

uv "sterilizer" ........ sterilizer, that means it kills germs.

in a perfect world i would own one for each of my tanks for bacterial problems and sickness, or at least one you could swap between tanks. but this isn't a perfect world and honestly i don't have the money for mostly superflous equipment yet........

just my opinion

[JamisonBWolsh]

some links:
info:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/library/weekly/aa120197UV.htm


another GOOD article:

http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aquaworldnet.com %2Fawmag%2Fuven.shtml

Here is a LInk to when many people asked questions and they were answered:

http://saltaquarium.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wetwebmedia.com% 2FUVFAQs.htm

UV STERILIZERS do work and does a great job doing it. IMO, not needed though....

[125gJoe]

I'm glad I have one for my Discus..
Most aquariums probably don't need it, but I prefer to have it. ;)

[JamisonBWolsh]

80GJoe,

Dont let the others discourage you. UV STERILIZERS work wonders on your tank. Not needed, but helps IMMENSELY if anything enters your tank environment.

[slipknottin]

just wondering, but what "wonders" is it working? :confused:

just clarifying-- i have nothing against UVs outside of reef tanks. I would most definatly have one if i was going to be stocking my tank with expensive fish... Just a precaution.

[JamisonBWolsh]

read the articles.

[slipknottin]

you cant summarize? im not reading 4 pages of stuff.

[JamisonBWolsh]

well... their is SO MUCH to say about them. I would NOT ADVISE anyone to buy them, unless they have delicate fish or problematic tap water.

[125gJoe]

I did some research and picked this UV sterlizer:

[slipknottin]

heres how i see it


unwanted free floating microscopic water borne bacteria, parasitic, fungal, viral, algae, and other unfriendly pathogens out of aquarium water by exposing it to high intensity ultra-violet (UV) light

green water.... caused by high phosphates and nitrates in the water, do water changes and lower it, no more green water,

as far bacteria and infecting fish... ill leave it MADman, who used to post here


The common pathogens in the environment are not sufficient in themselves to cause disease. If they were, every animal would be ill all the time. An animal becomes ill when something changes in its body or in its environment that gives the pathogens an opportunity. Too much of our medicine focuses on eliminating the pathogens while ignoring the environmental factors ...factors such as water and air quality, plumbing, and the health of our neighbors have a great deal of effect on our health. Pathogens will always be with us, but if our environment is healthy, we are much less likely to become ill.

"The same goes for aquarium fish, but perhaps to an even greater degree, because we have so much control over their environment. In the last four years or so, the only disease I've seen in my tanks has been fungal fin rot— and that has always been brought on by cichlid aggression, clearly an environmental factor. Aggression aside, my fish do not get sick. They do not get sick because their environment is balanced and stable.


furthermore
It is important to remember that a healthy aquarium
depends on beneficial bacteria typically growing on media in your
filter which neutralize ammonia. At most, your sterilizer can kill
some water born pathogens, but total sterilization is not possible or
desirable. Aquarists who practice prudent quarantine procedures for
newly acquired fish generally do not need to sterilize.
(written by the members of http://groups.google.com/groups?group=rec.aquaria)

[Richer]

Slip - water changes won't rid a tank of GW... at least not in a fertillized plant tank. Maybe in a FO tank, but certainly not a plant tank. You can do water changes till your face is blue, but unless you are able to eliminate all traces of the floating algae, they'll just laugh at you and come right back... it happened to me while I was just starting out on plant tanks.. added too many fish at once, had a small ammonia spike then bam! GW water in less than a week. A blackout solved that problem though =)

UV units are also used in plant tanks for that purpose, to rid the tank of GW. Of course, its usually used as a last resort, when blackout+nutrient controls don't work.
UV Sterilizers for the most part are never needed. As long as you keep conditions in your tank heathy (ie. good filtration, good stocking level, light feedings, etc. etc.) you'll probably never find a need for one.

-Richer

[slipknottin]

good call. thanks Richer.

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by JamisonBWolsh
80GJoe,

Dont let the others discourage you. UV STERILIZERS work wonders on your tank. Thanks Jamison. I'm glad I have that product and will continue to use it. Anything to improve water quality is a definite plus! :)

[Tiger15]

UV can also help clarify the water. I am not certain of the mechanisim which may have something to do with ozone production.

[wetmanNY]

A glorified high-tech patio bug-zapper that kills 'em all-- good or bad-- as long as they pass through the sleeve within one half-inch of the UV tube. This toy does not work on multicellular critters like copepods, etc. Probably just as well.

For green water, light and nutrients must be available-- of course. But the cure for green water is a balanced zooplankton grazing on those euglenoids and algal cells. It's not sensible to just blast everything within reach with a UV death-ray.

I was owlishly informed once that the way to have a wildflower meadow was to begin with weedkiller and sterilize the soil...

[NJ Devils Fan]

I saw that one in Joe's pic, thats why I asked. So Joe, did your dog UV come in one piece in the box, or did you have to put it together? ;)

[JSchmidt]

A UV unit won't cause any harm, but it is of fairly limited use. I researched them a year and a half ago, and bought one, but it currently sits in a box in my fish room.

UV is of use for killing green water outbreaks that don't respond to the less expensive, first-line treatments: lowering light and nutrient levels. I've read a number of accounts of people that tried conventional means to treat green water without success. In those cases, UV is worth a try.

UV can help with some pathogens, but only those that are primarily free floating organisms. Most pathogens aren't freefloating (i.e., they reside primarily on fish or on aquarium surfaces) and a UV won't do much good. UV are particularly good for free floating pathogens that don't respond to readily available meds (e.g., mycobacteria).

Another use would be in a central filtration system, where cross-tank contamination is a concern.

Otherwise, they are of limited use in FW tanks. They won't do any harm and they are fun, fiddly little gadgets, but if you run two well-maintained tanks side-by-side, adding a UV unit to one won't yield much of a difference. After you consider the cost of replacing the bulb after 6-9 months, you'll likely find yourself reconsidering their necessity...

Jim

[ewok]

LOL@wetman :D

ya know? the guy who told you how to grow the wildflowers had some really good points. ;)

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by JSchmidt
After you consider the cost of replacing the bulb after 6-9 months, you'll likely find yourself reconsidering their necessity...

Jim
I see it at about $42 a year. (not 6 months..)
No biggie... :)