uv stirelizer

[fishman101]

i herd uv's are good for removeing algae and other fungus+mold but i was wondering are they good in a live plant tank.....

[lee914]

I am not a UV expert nor with live plants but I know that the UV light will not only kill the bad bactria but also any, including the "good" bacteria that pases through the light chanber. I just dont thnk in general they are a good idea, I would only use them if a fish encounteres a virus or some kind of disease.

[125gJoe]

Originally posted by fishman101
....are they good in a live plant tank..... My tanks has many live plants. I have and use a UV sterilizer. Used properly, they cause no harm, but actually help keep the water cleaner.

UV sterilizers don't have to be continuously running.. Properly cycled (on and off times) the device is a good addition to a tank. But, they are not a necessity!!

There seems to be an unecessary kind of "hate" for this product that I don't understand... Maybe it's the "mystery" of how it works, or the misunderstanding?? Some love them, some hate them... :scratch:

[Jonesy]

I had one but stopped using it when I took my 90 Gallon out of a Window.... this tank was getting full sunlight and the sterilizer seemed to keep the "algae cloud" under control (I was getting cloudy water 1 day after changing it). A few times it tricked me into thinking that my water was alright when it definitely WAS NOT...... you won't get the usual cloudiness or tint when your water needs to be changed so you'll want to keep on the testing IMHO....

I had plants in the tank and they seemed to do well... but I also had lots of small fish and direct sunlight so I'm thinking the sterlizer wasn't a factor??