UV light kills algae/parasites?

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Dwarf Puffers

Registered user
Dec 11, 2006
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When my tank had ich a little while ago, I read in an old veterinarian fish book that UV light would kill it. Now, in a new veterinarian fish book, it says that a UV light can also kill off algae. According to it, if you filter under a UV light (not over the tank, of course), it will kill algae and parasites.

Is there anything wrong that could happen here? Mutated algae/parasites? Killing something beneficial to the tank? Harming my fish somehow?

This would be pretty temporary, as I'm probably going to get a lot of marimo balls when I go to my good NSLFS this weekend. I'll try to starve it a more natural way.

If anyone is wondering, I have floating algae that makes the tank look like pea soup. Too much phosphates in the tap.
 

Notophthalmus

I put the 'snork' in 'snorkeling'!
Mar 4, 2008
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UV will kill (via massive molecular disruption) anything that is suspended in the water, from algae to viruses to zooplankton. It has no effect on anything that does not pass through the UV chamber.
 

Notophthalmus

I put the 'snork' in 'snorkeling'!
Mar 4, 2008
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Whoops, I didn't realize you meant a regular UV light rather than a sterilizer. A regular UV light will be less effective than a manufactured UV sterilizer, but will probably still be beneficial.
 

Dwarf Puffers

Registered user
Dec 11, 2006
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Thanks, everyone :)
 

emptywallet

another youngling who is clueless
Apr 19, 2008
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David
the Uv may kill benificial bacteria to though
 

The Zigman

Here fishy fishy fishy!!!
Oct 5, 2007
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Yep, the majority of beneficial bacterium live in the filter, and on surfaces. not free floating in the water, thus the only bacterial to be killed by the UV sterilizer is whatever passes through it, and, its still not an instant death, they have to be exposed to the uv for a few before they die...
 

jmhart

Revolutionary
Sep 8, 2007
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Atlanta,GA
Yep, the majority of beneficial bacterium live in the filter, and on surfaces. not free floating in the water, thus the only bacterial to be killed by the UV sterilizer is whatever passes through it, and, its still not an instant death, they have to be exposed to the uv for a few before they die...

Agreed.

Also, the UV probably won't help with the BGA(cyanobacteria) since it's not free floating.
 
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