UV steralizer, vigorous water changes also needed?

[Walker Anderson]

Hi guys, I just added a UV steralizer to my system last night. I kept getting the green algae bloom of doom. After 3 weeks of being unable to beat it, I bought this new gadget. A Corallife Turbo twist. I can see an improvement this morning from when I plumbed it in last night, but was thinking. It just kills the algae, it doesnt make it magically dissapear. Is for the next few days 30-50 percent water changes seem a viable way to get rid of the now dead but still green algae ? I don't have any experience with these units and while I have heard extremely good things about them, I know they aren't a magic cure all.

As far as the bloom goes, I can chalk that up to over fertilizing my plants, adding a newer piece of dried wood I didn't prepare properly, combined with possibly excessive lighting and maybe a little overfeeding thrown in.

Anyone that can throw some suggestions my way. I would appriciate it. I have a java fern in there I havent seen in 3 weeks. I just wonder what it looks like now.

Thanks

 

[melonie]

You're absolutely correct that while a properly functioning UV unit will kill algae, and under certain circumstances will kill some parasites as well. the unit does nothing to remove the 'dead bodies' from the filter loop. To deal with this with my own UV unit, I added a post-filter at the end of my filter loop return hose.

Specifically, I had an old HOB filter lying around which I had quit using after installing a modular filter (an Aquatech = Penguin but without bio-wheels). Without plugging in the Aquatech, I simply hung it on the back of my tank and shoved the flexible hose returning from my UV unit into the fitting where the Aquatech's suction pipe used to connect. I then installed some 1 micron filter media in the Aquatech cartridge filter frames, which does a beautiful job of 'hoeing out' the 'dead bodies'. As a fringe benefit, the 1 micron filter material also grabs any tiny particles which make it past my modular filter.

As far as a UV unit reducing the 'necessity' of water changes, it WILL eliminate the need to change water to combat algae. However, it will NOT reduce the need to do water changes to dilute nitrates and other contaminants. I have been getting away with a 25-30% water change twice a week on a heavily stocked 55 gallon tank since adding the UV unit.

 

[bzboy]

Would this be a good reason to put the UV sterilizer on the input side of a cannister filter?? So as to filter out the dead particles in the cannister?

 

[Walker Anderson]

Intresting ideas. I plumbed mine inline from the outflow from my cannister to the tank. I also have a Penguin 150 working on the other side of the tank. I may get creative with my tubing, but I have ran the Sterilizer for 1 1/2 days and last night did about a 70 % water change and it was a great change this morning. I could see everything in the tank once again. I added alot of plants to the tank also and will probably just do bi-weekly water changes, till I get a happy balance for the fish again. Going to go lightly on the ferts for a bit, but did kick the Co2 back on this morning before leaving for work. May I will add some kind of filter after the UV before the output....have to get creative and wonder around Home Depot for inspiration.

 

[melonie]

Would this be a good reason to put the UV sterilizer on the input side of a cannister filter?? So as to filter out the dead particles in the cannister?

I'm told that this is a bad idea because it increases the suction required for the canister's pump which can significantly reduce filter flow rate, and can contribute to possible 'air locking' (i.e. any air in the UV unit can only go into the canister)

 

[melonie]

May I will add some kind of filter after the UV before the output....have to get creative and wonder around Home Depot for inspiration

You can also wander around WalMart's fish section ... they offer absolutely dirt cheap HOB filters, and you can always just hang it on your tank, don't install the suction tube and don't plug in the pump, and just shove the UV unit's return hose into the suction tube fitting. This way the return water from your UV will fill the HOB, passing through the cartridge filters on the way back to your tank. This approach provides filtration with no additional back pressure so that the flow through your canister filter and UV unit won't be reduced.