UV sterilizers?

LMOUTHBASS

LMOUTHBASS

My hypocrisy goes only so far
Jun 17, 2003
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Mark
was just reading about these on doc foster n smith - seems pretty cool - had never heard of them before - anyone use one?
sounds like you have to have UGF though to use - was trying to figure out if you can use one with regular filters - doesn't seem so though- it says you have to have waterflow going through the lamp - but one of the products didn't specify this maybe it can hook up to a filter somehow - anyhow i guess the thing scans your water killing bacteria as well as parasites - i'm gonna have to figure a way out to get one of these babies!!!
 
The concept is simpler than you think. They don't scan for anything, the water is just run through a glass tube that is subject to the strong light.

I've run them in-line with my canister filters in the past.... I'm not convinced they are very effective at removing anything other than algae. The biggest mistake people make is that they have too much flow going through the sterilizer which means the water is not in the sterilizer light long enough to do any good. Also, you must replace the lamp on a regular basis otherwise it loses it's strength and will not be effective. You should always pre-filter the water going into the sterilizer so that the glass tubes do not get dirty as quickly.
 
There are only a couple of instances when a UV unit is needed in FW aquaria. Green water (unicellular algae bloom) that hasn't responded to other treatments will usually be knocked out by UV. Certain free-floating microscopic pathogens (e.g., the mycobacteria involved in fish TB) can be controlled with UV.

For the most part, our aquaria are inhabited by all sorts of helpful or benign microbes. There is generally no advantage to attempting to rid your tank of all of them. In fact, that approach may cause more harm than good.

UVs look cool, and the retailers can make up all sorts of reasons why you should part with a hundred dollars or more to get one, but the reality is that for most of us, they're a vanity gadget rather than a necessity.

Jim
 
If it's affordable, get one.
Anything for better water is good...

As above, too much water thru it is not effective.

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Replacement bulbs aren't cheap....
 
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I, personally, would not use them. If your power goes out and some should happen, you fish will have a weak immune system and will not be able to resist disease very well.

As in humans and over use of lysole like stuff, the body doesn't know how to protect itself against pathogens and therefore, when subjected to them, is very weak and usually has little deffense.
 
actually, i think that's a little screwed up about the algae.... diatom works much better for cleaning green water IMO anyway.

same kinda statements, but i don't use one. expensive bulbs, have to be replaced often... and the only argueable advantage i know of is in regards to killing bacteria. some of it you might not want to see die, but there is no selectivity. it also can wipe out beneficial microfauna.

some day i may try one, but unless you keep expensive fish i don't really see the benefit vs. expense.

as far as ug and it..... i don't know how you're coming up with that. i wouldn't see how you could use it in conjunction with ug. all you need is a pump to create a loop. water out of the tank, into the uv and back into the tank.
 
Originally posted by PumaWard
I, personally, would not use them. If your power goes out and some should happen, you fish will have a weak immune system and will not be able to resist disease very well....
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I've tried, and tried again to see the logic in that, but can't. Cleaner water = healthy fish.
A power loss would not cause disease from the UV being shut down. Immune systems can change over very long periods...possibly generations, like when some complain of weakened strains of fish at LFS...

UV sterilizers could be considered accessory gadgets, as well as diatom filters, but if they help keep your fishes water clean -- I don't see anything wrong with using them. In fact, just the opposite... Give your fish the best environment you can.
 
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Re: thanks

Originally posted by LMOUTHBASS
can you use one if you don't have UGF?
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You can hook up a UV sterilizer to a powerhead or a canister filter.

UGF are a separate item. I despise that type of, well, I despise UGF's...
 
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