Difference in UV sterilizers ?
- Thread starter Xzap
- Start date
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greenmaji
Aquarium Advice Addict
between those two.. I would say its a name brand difference mostly.. the designs are very similar.. the Gamma uses T-5 rather then CF (Turbo-Twist) so the intensity of the bulb will be greater (T-5's put out more lumens per watt) but the turbo-twist might have a slightlty better twist desigh..
this is all design differences really.. If I were to buy one or the other.. it would likely be the Gamma.. but.. I cant think of a reason I would ever buy a UV.. so my question is..
What would you use a UV for? If you like overkill then sure.. but I dont think they are nessisary for anything..
this is all design differences really.. If I were to buy one or the other.. it would likely be the Gamma.. but.. I cant think of a reason I would ever buy a UV.. so my question is..
What would you use a UV for? If you like overkill then sure.. but I dont think they are nessisary for anything..
Zezmo
Aquarium Advice Addict
The difference I see is I paid 22 bucks less at Big Als for this one 
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=22513;category_id=3247;pcid1=;pcid2=
My thoughts in buying a UV are that it kills bacteria parasites etc, also it help in controling Algae. Mind you, in my heavily planted tank algae is not really an issue. But I read an article a while back where somone was talking about the virtues of a UV sterilizer. I liked what I read, and since they are not very expensive, I bought one. I have not really been running it long enough to say either way whether I think it has truly benfited my aquarium. Of course, my concerns are that one I have read that it can cause nutrients to oxidize (iron in particular from what i have read) and two if it kills all the algae... I will have some hungry algae eaters.
I have it on the outflow that goes through my CO2 reactor. If it at least cuts down on the slime that forms in there (on the airstone and in the "sponge"), then I will consider it was worth it. It it keeps me from getting some nasty infection in some cut on my hand when I go reaching in there...well then it was doubly worth it.
lol.... so greenmagi... the bottom line I guess for me is..its a toy... I like toys.... sometimes you have to play with a toy to decide if you like that toy.
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=22513;category_id=3247;pcid1=;pcid2=
My thoughts in buying a UV are that it kills bacteria parasites etc, also it help in controling Algae. Mind you, in my heavily planted tank algae is not really an issue. But I read an article a while back where somone was talking about the virtues of a UV sterilizer. I liked what I read, and since they are not very expensive, I bought one. I have not really been running it long enough to say either way whether I think it has truly benfited my aquarium. Of course, my concerns are that one I have read that it can cause nutrients to oxidize (iron in particular from what i have read) and two if it kills all the algae... I will have some hungry algae eaters.
I have it on the outflow that goes through my CO2 reactor. If it at least cuts down on the slime that forms in there (on the airstone and in the "sponge"), then I will consider it was worth it. It it keeps me from getting some nasty infection in some cut on my hand when I go reaching in there...well then it was doubly worth it.
lol.... so greenmagi... the bottom line I guess for me is..its a toy... I like toys.... sometimes you have to play with a toy to decide if you like that toy.
Xzap
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Thanks Green and Zezmo.. I was looking at the 25 watt Gamma.
I'm like you Zez, I love my big boy toys *lol*
Thx,
Dave
I'm like you Zez, I love my big boy toys *lol*
Thx,
Dave
travis simonson
Aquarium Advice Addict
One thing I would highly recommend looking for when considering a UV sterlizer is a built-in squeegee. Over time the quartz sleeve will get build-up on it and need to be cleaned. This can be a real PITA because it's inline with your filter output and you've got to tear it down to get at it - unless you've got a squeegee. Then you just run the squeegee back and forth a few times and it's clean. Hardly any work at all 
Aqua brand UV sterilizers have them as an option and I can't recommend them highly enough.
Aqua brand UV sterilizers have them as an option and I can't recommend them highly enough.Zezmo
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oh sure... you say that after I bought mine. The coral twist came with a cleaning brush. But you have to open the end, remove the "jar" wipe it down and run the brush through the rest. Anticipating this would be a real PITA, I put in a couple of those double valve quick disconnects on each side. I will tell you in a month if that worked out or just made a mess.
Travis, I am really interested if in your experience there is a real issue with nutrient loss due to the UV. Or perhaps with a daily dosing schedule it just doesn't matter?
Travis, I am really interested if in your experience there is a real issue with nutrient loss due to the UV. Or perhaps with a daily dosing schedule it just doesn't matter?
travis simonson
Aquarium Advice Addict
I run my UV only during lights out (about 13 hours a day) and dose nutrients/traces in the morning right after the lights come on and the UV goes off. This allows maximum daylight time for the plants to uptake the nutrients/traces before the UV comes back on again. I have heard that UV can oxidize Fe/traces but this method seems to work quite well; my plants show no signs at all of Fe/trace deficiency and I get the sterilization and clarification benefits of UV. I've never had a sick fish or green water issue
