UV sterilizes. Pros and cons

[Avidon]

I know that some people swear by having UV sterilizes because it helps to mitigate algae blooms in their tanks. I have a 38 gallon freshwater tank and though I don't have any problem with algae control, I still want to know what some of the benefits are to having one of these things in your freshwater tank?

Does the use of submersible UV sterilizes hinder the bio filtration in your tank? Do freshwater zooplankton even occur in aquaria?

 

[Affordable Aquatic]

There is no harm in having a UV filter in a freshwater tank. The upside is that it will help kill some algae and some free-floating parasites. The truth is that in a 38 gallon tank you should have no problem doing the maintenance required to keep algae at bay. Simple water changes and proper feeding will do that for you. Quarantining and observing new fish will prevent the introduction of parasites.

If you were planning on putting a UV on a large pond, very fragile reef tank or a large fish holding system I would say go for it. But for your average FW tank, its unnecessary.