UV sterilizers with refugium

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JamesR

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Sep 17, 2004
Messages
468
Location
Charlotte, NC
Does anyone know if you should run a UV sterilizer if you have a refugium setup for your aquarium. I am new at using plants and macro algae to assit with filtration and don't want to use the UV if it will eliminate elements that the plants may use to thrive.

Thanks in advance,
Jim
 
If you run the UV on its own circulation system then you wont be totally defeating the purpose of the refuge. If you have the UV inline with the return or the supply to your refuge then it will be defeating the refuge.

There are many factors that affect the efficency of the UV in the first place. I would suggest not using the UV unless you have a real need for one. For more on UVs check our UV article.
 
Why would a UV effect a fuge?
Fuge removes excess nutirents.... UV kill free floating algae and critters that are unlucky enough to go through the light so you may kill off a few pods. If you use a UV you need to have the water flow very low through the light so running on the return line is not a good option. Dwell time is what kill the items so you need low flow through the light. I had one on my 125 reef for over a year till the RIO pump crapped out and my UV backed the inside and released a PVC power into the tank causing a LARGE headache and killing some corals and a fish. Tank was fine and the fuge until then... Why do u think you need one? Piece of mind? thats why I had mine and it messed with my mind...
 
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