What's The Truth On UV Sterilizers??

[xxnonamexx]

My friend is thinking of purchasing a Protein Skimmer which has a 5Watt UV sterilizer attached to it for his 75gal. SW Reef tank. He has had problems with ICK and starting adding Garlic to the food. Will this make matters worse with the UV sterilizer? Thanks

 

[Phyl]

The UV isn't going to make matters any worse... but it isn't going to solve his ich problem either. His fish are stressed and once they get ich really bad they should be QTd so that they can undergo hypo or copper. I've seen garlic help a fish shake 1 or 3 spots, but full blown ich is going to need treatment. If the fish is obviously struggling he needs more than just a boost to his immune system. Until he can get the treatment environment setup garlic and ground fresh ginger may help the fish a bit. Again that is a bandaid, not a cure. 8 weeks fallow for the main and a good treatment course (copper or hypo) for the fish is a cure. Wish him well for us!

 

[xxnonamexx]

He had a Tomato clown and it was bad and he had it QT with copper and it turned out to have a white hole almost throiugh it and past away. Every fish he buys ends up getting ich once it hits the tank within the first week. Now there is nothing in the tank as far as ich the 2 tangs are doing wonderful and the lionfish. He feels that the UV will help prevent ich when he buys new fish. Also keep the tank healthy.

 

[Jason]

it won't, he needs to let the tank sit fishless for a little while

 

[austinsdad]

There is ick still living in the tank. That's why the new fish always get it. Maybe the remaining fish have built up some kind of resistance - for now. Again, 8 weeks without fish in the main may be his only hope.

 

[Phyl]

He has ich in his tank. The new fish are more susceptible because they're stressed. The only way to get rid of it for sure is to fallow the main or hypo it if there are no inverts. Otherwise any time a fish is susceptible to it, it will present again. If he QTs the purchases before putting them into his tank he may ease the stress of transition (especially if he can match parms with the main prior to adding the fish in). Maybe that way he can continue to live with it the way he is. Just know he has a ticking time bomb. So do I. I'm living with ich in my main, but so far nobody is symptomatic so I just continue to watch them. If I have an outbreak they'll all be properly treated (regardless of who's symptomatic).

 

[Brenden]

I posted this same question about a month ago. The people who had them loved them. The ones who did not said they were a waste of $. I have a 36W turbo twist. They will keep your water clearer and kill ich in the water it treats but it will never clear ich completely from your tank.

 

[Pghjeff71]

So I've always used a UV sterilizer in my aquariums, either freshwater or saltwater and I was convinced they did something to keep water quality up. Over a month ago I decided to try an experiment and see what would happen if I removed my UV sterlizer from the saltwater tank. I have not seen any difference whatsoever in my water quality. Prior to this, even having the UV sterilizer, I still had ich outbreak in the tank. However I used mine for the fact that I thought it was keeping algae in check.

I'm convinced that the refugium is the best thing I've ever done in keeping a saltwater tank, and my water has never been clearer and I've never had any major cyano or nuisance algae issues. Years ago before fuges became commonplace I always had problems with this (one of the reasons I took a hiatus from saltwater fish).

When I had a large pond many years ago I used an enormous UV sterlizer which *did* keep the algae in check. So there is a use for these depending on the situation.

- Jeff

 

[schoeplein]

Reduced algae (less glass cleaning), clearer water, cyano and ich free.

8w UV sterilizer in my tank. If I take it off the glass gets covered about twice as fast. It also does a number on smelly bacteria. Just my experience.

 

[quarryshark]

I like it for cleaning purposes, but as far as fighting parasites it is worthless IME.

 

[Avi]

If the tank it completely empty there is heavy flow of water in it and the UV circulation pump is tuned exactly in conformity with the sterilizer's ratings, it will have a positive impact on control of both algae and parasites. But the fact is, no one keeps a tank that way. It ranges from the bubbling treasure chest to the reef loaded with live rock and coral. So long as there is a crevice in the tank where the spore can wind up without going through the UV the UV has limited value. I have one on my reef but it's just a security blanket that I bought in the setting up process. Do I really believe it makes a difference....to a very limited degree.

 

[MarineFlake]

15w current-usa with a maxi (mini) 606. Its been in the 75G tank now for 2 days. The algea (In conjunction with a PhosBan reactor, been in there for about 3 months) is finally starting to decline *very* noticeably. I can not speak for the parasite control via uv light via experience but have read a good deal about various marine illness involving closed systems. It stands to reason that since an organisim must come in contact with the 'light' with an exposure time long enough to do serious damage, then it will never be successful in curing a tank of any parasite. However, I have read several posts on this forum which touts the control of ich through uv sterilizaiton. Is it a waste, I personally do not think so. Will it cure ich, cotton, flukes, etc? Don't see how it can be cured by this device (Or any other device, less its a pump emptying the tank ). Treatment of the animal is needed and purging the system of the parasite as best you can is the only path it seems to ridding the parasites. Of course non coral/invert keepers can use meds. (Copper, etc)

GL!