UV sterilizers

[Jmd]

Do they really work well? What's a good one? 75 gallon freshwater tank with angels, mollies, platys & tetras & also a pleco.

 

[Rivercats]

Depends why you want one. Their two uses are one, for clearing green water, and two, for water clarity. Their light sleeves need to be kept clean for premium light penetration and bulbs need to be replaced yearly. I run an Aqua Advantage 2000+ 15W on my 220g.

 

[Jmd]

I was reading that help with clarity & can help prevent certain free swimming bacteria. Just thinking might help with overall health of fish. Is that correct?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Correct, but you won't notice a difference. As long as you keep up with your water parameters and water changes you don't really need it.
These two articles should be helpful
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/uv-sterilizers-and-their-use-in-aquaria/

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/introduction-to-uv-sterilizers/

 

[Mudfrog]

I have a 9w built in to my canister filter. It does help with green water. I disagree with saying you don't need it if your parameters are in check, I had green water despite having good numbers.

 

[...joey...]

I have a 9w built in to my canister filter. It does help with green water. I disagree with saying you don't need it if your parameters are in check, I had green water despite having good numbers.

So if your parameters are fine and your water is crystal clear its just a waste of money right???

 

[Andrew McFadden]

So if your parameters are fine and your water is crystal clear its just a waste of money right???

That's how I feel, I bought one 5 years ago used it for awhile and unpluged it. Since I couldn't see any results and my fish were always healthy.

 

[Mudfrog]

So if your parameters are fine and your water is crystal clear its just a waste of money right???

It's still supposed to help with parasites but honestly I feel it's best used for green water. I wouldn't personally run one with clear water.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

It's still supposed to help with parasites but honestly I feel it's best used for green water. I wouldn't personally run one with clear water.

It will only help with things in the water column ( free floating things) so if its on a fish, decor or whatever it won't due anything.

 

[...joey...]

So basically if your water is green instead of doing more water changes every week and turning your lights off for longer periods of the day and maybe buying a tank cleaning fish which would all amount to £15 you should buy a uv steriliser costing you £100 plus! That really doesn't make sense to me! My water is crystal clear I only have an in lid filter system no carbon no bacteria building media just sponges I do a water change every two weeks my fish are healthy bright coloured get white spot once in a blue moon and that's it so I think it's just a case of dont be lazy and spend money on something for nothing and put some work into tinkering with your setup and see which ways put together work best.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Right but I always have to try stuff out for myself lol. Now it may.be handy if you.kept fish that are known to have problems like discus but I'm not sure on that

 

[Jmd]

A few of my fish have ick spots & I'm treating tank now & been fine do far. Was just reading some people say used them to prevent things like that. I don't have problems with water levels now that its cycled so maybe I won't bother with one.
Anyone have any good ideas on ick? Using quick cure & bottle is not helpful on instructions. I dosed last 2 days & I found a site that says do that & leave it alone says 3-7 treat 2 days & leave alone for 3 more & then do 40% water change & put carbon filters back in. Others say treat 14 days. Others say 4 days after spots gone. I'm just confused.

 

[Rivercats]

So basically if your water is green instead of doing more water changes every week and turning your lights off for longer periods of the day and maybe buying a tank cleaning fish which would all amount to £15 you should buy a uv steriliser costing you £100 plus! That really doesn't make sense to me! My water is crystal clear I only have an in lid filter system no carbon no bacteria building media just sponges I do a water change every two weeks my fish are healthy bright coloured get white spot once in a blue moon and that's it so I think it's just a case of dont be lazy and spend money on something for nothing and put some work into tinkering with your setup and see which ways put together work best.

This statement is way off.... people who use UV's are not being lazy, just as saying doing WC's and turning lights down will rid green water. Green water issues are not that simple to remedy. In order for a UV to work properly you have to have the correct watt bulb and most importantly you need to have the proper slow flow rate especially if using it for sterilzing. UV's can clear green water and bacterial blooms overnight, which is proof they kill bacteria and algae in water that passes through them at a proper rate. They can help greatly in keeping bacteria counts lower in water (provided once again that the unit is properly sized and water flow passes through it at a proper rate). For water clarity they can literally polish water the same way a diatom filter can. I'm not talking clear water, I'm talking polished like glass, such a sharp clarity the fish look like they are swimming in air. They have to be maintained as any other piece of aquarium equipment and depending on why you want one is not a waste of money. There are good unit and not so good units and research must be done when buying one, but if you get a good unit and install it properly, and maintain it properly it can be a valuable tool in an aquarium, it is not a waste of money and does not mean people who use them are being lazy and aren't maintaining or servicing their aquariums properly.

 

[...joey...]

This statement is way off.... people who use UV's are not being lazy, just as saying doing WC's and turning lights down will rid green water. Green water issues are not that simple to remedy. In order for a UV to work properly you have to have the correct watt bulb and most importantly you need to have the proper slow flow rate especially if using it for sterilzing. UV's can clear green water and bacterial blooms overnight, which is proof they kill bacteria and algae in water that passes through them at a proper rate. They can help greatly in keeping bacteria counts lower in water (provided once again that the unit is properly sized and water flow passes through it at a proper rate). For water clarity they can literally polish water the same way a diatom filter can. I'm not talking clear water, I'm talking polished like glass, such a sharp clarity the fish look like they are swimming in air. They have to be maintained as any other piece of aquarium equipment and depending on why you want one is not a waste of money. There are good unit and not so good units and research must be done when buying one, but if you get a good unit and install it properly, and maintain it properly it can be a valuable tool in an aquarium, it is not a waste of money and does not mean people who use them are being lazy and aren't maintaining or servicing their aquariums properly.

Okay you do it your way I do it my way we both get what we want and our aquariums are crystal clear/polished and fish healthy that's all that matters

 

[Daxhua]

This statement is way off.... people who use UV's are not being lazy, just as saying doing WC's and turning lights down will rid green water. Green water issues are not that simple to remedy. In order for a UV to work properly you have to have the correct watt bulb and most importantly you need to have the proper slow flow rate especially if using it for sterilzing. UV's can clear green water and bacterial blooms overnight, which is proof they kill bacteria and algae in water that passes through them at a proper rate. They can help greatly in keeping bacteria counts lower in water (provided once again that the unit is properly sized and water flow passes through it at a proper rate). For water clarity they can literally polish water the same way a diatom filter can. I'm not talking clear water, I'm talking polished like glass, such a sharp clarity the fish look like they are swimming in air. They have to be maintained as any other piece of aquarium equipment and depending on why you want one is not a waste of money. There are good unit and not so good units and research must be done when buying one, but if you get a good unit and install it properly, and maintain it properly it can be a valuable tool in an aquarium, it is not a waste of money and does not mean people who use them are being lazy and aren't maintaining or servicing their aquariums properly.

Totally agree. That was a great answer

 

[Mudfrog]

This statement is way off.... people who use UV's are not being lazy, just as saying doing WC's and turning lights down will rid green water. Green water issues are not that simple to remedy. In order for a UV to work properly you have to have the correct watt bulb and most importantly you need to have the proper slow flow rate especially if using it for sterilzing. UV's can clear green water and bacterial blooms overnight, which is proof they kill bacteria and algae in water that passes through them at a proper rate. They can help greatly in keeping bacteria counts lower in water (provided once again that the unit is properly sized and water flow passes through it at a proper rate). For water clarity they can literally polish water the same way a diatom filter can. I'm not talking clear water, I'm talking polished like glass, such a sharp clarity the fish look like they are swimming in air. They have to be maintained as any other piece of aquarium equipment and depending on why you want one is not a waste of money. There are good unit and not so good units and research must be done when buying one, but if you get a good unit and install it properly, and maintain it properly it can be a valuable tool in an aquarium, it is not a waste of money and does not mean people who use them are being lazy and aren't maintaining or servicing their aquariums properly.

Very well said!