UV pro/cons
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I havent ran one for the 10 years ive been in saltwater. But if u have alittle extra cash why not. It will help
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Nope. I run a dual reactor with gfo and carbon for phos / algae removal. And weekly large water changes 30% . I use brs dosers for chems but just got a calcium reactor so those will come off. But i did purchase a nice uv from marine designs when they shut down so im going to probably hook it up. But you def dont have to have one but if wont hurt to have one. Just remeber the flow to the uv is important. Faster flow for algae and slow flow for parasites
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A UV is on my list of future purchases, a.k.a. Christmas list for self. If you are planning or already have any tangs in your aquarium, I would highly suggest getting a UV. For what I have read here at ARC, an UV is a preventative tool in fighting off diseases and bad algae as well as the good algae that you would want in your aquarium.
For what I have read here at ARC, if the disease is already infected your display aquarium, placing a UV on the aquarium after the infection is seen on the fish, the UV would eliminate the disease in the water column that circulates through the UV would be eliminated. You would still have the disease within the display tank, so the display tank would have to me treated with the proper medicines.
These medicines make affect the other living things in the display tank, i.e. corals, etc. I found a good link here at ARC: http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=36805">http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=36805</a> . The top right side of the ARC website has a search box. Type in "UV sterilizer" and you will find other posts related to UV's. You may have to place "UV" in the 2nd screen that comes up under "subject".
I hope this information is helpful. You will see different opinions on UV's as the pros and cons.
Wannabee
There are many Pros to it, and few, if any, Cons to putting a UV in service. Is it an absolute necessity? Probably not with proper QT and light stocking of fish. I bought one when I started adding tangs to my big tank. Zero ich outbreaks with six of them in there. I wouldn't want to have tangs without one now.
Like stated before-many pros and few cons. Necessary, ehh, not really in most cases. I can understand the benefits in a very heavily stocked tank (fish) or one with several tangs. I have never had one running on a tank and always been fine but I never keep a ton of fish and never had more than 2 tangs at a time. I currently only have one hippo. None of them have ever had an ich problem (knocking on wood right now). As far as algae, I just cleaned my glass lightly for the first time in 3 weeks.
For use in preventing ich/parasites in prone fish I completely understand their use and would be willing to bet I would have one. Using one for algae control I do not understand. I would think it might be a better tactic to figure out why you are having an algae problem in the first place.
For use in preventing ich/parasites in prone fish I completely understand their use and would be willing to bet I would have one. Using one for algae control I do not understand. I would think it might be a better tactic to figure out why you are having an algae problem in the first place.
The biggest pro is controlling/eliminating ICH outbreaks. Regardless of how you QT and what you do, stay in the hobby long enough, add enough fish and you will eventually most likely have an ich outbreak. When you do, it can easily cost you all of your livestock. Think about that for a second.... Every Last Fish... Dead...
UV downsides:
Most of these are REALLY reaching out because they're not a big downside at all and are very very minor.
* Initial cost. They can be expensive to buy a decent (Emperor) UV.
* Additional electricity. Maybe $2/mo? dunno.
* Annual bulb replacement. Less than $100?
* Pod kill-off? Sure, it'll kill whatever free-floating pods go through it. However, pods aren't generally in the open water column. They are in the rock, substrate, algae.
* Additional heat source for the tank. Again, very very minor if even noticeable
And that's about it that I can remotely think of for downsides. There are virtually NO downsides to running a UV other than the initial cost. However, as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Kill $1k in fish and then tell me you "can't afford" a $400 UV setup.
UV downsides:
Most of these are REALLY reaching out because they're not a big downside at all and are very very minor.
* Initial cost. They can be expensive to buy a decent (Emperor) UV.
* Additional electricity. Maybe $2/mo? dunno.
* Annual bulb replacement. Less than $100?
* Pod kill-off? Sure, it'll kill whatever free-floating pods go through it. However, pods aren't generally in the open water column. They are in the rock, substrate, algae.
* Additional heat source for the tank. Again, very very minor if even noticeable
And that's about it that I can remotely think of for downsides. There are virtually NO downsides to running a UV other than the initial cost. However, as the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Kill $1k in fish and then tell me you "can't afford" a $400 UV setup.
I think Jeff hit on the key point for me. It's like buying insurance. If you have a ton of money invested in fish prone to ich, seems like a good idea. I have less than $100 in those type of fish, though, and I fought off ich pretty easily once. Doesn't really make sense for my particular situation.
the only cons I can think of are that it will kill pods, and its one more bulb to replace.
But I would much rather have one and be able to turn it off or on when I need then not.
I actually run mine for 12 hours a day and leave it off at night so the pods can get through
But I would much rather have one and be able to turn it off or on when I need then not.
I actually run mine for 12 hours a day and leave it off at night so the pods can get through
To all proponents of UV as an Ick preventative, doesn't the exposure time (or the wattage) have to be something obscene to kill off the free floating parasites? Something like single digit gallons per hour flow through the UV to ensure enough concentrated exposure time...
If so, are you sure the UV is really killing the Ick? Or is it just your good husbandry practices minimize the risks anyway?
If so, are you sure the UV is really killing the Ick? Or is it just your good husbandry practices minimize the risks anyway?
No. It just needs to be properly sized to provide ~336k uWs/cm2. My 40w emporer runs 150gph on my 150g tank.
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=36805">http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=36805</a>
[QUOTE=]
If so, are you sure the UV is really killing the Ick? Or is it just your good husbandry practices minimize the risks anyway?[/QUOTE]
Yes I'm confident the UV is controlling the ich. My "good husbandry" = buying fish from places that I have confidence in for their QT practices and then dumping them into my tank. However, prior to this amazing practice by me, I ended up picking up ich somewhere along the line. Once it's in a tank, it's there forever. I had breakouts BEFORE my UV and have none after. I've done nothing different other than have the UV.
Regarding pods......I use 100 micron mesh filter socks, so unless they are smaller than that, they aren't getting through my sump anyways.
Edit:
I honestly can't say I have good husbandry practices with fish, at least regarding QT, which I do not do. I buy from good LFS and suppliers and put them in the tank, like Jeff.
My Emperor (150 watt) gives proper exposure time to kill protozoans (ick) at a 500-800 GPH flow rate (per Emperor), which is what I have it running at, basically a Mag 7 wide open running 24/7.
Edit:
I honestly can't say I have good husbandry practices with fish, at least regarding QT, which I do not do. I buy from good LFS and suppliers and put them in the tank, like Jeff.
My Emperor (150 watt) gives proper exposure time to kill protozoans (ick) at a 500-800 GPH flow rate (per Emperor), which is what I have it running at, basically a Mag 7 wide open running 24/7.
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Lol
