UV Sterilizer affect water clarity?

[dakota9]

I bought a UV Sterilizer months ago and just hooked it up sunday night, wasn't even sure I needed it as my water quality has always been good with only the occational algae problem. Today is Wedensday and I've never had water this clean, before the UV, thought it was clean, as well it should have been, was running two magum 350s on a 30 gallon tank, one with carbon, the other a magnum diatom filter (I know, some say a canister filter is a nitrite factory, but as long as the filters are changed very regularly, IMHO They work fine. In Addition to adding the in-line UV, I took one of the Magnums off the tank (thought it was overkill), and added an in-line heater, and a small (yet REALLY powerful) in-tank power filter for extra circulation. Something I did was right because the fish look like they are floating in air. Think this is because of the UV?

Thanks,
Dakota(9)
PS Is it true that a UV sterilizer need not to be ran all the time, only every few days or so? Thx

 

[tedman920]

When I got my UV sterilizer it made my water crystal clear and also really cut back on the algae on the walls.

Also I think some people have their UV's on timers, but I have mine on 24 hours a day. I think its okay to do that if you're not feeding live cultures or copper medicine?

 

[jeep9783]

Yes uv sterolizers are taking out all single celled organisms that are making your water cloudy, unsafe due to ich etc...and also keeping algae from generating any more than what is in the tank....also depends on watts but my sterolizer keeps mine crystal clear, great invesment, sometimes u look at your tank and it dosen't even seem like there is water in it...Sorry day dreaming

Chris

 

[FutureInterest]

I find my water is no clearer with the UV on or off.

 

[jetchris]

I love my uv sterilizer - I would highly reccommend one to anyone.

 

[ouling]

yup. UV or no UV. Clearity is based on the undissolved particles in your water. Unless you have a pond or freshwater infested with algea, UV isn't going to help your water stay clearer.

 

[dakota9]

Ouling, I (very politely) disagree. My tank was very clear, and other than a slight</em> green algae problem (I now suspect is because of all the natural sunlight the tank gets) my water was very clear. I didn't think a UV sterilizer would improve on it, but being I had it I thought I'd hook it up, and WOW, the difference it made! Not only does the water look clearer, but (and this sounds wierd but has to be true) there's no more bubbles in my tank from the skimmer!

The prizm skimmer I use was so bad about bubbling up my tank that I placed a spong on the outtake to help, which it did, just not much. Since I installed the UV, I've removed the sponge now and still no bubbles. Maybe the UV sterilizer affects surface tension or turbulance bubbles have something to do with particules in the water, I don't know. Maybe its just coincidental that ALL the bubbles left the tank the day after I installed the UV.

Any other UV users notice this effect?

 

[ouling]

Actually when the water goes through the UV, it does it relatively slowly depending on ur flow and unit, this makes the micro bubbles join together into a big one and moves it out of the water without you noticing it.

But UV does help with Algea, I just don't see it in my water because mine is completely out of the sun for 23 hours a day. In come cases it does help alot, just depending on how much algea you have. It don't hurt to put UV in your tank, just raise the temp a bit though.

 

[cameron]

It is possible for UV to clear up water in some situations, but I doubt it is very noticeable in all but the rarest of circumstances. As ouling suggested it is likely ridding you of some microbubbles which in turn is clearing up your water. UV is primarly only going to help destroy viral, bacterial and other small microscopic lifeforms. Large particles the kind you can see UV will have little effect on.

As for hurting the tank, UV can and will destroy beneficial bacteria and small lifeforms as well so it does have its drawbacks.