UV benefits?
- Thread starter ccebr
- Start date
Heck yeah if you want crystal clear water. It should be safe as most bacteria cling onto your substrate, rocks, etc.. most are not free floating.
totally safe, they only kill free-swimming micro organisms like algae. Once they are dead, they don't swim, and are filtered out. Thus making your tank crystal clear!
I have one on my fresh water. I love it.
Some people argue that having a UV sterilizer will make your tank "too" clean and your fish will end up having poor immune systems and will be susceptible to disease if you ever where to take the UV off the tank.
I honestly dont know if thats true. But my fish have never had anything.
I though my pike had something the other week. Turned out to be nothing.
Never had any disease. And I went a full year without having the UV after having it for 3 years non stop.
So I say, they're great.
Some people argue that having a UV sterilizer will make your tank "too" clean and your fish will end up having poor immune systems and will be susceptible to disease if you ever where to take the UV off the tank.
I honestly dont know if thats true. But my fish have never had anything.
I though my pike had something the other week. Turned out to be nothing.
Never had any disease. And I went a full year without having the UV after having it for 3 years non stop.
So I say, they're great.
I've read the opposite about their immune system, check this out
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Redox_Potential.html
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Redox_Potential.html
thor meeki;3942295; said:
Very interesting thanks. I found a link from that website which focused more on UV benefits/disadvantages and myths as opposed to the Redox balance. http://americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html
Thanks for the other comments, I now understand that the nitrifying bacteria in the filters and substrates won't be affected, however every water change I add bacteria in liquid solution to the tank. This would be free floating so would be destroyed by the UV; although I could switch off the UV for a while whilst the liquid bacteria settles in the substrate and filters.
What brands of UV do you find the best? Although you may have only bought and used one.
i have one on my salt tank, too help with algae but the bulb hasn't been replaced in several years, something i need to do, since the algae is really coming back bad now. they are great little devices and help with filtration immensely!
Interesting... so science suggests that UV lights improve a fish's immune system and only speculation suggests it weakens the immune system... thanks for the links...
I use Danner Pondmaster UV lights and Turbo Twist UV lights. The Danner UV's are fully submersible and are built like a tank. I highly recommend them. The Turbo Twist lights are easy to come by and replacement bulbs are a bit cheaper. They have a handy clip built right into them to hang on the side of a tank. But they are a little more 'flimsy'.
I've read one of the ways they 'clarify' the water column is they bind teeny little particles together making them large enough for the media to filter out...
Yes your UV sterilizer will "kill" any liquid bacteria supplement that runs through it.
Although there is no need to add a bacteria supplement at each water change. The bacteria lives on surfaces, not in the water column, so when you do a water change you are not removing bacteria. Even when rinsing the media adding a supplement is not necessary, as our bacteria reproduces rather quickly and will repopulate on it's own when a small percentage is removed.
If for some reason you suspect you removed a large percentage (half or more), then taking steps to aid in replentiching it is wise (such as adding a bacteria supplement).
I use Danner Pondmaster UV lights and Turbo Twist UV lights. The Danner UV's are fully submersible and are built like a tank. I highly recommend them. The Turbo Twist lights are easy to come by and replacement bulbs are a bit cheaper. They have a handy clip built right into them to hang on the side of a tank. But they are a little more 'flimsy'.
I've read one of the ways they 'clarify' the water column is they bind teeny little particles together making them large enough for the media to filter out...
Yes your UV sterilizer will "kill" any liquid bacteria supplement that runs through it.
Although there is no need to add a bacteria supplement at each water change. The bacteria lives on surfaces, not in the water column, so when you do a water change you are not removing bacteria. Even when rinsing the media adding a supplement is not necessary, as our bacteria reproduces rather quickly and will repopulate on it's own when a small percentage is removed.
If for some reason you suspect you removed a large percentage (half or more), then taking steps to aid in replentiching it is wise (such as adding a bacteria supplement).
nc_nutcase;3942600; said:
Thanks that might save me a load of money in supplements
From all this info I think a UV would be a great piece of kit. Would it be better to go for a unit rated higher thank my tanks volume. I am already over filtering (although not entirely possible). Can too much UV be harmful? The UV im interested in is rated for 200 litres more than my tanks volume.