UV Sterilizer

[elevatethis]

I'm slowly gathering equipment for a 37gal i'm setting up, probably going to stock it with a group of apistogrammas and a couple bottom dwellers. Anyways, I'm going to be running an AC 70, and I decided against using the UGF i currently have in the 20 long that i'm breaking down.

So onto the next piece of equipment I was considering:

How effective are UV sterilizers, what are the real world advantages of using them (i know in the product descriptions they say they kill all kinds of floating algae and other bad bateria)? Are they going to kill off a lot of the "new tank" problems like ich and eye cloud and all that crap? Should I use the UV sterilizer at first or wait for the tank to cycle?

Thanks!

-Brad

 

[beblondie]

If the flow rate is correct it will kill free swiming parasites.
your going to also need a pump of some kind and a prefilter alsoget a spare lamp for it
and a pair of cutoff valves so you can take it out of the system for maintanence and yearly bulb replacement.UV sterilization will not cure crappy water conditions -Anne

 

[rkc772]

i agree! it will not solve all the problem but it will eliminate some problems. i have my new tank going all together and cycling it still. i don't know if i should turn it off first or not but i just turn it on just in case. you'll never know when bad things goes to the water.

 

[fish head )'>]

There are some good threads on this topic to look up. My one tank in my front room, with lots of windows, would look like swamp water without it.

 

[Randyk47]

I have to second Fish Head's comment. I live in San Antonio, Texas and the one thing we get is lots of sun. No way I can "hide" my tank from the sunlight in the house. Installed a UV sterilizer in line after my fluidized bed filter this past Saturday and already see a vast improvement.