UV Sterilizer

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ukgoffer

ukgoffer

Candiru
MFK Member
Aug 3, 2012
388
80
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Westport, CT
I have a 55 gallon brackish tank that is plagued with brown algae. The set up is 10 months old. I have 4 65 watt compact fl lights running 9 hrs a day. Water temp is 76, ph is 7.8. Ammonia reads 0 ppm. I have to wipe down the sides of the tank at least 2x per week. The water has a slight tea color that leaches from the wood but I change 10 gallons every weekend.
1 4" blue malawi crab
2 Silver Scat (6" and 7")
2 Mono (4" rad)
1 7" Datinoid
2 8" silver tipped ariid cats
1 4" rougue firemouth
Would a UV sterilizer help control the brown algae? What other "good" stuff gets removed?
 
Sounds like you need to bump up your chemical filtration, something like Purigen will help polish the water and soak in the tannins; fresh carbon would work as well.

I will however give a shout out to UV's as well! I personally really enjoy having them on my tanks and would definitely suggest picking one up. I don't think you need to worry about them taking any of the "good" stuff out of the water column. I have been running UV for about 3 years now and am experiencing no negative effects.

With the excess algae you may also try adjusting your light schedule, see if dropping an hour or 2 off of your lights and running time help's over the course of a week or so.

You may want to bump up your water changes as well. It sounds like your changing about 20% of your water a week. I'd say you need to bump that figure to somewhere between 30% and 50%. I do 35% on my large tank every week and about 50% on my breeder/grow-out.

Good luck and let us know if you get it sorted out! :)
 
A UV sterilizer doesn't remove anything. It (ultraviolet radiation) disrupts the life cycle of algae and other parasites on a cellular level. Unfortunatly, a protein skimmer would probably be better for the brown algae. Also, there is a lot of light and it is on for a long time. Try keeping the lights off longer. A protein skimmer will remove organic compounds, thus removing a food source for the algae.
 
Thanks. I have two eheim Ecco filters - a 2213 and a 2217 - on the tank. Can I use purigen in a mesh bag in the canister? Why do you say "unfortunately"? Is it because protein skimmers are more pricey?
 
Unfortunately because I believe a UV wouldn't help the algae but I think you would benefit from one. In fact, I believe all systems could benefit from a UV. Protein skimmers are good also, but you would have to get a HOB skimmer.
You could put Purigen in or carbon. Purigen is awesome and can be regenerated, but very pricey.

Before you do anything, try the working with the lighting.
 
ukgoffer said:
Can I use purigen in a mesh bag in the canister?
Click to expand...

Yep, for a 55gsllon all you should need is 100ml, which should be like 9 or 10 bucks packaged with mesh bag on Amazon.
 
boldtogether said:
Unfortunately because I believe a UV wouldn't help the algae but I think you would benefit from one. In fact, I believe all systems could benefit from a UV. Protein skimmers are good also, but you would have to get a HOB skimmer.
You could put Purigen in or carbon. Purigen is awesome and can be regenerated, but very pricey.

Before you do anything, try the working with the lighting.
Click to expand...
UV sterilizers won't kill brown algae. Protein skimmers will not work in freshwater. I do agree with cutting lighting times and feeding less.
 
Thanks to all. I'll start by cutting lights back to 7.5 hs, increase wc to 20 gpw and add the UV and Purigen. These guys are pretty ravenous. While I know I need to be sensitive to fish waste, there is never food that lasts more than about 60 secs. I generally give a daily mix of various frozen food, sinking carnivore pelets and seaweed. Live food on Saturdays and a bit of raw meat hand fed to the crab. In between all of this, the scats and monos graze the hell out of my Java fern. If I can't curb the algae, I'll experiment with the food.
 
You need to do 25% wc weekly. You could run some activated carbon to take out the leaching tannins. You need to also cut your lighting to around 6 hrs./day to stop the algae growth and cut back on the feeding.
 
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