UV sterilizers
- Thread starter nwilson7
- Start date
You should clarify your answer somewhat Bud8fan.Bud8Fan;2094452; said:
There are also good free floating bacteria.
Many heterotrophic bacteria, even motile - free swimming - species are good
Apart from this the surface prefering nitrifying bacteria can also be found floating in the tank water where they are necessary for constant reculturing of the filter. For this reason a UV lamp should only be installed in a bypass.
I´m for UV but your statement implying that beneficial bacteria are only found on filter surfaces may be misleading for nwilson7
Further infos can be found at the following link;
http://americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html
j<><
You are putting words into my mouth.
I never said they were only found on the filter media. I only stated that a UV would not kill the bacteria on your filter media. Big difference. They are also found in your gravel, on your decorations, in your plumbing and etc....
How is installing one on a bypass going to prevent it from killing good free floating bacteria?
Question - Do they kill the beneficial bacteria?
Answer - They only kill bacteria and algae that is free floating, not the bacteria on your filter media.
For someone inexperienced this could be interpreted as meaning only bacteria on the filter media are good, thus the clarification. I´m not putting words in your mouth just stopping a misunderstanding arising for nwilson7 who may or may not be inexperienced.
nothing personal
.
A bypass will not stop you killing beneficial bacteria but will allow a certain percentage to pass from the filter into the tank and back into the filter without coming into contact with the UV lamp. If you pump 100% of your filtered water across a strong UV lamp these bacteria will also be killed. My experience has been that as little as 20% of the filtered water returned to the tank without going through a UV lamp will make your biofilter more biologically robust.
j<><
Answer - They only kill bacteria and algae that is free floating, not the bacteria on your filter media.
For someone inexperienced this could be interpreted as meaning only bacteria on the filter media are good, thus the clarification. I´m not putting words in your mouth just stopping a misunderstanding arising for nwilson7 who may or may not be inexperienced.
nothing personal
.A bypass will not stop you killing beneficial bacteria but will allow a certain percentage to pass from the filter into the tank and back into the filter without coming into contact with the UV lamp. If you pump 100% of your filtered water across a strong UV lamp these bacteria will also be killed. My experience has been that as little as 20% of the filtered water returned to the tank without going through a UV lamp will make your biofilter more biologically robust.
j<><
I have never used one. but my uncle uses it on his tanks and I don't really see the difference, but it is said to be good.
I run a UV staraliser and instead of running it in the filter I hooked it up on its on pump circulating through the tank. I had a problem with my tank water getting overrun with algae. even with water changes every other day the water didn't clear up. I installed a UV unit and pump and ran it for a week and it cleared it right up. I ran it constantly for a few months but after that I started only running it for 1 day a week and I move it around to my various tanks. in my hospital tank I have one also and it runs constantly I don't know if its just me but when it wasn't on it seemed to take longer to nurse my fish back to health. Just my 2 cents