Who is using UV filter with their rare plecos?

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lmt6600

Piranha
MFK Member
Oct 29, 2010
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Nunya
Just wondering who here is using UV filter as "peace of mind" with their rare and expensive plecos?

Im using on one of my tanks but thinking of getting rid of it. I feel like its really not doing anything. Not really an algea problem because i have dimmer light for my plecos.
 
I have one hooked up. It's usually off, I turn it on when adding new fish, even after quarantine, or when there's something off in the tank. Even if I forget to turn it off, I'd turn it off for sure when I add rid-x in the tank every month or so. As long as you get the wattage correct for the flow rate, they are very effective for disease prevention. Just remember to take them apart now n' then to clean the sleeves for the bulb.
 
I have one in my pleco tank. I like it, it's an added advantage on my part if any freak alien finds it's way into my tank. The additional water flow is nice too.


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mrtoofay said:
As long as you get the wattage correct for the flow rate, they are very effective for disease prevention.
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and change the very expensive bulbs frequently. I wonder how many people are burning electricity running UVs that are either too old, too much flow, or too little turn over to actually be effective.

I've run one on an aquarium once, as a means to combat whitespot in a school of large clown loaches, and never bothered with it again. I can see why some people find them comforting with rare/expensive/sensitive fish, but IMO if proper quarantine procedures are followed then the likelihood of it being needed are very slim.
 
David R said:
and change the very expensive bulbs frequently. I wonder how many people are burning electricity running UVs that are either too old, too much flow, or too little turn over to actually be effective.

I've run one on an aquarium once, as a means to combat whitespot in a school of large clown loaches, and never bothered with it again. I can see why some people find them comforting with rare/expensive/sensitive fish, but IMO if proper quarantine procedures are followed then the likelihood of it being needed are very slim.
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Too true, too many people don't do the necessary research to properly use a UV for sterilization and redox. Also as you said in my opinion there's no better practice then prevention as such a UV is definitely not a necessity but can be a definite boon to an aquarium in the right hands. I tend to use the powerhead UV combo's and just replace the unit yearly as the bulbs cost nearly as much as the unit, so I just buy a new unit. Which by the way isn't always easy as there's only a few Powerhead UV combos that are properly setup for flow versus UV strength and tank size.

With that said UV's are incredibly useful but require a lot of know how and effort to truly be effective. So one must decide for oneself if the benefits(sterilization, improved redox, less likely hood of disease) are worth the effort to properly make use of them.
 
David R said:
and change the very expensive bulbs frequently. I wonder how many people are burning electricity running UVs that are either too old, too much flow, or too little turn over to actually be effective.
Click to expand...


True, that's why mine's usually off. Other than when something's off or adding fish after proper quarantine procedures. That stretches out the usable life of the bulb much longer. With over 8ks worth of fish in one tank, a little insurance doesn't hurt. (used to be less than 3k before this pleco addiction non-sense... )

If you do decide to go with UV, remember to incorporate proper shutoff valves, and union valves before and after. It makes servicing the unit much easier. Easier service = more cleaning = more effective use of the electricity.
 
I did run a few Uvs till I added a drip system. Now the water doesn't stay in the tank long enough to justify using one.

And I always qt new fish in a seperate tank. Also on the drip.




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mrtoofay said:
With over 8ks worth of fish in one tank, a little insurance doesn't hurt. (used to be less than 3k before this pleco addiction non-sense... )
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Yikes! You're right with that much invested it seems like cheap insurance. I guess I should consider myself lucky we don't have access to all the rare and wild caught stuff you guys get in the US, otherwise I could kiss my life savings goodbye!


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Thanks for the input guys. I decided to keep the uv, its coralife 3x 9w and hooked up to my rena xp3 in the return hose. Not sure if the gph is slow enough, I could always stuff the filter with more foam but typically slows down the flow after a week or so

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