+Grog Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 So, I know some of you run UV sterilizers on your systems and or QT. Are there any downsides to running a UV sterilizer, other than cost, bulb replacement, and space? I'm toying with the idea of getting one as a preventative measure, at least on my QT, maybe on my display too. Grog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 UV sterilizers kill beneficial bacteria in the water column. I've heard that it can kill pods, but I can't confirm. For long-term success, you only run the UV periodocally or when a problem arises. I've known people that run them once a month as a preventative measure. It helps mitigate the cost of having one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wizardx322 Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 i run mine 100% of the time don't see any down sides now days fish come in with bacteria from whole sellers after i got a fish that had some bacteria and killed all my livestock i'll never run a tank w/out a UV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Heat can be a downside. It's the sole reason I've never hooked mine up. I have it ready to go the second I might need it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted November 27, 2013 Author Share Posted November 27, 2013 Thanks for the input so far. My understanding is that the majority of the de-nitrifying bacteria we like are in the sand and rock, rather than free-swimming. Are there other 'good' bacteria that I'd want to keep in place in the water column? Is the heat comparable to the heat I'm getting from halides or worse? I'm running a chiller already for my halides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mFrame Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 I run mine 24/7 and have seen no downside. I've got pods aplenty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 The main draw to UV sterilizers is to reduce parasites and reduce algae in the water column. Hooking up a UV won't eliminate all of the algae in your tank nor will it eliminate parasites completely because it only affects spores and free floating microbes. For example, if a fish comes in with Ich then a UV won't cure that fish or stop the spread of that parasite. If that fish rubs against the rocks and another fish comes in contact with that rock then the Ich can spread. Another example, if you have bubble algae and one gets large, bursts and spreads spores in the tank, then most of them will land before going through the UV. I'm neither for nor against the use of sterilizers. The bulbs are only supposed to last three months and they have deminishing returns as the bulb ages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+KimP Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 I've read Timfish recommend running the sterilizer off of its own powerhead that's placed in the DT, right near the sandbed to catch the most ich. (I hope I repeated that correctly Tim) As far as how much heat, I don't know. Personally I was at my limit of how much I can cool my tank without a chiller, so any added heat was a deal breaker. I'd imagine you don't have to worry about it with a chiller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted November 28, 2013 Author Share Posted November 28, 2013 I'm thinking Eheim canister from my overflow, and running carbon etc in the canister. Using the output from the canister as input for the UV sterilizer, and then return to overflow. Looking at Coralife UV Turbo Twist 6X 18W and Eheim 2217 paired together on my DT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted November 28, 2013 Share Posted November 28, 2013 All i can say is i will NEVER not run one again. When u wanna spend ur hard earned money on some really nice fish ($250-800) a piece i gives me piece of mind that they will survive and not live. You tank will be much healthier with one. I have the aquamedic 18w and honestly it doent add much if any heat because of the way the water is channelled threw it. JMO Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted November 28, 2013 Share Posted November 28, 2013 Well dang smart phones aren't so smart meant to say "a piece of mind that they will survive and not die." Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 All i can say is i will NEVER not run one again. When u wanna spend ur hard earned money on some really nice fish ($250-800) a piece i gives me piece of mind that they will survive and not live. You tank will be much healthier with one. I have the aquamedic 18w and honestly it doent add much if any heat because of the way the water is channelled threw it. JMO Sent from my MB865 using Tapatalk How much are the bulbs and how often do you change it out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted November 29, 2013 Author Share Posted November 29, 2013 (edited) Name brand 18W run ~$45. User manual for the Coralife 18W says 12 months on bulb replacement but I know some replace them sooner. Non-Coralife UV bulbs can be purchased for ~$15 from various sources. So $15-$45 for a bulb every 6-12 months is what I'm seeing. Edited November 29, 2013 by Grog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 I think a properly sized UV is the most reliable way to control ick in a display tank. I would argue it's much better to use it on a quarantine system though. Don't believe the marketing hype some manufacturers use for sizing a UV to a tank. For example I've seen manufacturers say a UV will work on 120 gal. but it's based on dealing with green water algae blooms, ick is much harder to kill and when turnover/kill rate and bulb aging is taken into account the the same UV wouldn't be effective on anything larger than a 30 or 40 gal. tank. I like to size UVs so I have 1 or 2 turnovers an hour with a 100% single pass kill rate, more is better but UV's also act as heaters and heat is usually an issue in most tanks. I've also found them to be more effective if set up to take water directly from the main tank then return it back to the main tank than if set up between a sump/refugium and the main tank. (Since the larval are hatching out in the tank with the fish it seems to do a better job of killing the larval before they find a host and I've seen multi tank systems where a sterilizer was protecting part of the system but ick was surviving in one tank). There are differences in design and quality obviously, the designs that allow for permanent installation are typically more robust than most hang on designs and tubing fittings can be used to allow relatively easy removal for servicing. As always the simpler access is the better. Here's a system that's been running a UV continuously for over 5 years: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 Timfish, You are saying to run low flow through the UV sterilizer to maximize exposure to the UV light. Target GPH of 1-2 tank volume so in my 145 tank a 200 gph flow rate would be fine, with the in-and-out lines both in the DT. Right? If so, this totally works with my plan. Eheim filter will give me that approximate flow rate and a more effective place for carbon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Mlaw Posted March 3, 2014 Share Posted March 3, 2014 So what brand of UV do you prefer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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