What do you think of UV sterilizers?

Swirlygig · #1 10/07/2007, 11:03 AM

What do you think of UV sterilizers? Any good?

I was thinking of a coralife turbo twist...

jsl6v8 · #2 10/07/2007, 11:09 AM

UV sterilizers are nice for fish only systems, but when you run the water through the UV sterilizer they aren't just killing the bad parasites and bacteria in your water they are also killing off the good bacteria and pods that help your system.

Might want to also look into Ozone if you are thinking about UV sterilizers.

justinzimm · #3 10/07/2007, 12:45 PM

In reef systems they are not needed IMO. There is so much life on your rock and in your sand that they are kinda moot. In a properly running reef the critters in your water are benefitial.

In Quarantine or FO tanks they are fine.

Justin

dugg · #4 10/07/2007, 01:44 PM

For what they cost to maintain, they aren't worth it. The bulbs are way over priced and need changed every 6 months i think. I used to have a turbo twist, and i quit using it after the 2nd bulb burned out. It's been a while, but it seems like the bulbs were around $30. I never really noticed any benefits myself.

deano488 · #5 10/07/2007, 09:37 PM

I think I wish I had one.... They are said to cut down on algae alot. If all you do is scrub your tank, you dont kill the algae so it floats around in the water, reducing the clarity untill it settles of the bottom or back on the glass.

seth16 · #6 10/08/2007, 06:17 PM

Personally, i wouldnt keep a reef tank without a UV. I used to have bad algae problems in my old 30g (alter finding out that it was due to parameters...) but when i hooked a UV up to it, it killed off all of the algae, and i still had just as many isopods, copepods, and all of the other needed micro-organisms. It all depends on the speed which the water is being pushed throught the light. If you have it going at a relatively fast speed, the very small organisms , like the ones tht cause algaes will be killed, but the larger ones, like the pods and worms, and such will not be killed. I have a very successful reef aquarium with TONS of micro-organisms that clean up for me and i would never want to harm them by melting them under UV rays...lol .All in all, i love UV sterilizers and Morgan does too, he got me started using them. and if you are intersted, i have a Coralife 18w twister UV sterilizert that i am not using that i would sell to ya if you wated it. All you would have to do is put a couple zip ties on the tubingbecause there is a little air coming in, no big problem, or one at all, but it may be something that you would want to fix, i didnt want to, but just let me know

InLimbo87 · #7 10/08/2007, 06:22 PM

Personally, never found the need for one. I've found the "less is more" approach has been working well for me.

seth16 · #8 10/09/2007, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by InLimbo87
Personally, never found the need for one. I've found the "less is more" approach has been working well for me.

I keep my tanks with that mindset aswell. I think that it really comes down to nothing more than a putato potatoe arguement, and if someone wants one, then get one. I personally feel that it really does alot with little interference with the important lifeforms and that is why i use it, but everyone has their own opinions.

InLimbo87 · #9 10/09/2007, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by seth16
I keep my tanks with that mindset aswell. I think that it really comes down to nothing more than a putato potatoe arguement, and if someone wants one, then get one. I personally feel that it really does alot with little interference with the important lifeforms and that is why i use it, but everyone has their own opinions.

For sure. It all comes down to what works best for your setup...

For the most part it seems that UV Sterilizer benefits outweigh the cons if your considering using them.

seth16 · #10 10/09/2007, 12:15 PM

indeed

Stoney Mahony · #11 10/09/2007, 04:03 PM

Uv's are great as long as they are properly sized, placed and maintained. Especially if you have some valuable fish that you want to keep healthy for a long time. If you have the money, I would recomend getting one.

AquaKnight407 · #12 10/09/2007, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Stoney Mahony
Uv's are great as long as they are properly sized, placed and maintained. Especially if you have some valuable fish that you want to keep healthy for a long time. If you have the money, I would recomend getting one.

That's just what I was going to post!

They're for great for small tanks, but once you get over 55gals, I think you'll generally see a drop off. Mostly because the price of the right size UVs end up costing more then your skimmer. That said, I'm still running my 15watt UV on my 125gal. It may not be doing much, but it's going to hurt anything (that pod thing is a myth IMO).

jsl6v8 · #13 10/09/2007, 11:07 PM

as for the pod thing being a "myth". This is the way I look at it, you are sending high levels of direct ultraviolet light at single celled organisms. Look what it does to our skin, forget about skin cancer. Your basically nuking the pods that go through it. But that just my understanding of it based on what I've read and heard.

So if you are going to run it, great, just don't run it as part of the return from your refugium.