anyone run UV sterilizers?

[blackthunda77]

I am thinking about incorperating a uv sterilizer on my 55 gal more for control of unwanted parasites like ick and others. Can you guys rccomend me some that are good, preferably under 100 dollars. I also saw this new one by jbj if im not mistaken, maybe its not jbj but its a totally self contained with a prefilter and pump incased and everything. That would be practical for me to not have to use up space for another pump and what not. If i do have to go the other route, ii have some maxijets laying around, can those be used as pumps for UV sterilizers? any opinion and experiences, please

[reefCrawler]

I've ran UV since my tank set up about 3 years ago, I have never got any ick problem etc.. (cross my fingers).

for 55G, you may consider 9W (corallife turbo twist), but I'll suggest to consider 15 or 18w just in case to upgrade in the future.

UV usually is put between the returned pump and your main tank, the skimmer take care of the waste from water first, then go through UV to purify the water seems more reasonable to me.

[blackthunda77]

bump..anyone else? If i do ad one it would have to be a hang on back type or an inline but it would be just taking in water from the refugium area in the sump and pumping it right back in the same place or in the return pump section. i cant do an inline set up because all my return lines are already plumbed and their pvc pips so i dont feel like cutting those apart again.. would that be worth it???

[SFeST]

I run mine inline with my return pump, but I only run it after I add new fish (for a few weeks or so.) If I have no ich or algea problems, I will turn it off so I will stop nuking the good stuff coming back into my tank, as my fuge is part of my sump and all the good stuff like pods have no safe passage back into the tank with the sterilizer on.

I've read that running it inline is by far the most effective way for it to work, but having a separate hang on unit or some such will allow a balance between zapping bad stuff while still allowing good things to live. I'm sure some will argue that they do nothing but harm either way. There have been plenty of successful tanks with and without UV, do some research like I did and come to your own conclusion.

[reefhead165]

Originally posted by blackthunda77
I am thinking about incorperating a uv sterilizer on my 55 gal more for control of unwanted parasites like ick and others. Can you guys rccomend me some that are good, preferably under 100 dollars. I also saw this new one by jbj if im not mistaken, maybe its not jbj but its a totally self contained with a prefilter and pump incased and everything. That would be practical for me to not have to use up space for another pump and what not. If i do have to go the other route, ii have some maxijets laying around, can those be used as pumps for UV sterilizers? any opinion and experiences, please

i have a 25 watt on my 165g.... never had any ick

[m2434]

I don't run one.... never had any ich. I can't say anything about ick, but I personally don't believe my tank is icky.

[Pmolan]

I like turbotwist.. It comes apart easily and I like the design.

[rmw4547]

I run the turbo twist I like it water is clear and never had ick or alge.

[blackthunda77]

ok thanks guys......im still going to research it a bit but am thinking about using one as i have ick on and off when i add a new fish......mostly tangs. I have a small kole tangright now and it look like he got it already but so far its not too bad. anyways, i think im going to give it a shot.

[jetta]

You have nothing to lose if you are battaling ich everytime you ad new fish. Run it inline with your return pump. Sfest had a good suggestion about running it only when you add new fish. good luck.

[vanmo92]

I have a turbotwist and I like it alot.

[m2434]

Originally posted by jetta
You have nothing to lose if you are battaling ich everytime you ad new fish. Run it inline with your return pump. Sfest had a good suggestion about running it only when you add new fish. good luck.

I'm not sure exactly what you mean - are you saying if you have a QT tank tied into the same system?

The reason I ask is because, if you have a large UV unit, then UV may decrease the risk of ich spreading from one tank to another, if they are on the same system. Some of the better pet stores use this technique to keep ich from spreading to all their displays, by placing a unit between each linked display. However, this is still not 100% effective, but may be a consideration.

However, in a single display tank, an efficient protein skimmer would almost certainly work as well, if not better and IMO would be a much wiser investment if you had to choose...

just my .02.

There is much research on the subject you may want to do a Google scholar search for example. Unfortunately, most of the literature on the Internet is influenced largely by marketing.

Here is one such scientific article to start with.
http://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/6/m006p295.pdf

[JM68]

Current make s a real nice unit. Simple design and very tough PVC construction. It has worked great for me and i've never heard a bad thing about it from anyone else that has one.

[Icefire]

Look at my avatar, that was my tank before I got a UV.

I doubt it will kill ich as there is too many rock where they can hide.