Thoughts on UV Sterilizers?

[Incredible Corals]

I was thinking about getting a Turbo Twist UV Sterilizer to help with some algae and increase the health of my fish. What do you think about them? Are they worth the $100-$150.

[flowerseller]

Love em.

[ctenophore]

My experience with (one of) them has been good, but I got mine used for a good price. Otherwise my rule of thumb is to stay away from anything Coralife. I have an Emperor Aquatics unit and it works very well. Those guys are very helpful re: sizing too. Give them a call if you need help with choosing the right model.

[Coral Hind]

I have a 9w one, 5 years old and it works great.

[Chris-]

Seeing as how they kill bad AND good bacteria + algae spores, I am on the fence. I would say they are good if you have an outbreak of something but does not replace good husbandry, or, CURING what ails your tank.

 

Hmm, where is zygote the purist? Would be interesting to hear what he has to say about them.

[Incredible Corals]

Seeing as how they kill bad AND good bacteria + algae spores, I am on the fence. I would say they are good if you have an outbreak of something but does not replace good husbandry, or, CURING what ails your tank.

 

Hmm, where is zygote the purist? Would be interesting to hear what he has to say about them.

 

I have been doing some more research as well and didn't think about the UV harming the beneficial algea and bacteria. I'm also on the fence as well.

[ctenophore]

Well, when you see how clear your water is and how less frequently you have to clean your glass, you will get off the fence

[Incredible Corals]

What is a good brand for a UV sterelizer?

[flowerseller]

Been using UV for maybe 20 years.

The good by far out weights the bad, if you consider it bad. I don't.

 

I use currentUSA and love them.

 

I would recommend against getting one with a wiper for marine aquariums.

While wipers will remove slime, they do not remove calcium deposits on the quartz sleeve and will almost 100% leak, or be the root of micro bubbles.

[Chris-]

I didnt think they were "evil", but, just another "tool" for something uncontrollable.

 

I have no need for one right now. Crystal clear water and algae cleaning....eh....comes with the territory, lol, and not that bad..........yet.

 

I think they would be AWSOME for say FOWLR but for a reef, IIIIIIIII dont know.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Chris-

[flowerseller]

How do you feel about ozone on a reef or just for fowlr?

[Coral Hind]

think they would be AWSOME for say FOWLR but for a reef, IIIIIIIII dont know.

 

Why for a FOWLR and not a reef?

[ctenophore]

I'm loving my ozone reactor too. Water is so clean now that it is indistinguishable from newly mixed saltwater in side-by-side buckets. And it makes a nice lightning storm smell in my garage

[Chris-]

I never really looked into ozone too much. Too much watching ORP #'s and making sure it is filtered through carbon, another contraption I would have to add to the tank. Still, all in all another great "tool" to have at ones disposal if one wanted to use it. Also, I get headaches easily. Too much ozone thats not filtered, and good day gone bad, lol.

 

I never did any numbers or figures, but I hear we have very little phyto plankton in our tanks now and a sterilizer would surely decimate what is in our tank. Having a reef would meen having, say a birdsnest. Would like to have as much plankton and other living things in the water as I can. I know, I know your gonna say one can dose. Well, thats another "thing" one would have to do/add to the tank. I want to keep my tank as simple and hands free as possible. In a fish only tank, no need to worry about living plants/animals that live off of bacteria/plankton etc. Feed the fish and get the pollution out, simple.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Chris-

[Chris-]

And it makes a nice lightning storm smell in my garage

 

 

Heh heh, thats funny

[astroboy]

My experience (FWIW):

 

I had 75 gallon DSB heavily planted, running on a Precision Marine 50 for 18 months, then a Euroreef RS 80. Both inadequate skimmers for the tank, especially in retrospect. Things did pretty well, but I think I had alot of dissolved organics in the sandbed which resulted in alot of red slime algae on the sand. Nitrates were usually around 30.

 

Got a used UV, and that certainly helped with water clarity, no question about that, and also possibly cut down on the recurrent slime alage a bit. Soon after the UV I set up a remote deep sand bed, which seemed to knock down the nitrate very gradually so possibly affected the slime alage too, which I'm sure at this point was feeding off all the organics that were leaching from the DSB. I had to move and tear down the tank before I was sure. I don't think the RSDB had completely kicked in (5 gallon bucket, about 18 inches of mud-sand).

 

Bottom line: with inadequate skimming and nitrate removal, I think UV helped, without question made the water much much clearer. I can't tell there were any adverse effects, but I wasn't running an optimal tank so no doubt there was no shortage of bacteria of all sorts.

 

 

I now have a 29 gallon, DSB with RDSB, not so heavily planted, running on the euroreef 80 (rated for 80 gallons for a moderate load, as I recall. I've read more than once on wamas threads that you should use a skimmer with double the nominal capacity of what you have. I humbly agree). No problems with slime aglae, although the activated carbon still leaves the water a little yellow, since I'm a slacker as regards water changes. Other than clarity I don't think the UV would help and I haven't bothered with it. As an aside, the RSBD really seems to work, nitrates have been zip for4-6 months now, although I think the overpowered skimmer also helps there.

 

I guess if you had an optimal tank adding the UV *might* kill enough beneficial bacteria to be a problem, but that wouldn't affect an RSDB, which I recommend 100%. I can't imagine they do any harm anyway... If your tank is less than optimal, I think UV would be a definite asset, in my experience. The water will look better, anyway.

[Chris-]

Another problem I have is that good bacteria I was talking about. Most of bacteria is attached to something, not so much is in the water other than plankton (if we have any of it), algae pods and itty pieces of food and some detritus. Obviously, if the water is cloudy, there is something in it. If a UV clears the water, where does all that stuff go/do? I assume it gets genetically altered, puts on weight and drops to the bottom (just a guess). I mean, the cloudy stuff has to do something and go somewhere. It just does not vanish like magic!? On a coral reef system, if you have corals, like my birds nest, you need/want that (good) stuff floating around, to feed the corals, it is in the water naturally. I guess if you are a person that likes to take an hour or two out of their day and spot feed corals, or dose the heck out of the tank, then, have an over kill of cleaning equipment, thats fine also, but not really "natural". I guess thats one way to have your cake and eat it too.

 

Rob, you seem well versed. Any studies on what % of what is in our tank soup before any serious filtering?

[flowerseller]

I think there's still a lot of very common misconceptions regarding UV use, especially by those who have not actually used it, just "read" or hearsay about the use, often from those who have also not used it.

 

Over the last 20+ years I've used it, I've done two main things;

increased the size (wattage) as I've increased my systems size, even doubling the first suggested wpg of years ago.

cleaned my quartz sleeve 2x a year and replaced the bulb(s) each years or as my w/c water colors up.

 

When we say water clarity, we mean the "color" of the water. It's clear, really clear, not yellow/brown/green combo.

You can/will still have stuff floating in the water column as that is a function of mechanical filtration not UV use.

 

Some folks suggest only lighting the UV lamp during the day so it does not disrupt the plankton process (yes, you have blooms at night) but I've not worried about this and have grown some extremely large colonies, including a pink BN the size of a k2 football.

 

As Justin suggested, it can make less work of cleaning your glass but that's just another short term benefit.

Using UV allows for clearer water which greatly aids light penetration. Some felt it caused bleaching but that more a result of clarity and new found light penetration.

Healthy corals will quickly color back up and often become more vibrant in doing so via better quality light.

 

You can also use UV for pathogen control as well which requires longer contact time (read slower flow thru)

This is were one of the common misconceptions shows up to non users. Yes, you will kill some of the good, but you also skim the same good out and remove that same good via mechanical filtration as well. Back to the healthy tank, unless you nuke your system (hard to do btw) with UV, you would be hard pressed to do much damage to pod and similar populations and what not.

 

Am I suggesting for some of you to run out and get UV? NO. but those of us that do use it, know the benefits and what is out weighted by doing so.

[Chris-]

I am not saying you can "not" have a successful tank, or, that it is "dangerous" to have a UV on the tank. All i am saying is that it is not a cure all end all. It is just a tool that ""I"" feel that should be used if your having a "problem". Even then, it will not "fix" the problem, just band aid it. This is also not a 100% across the board opinion. If the OP wants help with algae and health of the fish, thats fine, as long as the OP realizes this isnt a "cure" and something else is going on.

 

As far as being worth it, depends on your budget. If your a little tight on $$ I would see if I could work around the issue without a UV. If you have extra $$ to blow and space, I would get one, even after all the nay saying I have done. I just do not have a problem, yet knock on wood, that gives me the need for one.

[flowerseller]

I'll bet all UV users will agree with you it is not an end all cure all.

Did you notice different then what we've discribed as far as benefits and that's why you no longer use it/recommend it?

 

I've used ozone, but that was 15-16 years ago, and stopped because the equipment and understanding regarding use then was not what it is today.

Then the hassle was not worth the return since I was already using UV as well.

Now, things are different and one day I might resume.

[Gatortailale]

This topic seems to come up every year or so. Here is one of the threads on it. http://www.wamas.org/forums/topic/14173-uv-sterilizers/page__p__118492

 

I ran a 125 tank for 5 years without one; have had a 215 for 4+ years with a 40 current unit. In my experience the benefits of using it far exceed any loss of it killing beneficial items in water. Yes it's just another tool and not a cure for all evils. You still need to have good husbandry skills, but in my opinion it adds another level of security to my system. Why spend hundreds or thousands of dollards on fish and coral only to provide them minimal life support equipment or no backup? I can tell you in my experience I have not had ick problem since I've gone to running UV 24/7/365. Prior to having UV, some stress on the fish would cause them to show a few signs of ick. Now the blue hippo and powder brown tang - ones that tend to show ick the most, have been spot free for 4 years.

 

Just my $.02.

[Chris-]

Did you notice different then what we've discribed as far as benefits and that's why you no longer use it/recommend it?

 

 

Okay, ten lets look at it that way.

 

1) Algea - When someone pops up and says I have an algae problem, 99% of responses are lower feeding and more water changes. I do not hear a lot of UV advocates that say "use a UV" sterilizer and you will be fine.

 

2) Disease - Why is it when so many people get ick or whatever, they want to throw "ick cure" in the tank or "just feed with garlic" the problem away? Also, the next most famous response is "I will just wait to see if they fight it". If you want your fish healthy and happy, get RID of the disease! Anything "suppressed" is still putting the fish through an unhappy life. I will bet if fish could convey their opinion, short of complaining they were in a box, a lot of owners would get slapped every time they walked by the tank. Unfortunately all they can do is swim around in circles and our interpretation is that they are happy.

 

3) OP's original question was "are they $$ worth it". I am guilty of turning this into a "is it worth to use" thread. Like I said, I would use one if I needed one. Key word "needed" one and had the extra $$ to spend on one.

[ctenophore]

I was thinking about getting a Turbo Twist UV Sterilizer to help with some algae and increase the health of my fish. What do you think about them? Are they worth the $100-$150.

I'll get back to the purpose of your thread and answer your question: yes. My experience with the Coralife unit was good. I used a 36w unit on a 40breeder QT for coral. It cleared up the snot-like diatom bloom, and turned the water from cloudy white to crystal clear almost overnight. As Chip says, you will see the benefits of UV use once you start using it. IME, you probably can't overdo it either. A buddy of mine in FL came across a dual 54w AquaUV unit for sale for $20, he asked me if it would be overkill for his 90gal. I told him I didn't know what would happen with "too much" UV, but the results have been very positive. Perfect clear water, zero disease, almost zero nuisance algae. (He still does water changes and good maintenance practices) I don't think you need to get one that big, but the largest turbo-twist might be a good choice for you. The bigger the better. I still have reservations of recommending anyone to buy a Coralife product, but if you find a good deal on a used turbo twist then I say go for it.

[flowerseller]

I'll get back to the purpose of your thread and answer your question: yes. My experience with the Coralife unit was good. I used a 36w unit on a 40breeder QT for coral. It cleared up the snot-like diatom bloom, and turned the water from cloudy white to crystal clear almost overnight. As Chip says, you will see the benefits of UV use once you start using it. IME, you probably can't overdo it either. A buddy of mine in FL came across a dual 54w AquaUV unit for sale for $20, he asked me if it would be overkill for his 90gal. I told him I didn't know what would happen with "too much" UV, but the results have been very positive. Perfect clear water, zero disease, almost zero nuisance algae. (He still does water changes and good maintenance practices) I don't think you need to get one that big, but the largest turbo-twist might be a good choice for you. The bigger the better. I still have reservations of recommending anyone to buy a Coralife product, but if you find a good deal on a used turbo twist then I say go for it.

 

Very true, but, sometimes it's seems a good deal because the bulb needs to be replaced or/and the quartz sleeve as well so figure that into the $$.

 

IMO, nothing replaces good maintenance, including and most important, minimum 20% w/c per month.