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FAQs about Ultraviolet Sterilizers 3
Related Articles:
Ultraviolet Sterilizers,
Physical Filtration, Ultraviolet
Sterilizers in Pond Filtration
Related FAQs: Ultraviolet Sterilizers 1, Ultraviolet
Sterilizers 2, UV
Use in Business Set-Ups, Rationale/Use,
Selection, DIY,
Installation Issues,
Operation/Maintenance,
UV Lamp Replacement, Repair
"You gotta keep it circulated"
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UV/Marine Physical Filtration
10/16/09
Hey Guys and Gals,
<Dustin>
I have a quick question about UV. I have been reading a lot about them
but still have mixed feelings. Some people swear by it and some say it
does not do much good. Two of the LFS's get their livestock from the
same supplier. One store has UV and the other does not. They both got
some infected fish and had a huge outbreak in their tanks. So the UV did
not help the one store that has it.
<Once the fish are/is infected, either by parasite or bacterial
infections, the UV does little good so as far as curing the fish.>
The more I read about it, the more I feel I should have it on my tank.
From what I understand the water needs to stay on the bulb for a certain
amount of time with a certain wattage to kill bacteria as well as
parasites.
<Yes, contact time.>
The systems with enough wattage to handle my tank (120 gallon) tend to
have a really quick flow rate which would not keep the water near the
bulb for that long. Can you clear things up about UV and maybe make a
couple of suggestions of which brands are best?
<You may be confused here. The flow rates given for sterilizers is the
maximum flow rate that can be used while still providing an effective
kill. Good water quality and
nutrition will go a long way in preventing diseases, and for my money,
I'd rather spend
it on an ozone generator which can greatly increase the ORP level in the
system.
Do read the links posted here, should clear things up for you.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/redox.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marphysf.htm
Thanks,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
UV and Algae Scrubber –
06/15/09
Hi Eric,
<<Hello Oowais>>
Thanks again for your reply.
<<You are welcome>>
I am planning to buy a UV-C integrated canister and I already have an
algae scrubber working above my display tank, will the UV affect my
algae filter and my coralline algae growth?
Regards, Oowais
<<Nope…won’t be an issue. But do make sure you understand the
relationship/balance of Alkaline and Bio-Mineral content of your system
re the Coralline Algae. Start reading here
(http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm) and among the associated
links. EricR>>
Filter idea's and UV questions.
Filters/Selection 2/209
Good Morning to you.
<Good afternoon Paul>
I was at my local pet
shop and seen a huge corner tank that looked beautiful and had 10 fish
in it and was a reef set up with about 4 inches of gravel in the tank.
The only filter on the tank was a protein skimmer, single canister
filter and a very large UV sterilizer. Can you tell me the benefits of
the UV on a reef tank.... I was told UV's were not a great add on and
the question is still out there if they benefit or hurt a system.
<They are beneficial but I would only use on a fish only system as they
do kill the good with the bad i.e. pods etc. Do read here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marphysf.htm>
I have just a fish and live
rock tank on 125 larger bioload.15 fish with 10 of them being the size
of a clown or 6 line
wrasse, so the bio-load is not that bad with the
smaller fish. I run a wet dry filter with a Aqua C protein skimmer, two
media filters with carbon and phosphate remover, and two power heads
with sponges on them in the tank. Want <What> would you suggest I add
for filtration... should I add a lifeguard system to filter the water
better and get more carbon into the system...... with so many theories
out in the fish market. I really would love to hear someone list the
equipment they would suggest I use on my fish/live rock tank. Would I
benefit more from having a UV on my
tank or would you say that on a
fish only tank I should use a refugium sump... Also, this tank is
beautiful with a deep gravel bed. I was told deep gravel beds were a
negative in a tank and more beneficial in a sump? Please let me know if
you think I should be adding a UV to my tank?
<Reading the above link
will help you decide on using an UV. As to DSB's, I'd much
rather use
a refugium type sump. Read again here and related articles/FAQ's.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/refugium.htm
As for filtration choice on
your size tank, I'd go with an Ocean Clear in-line filter.
Much more
filtering area than the Lifeguard, and a model is available with a
built-in UV if you desire to go
that route. Incorporating double
quick disconnect valves make servicing easy. Look here.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3662&pcatid=3662>
Thank you so much for your help and suggestions. Great web site lots of
information on your page....
<Thank you, and you're welcome. James
(Salty Dog)>
Paul Re: Filters Ideas And UV Selection
2/2/09
Filters/Selection
Hello Again James.
<Hi Paul>
I know ultimately this is my decision to make. I will research your site
on the provided links. If I understand you correctly, Your suggestion to
me for my fish/live rock tank would be to turn my wet dry into a small
refugium tank and add an Ocean Clear pleated filter as my mechanical
filter on the main system...
<Is just my suggestion. There are
others on the market, choose which fits well with your operation and
budget.>
Is it my understanding that the refugium will help my system
out against nitrate while the skimmer would help take out the dissolved
organics
<Both of these methods will help lower nitrate levels
immensely.>
and the Ocean Clear would take out the un-dissolved
organics.
<Along with a place to put chemical media if needed. The
pleated filters can also be cleaned/reused.>
I like what you are
saying here. Do you suggest carbon in the system?
<If needed, it is a
double edged sword, will also filter out some trace elements.>
One
last thing James or whom it might be answering this.
<Once a thread
is started, the original crewmember answering it takes it to the end.>
The gravel bed in the main tank should be shallow or just enough for my
wrasses to dig themselves under.
<Yes, three inches should be fine.>
Is this best to vacuum this gravel out weekly/monthly, while leaving the
refugium gravel bed alone and not vacuuming that out...
<I vacuum my
substrate every time a water change is performed and I do recommend it.>
help me out on the UV, your real thoughts on a UV????
<UV systems are
great for commercial/LFS use where tanks share a common sump.
Any
parasitical/bacterial spores are killed on contact thereby aiding in
disease control/prevention in the entire system. If you are using a
sterilizer, and a parasitical disease manifests itself in your tank, the
UV is not going to cure the fish, will just kill unattached spores
looking for a host, again lowering the chances of infecting other fish.
Excellent water quality/parameters and nutrition go a long way in
preventing disease. For a home aquarium, my choice would be ozone over
UV as it does raise the Redox potential and aids to more efficient
operation of the skimmer.
I use neither of the two, but I tend to
under stock and provide good water quality and nutrition.
The last
fish I lost was about three years ago...think he was older than me.>
Thank you very much!!!
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Paul
Natural filtration Vs mechanical 1/3/09
Hey Crew!
<Hello>
I am an active member on a reef forum and was asked to get
some information about which overall is better, natural filtration such
as Caulerpa, Chaeto, seagrass, mangroves, DSB, ATS or mechanical
filtration such as skimmers or canister filters.
<A combination of
both is best in my opinion.>
I have looked and looked and can not
find any research data on this subject. I understand that if one was to
use a skimmer rated for twice the water volume of the tank, it would be
better than a handful of mangroves, however, what if there was a
combination of natural filtrators that are being used, would they be
better than a skimmer?
<Personally I think a skimmer is the single
most important piece of equipment there is for a tank, and would not go
without one. However I put very little faith in their size rating, going
more with overall quality.>
For example, in my system, I have a 55g
reef with 80lbs of Caribbean LR and a 1.5" sand bed. The 55 is looped
into a 40g plant tank where I have 20 mangroves, a 5.5" DSB, and
Caulerpa and some Halodule wrightii. Then, the 40g plant tank runs into
a 20g sump where there is another 30lbs of LR rubble. I personally did
not run a skimmer for 8 months and did not see any negative affects
because of this, however I also do not have a heavy bioload.
<Most
likely the low bioload is mostly responsible, and not to belittle your
accomplishments, but 8 months is really too short of a time to determine
if your methods will be successful in the long run. I don't mean to say
you will not continue in your success, it’s just tough to draw
conclusions at this point.>
I understand each system is different and
each person finds the way that works for them.
<Very true, but I will
add I think most all tanks will benefit from a skimmer.>
If one had
the space, would it be better to have mechanical or a more natural means
of filtration?
<Well, if a baseline of a skimmer is there, I think
many tanks can benefit greatly from macroalgaes, turf scrubbers and the
like, often more so than some other mechanical means such as canisters
and HOB filters which can be maintenance nightmares. My only concern is
with some macroalgaes which can be quite aggressive chemically and
effect corals and other invertebrates, and even fish life if proper
water changes are not done.>
This is assuming the mechanical
filtration is rated for twice the water volume of the tank it is
filtering.
<Again I don't put much stock in these ratings, but a
quality skimmer is worth much more to your tank than one of poor design,
to the point where perhaps the skimmer is not doing much for you at
all.>
There is someone on the forum who runs an ATS and swears by it.
If an ATS and DSB are utilized together can they together be as good as
a skimmer rated for twice the tank volume?
<Not in my opinion, I
would rather remove the organics completely from the water column than
sequester it in algae.>
I am looking for data that states something
like "in a 5 hour period a skimmer can collect ______ amount of _______
and in a 5 hour period a 3 lb patch of Chaeto can absorb ____ amounts of
_______.
<I have never come across data such as this, very little
scientific studies are done directly for the hobby, although you may
have some luck locating such data as it applies to food stock
aquaculture.>
Sorry if it seems I am being picky, but any and all
info will be much appreciated! Thanks for your time!
-Elliott
<Sorry I don't know of any quantifiable data such as what you are
looking for, and can only go by the collective experience of myself and
friends in the hobby. Unfortunately there is little to no scientific
research done of ornamental fish keeping, which is sad for the livestock
in our care, but great for the many forums on the internet, where even
the most ridiculous theories are often touted as truths. In a world
where money decides what research is done, there just is not enough of
it to justify good science for the hobby.>
<Chris>
UV sterilizer 2/28/07
I have done very much research on this but
have yet to see where it did or did not work. I have a 115 Gallon
saltwater tank. Below it I have a 60 gallon refugium stocked with
Caulerpa so that I can handle a decent fish load. My question is this,
how effective is a UV sterilizer run from a 50 gallon quarantine tank
back to the refugium? <Not thorough enough, does not kill everything in
the first pass.> I have one pump that sends water from the refugium to
the display tank. That water flows into the refugium, but I have a
valve that I can switch that flow to go from the main tank in to the
quarantine, and an overflow on the QT to send it through a 55 watt UV at
about 200 gph and return to the refugium to start the cycle again. I
thought this was practical so that I would not have to constantly
monitor a separate QT as much and the biological filtration would be
handled by my main system. I hope I was clear on describing this. Do
you foresee any problems with putting the fish in the quarantine, even
with any problems and the UV killing anything before it gets to my
display tank?
S. Brett Fuller
<UV's do not have a
100% kill rate and this will lead to problems in the main tank. Best to
keep these tanks completely separate, not even sharing nets or other
paraphernalia.>
<Chris> Re: Copper Treatment.. Now Sea
Salt Substitution 2/23/07
Dear Mr. Fenner/James
<Akila>
Thanks for your advice.
<You're welcome.>
I have been using
natural seawater in my 80G because I can’t find the synthetic sea salt
in Ceylon but there are extra smooth iodized salt as local supermarkets.
I have used these salts to hatch brine shrimps and succeeded. At 1.026
gravity the salt mixed water is very clear and looks clean. Therefore do
you think it’s possible to use these salts as an alternative to
synthetic salt? Will it be harmful for my tank? FYI, I only have fish
and live rocks.
<Would be very detrimental if not fatal using
iodized salt. Synthetic sea salts contain many trace elements which are
needed and absorbed by fish and invertebrates. Is one of the reasons we
like to make frequent water changes to replenish lost elements.>
One
more thing, using ultraviolet tubes, is it possible to detect whether
fish is infected with Ich. Because ultraviolet tubes reflect the color
white intensively I was wondering whether there is a possibility to
detect Ich beforehand clearly and effectively.
<May be, but using
these tubes without a protective filter can be damaging to your
animals. A good early warning sign is fish scratching against the
substrate or rock.>
Hope to hear from you soon.
<Will do, James
(Salty Dog)>
Best regards,
Akila Summat about SW PB,
UV 2/7/07
i have just purchased a55 watt uv and wish to
plumb in rigid pipe work can you advise on tape or mastics
<... Your
English... I don't know what exactly you're referring to, wishing us to
respond to... One can use Teflon Tape or its equivalent as a paste in
thread to thread connections here... or take these out of the UV and
thread in thread to slip fittings and solvent them... I would do this
latter only with allowing space about the unit for removing the
germicidal lamp, sleeve if it had one... Better by far IME to "cut in"
such devices with a bit of flexible (vinyl) tubing, band clamps... such
that you can manipulate the unit later for repairs, maintenance. Bob
Fenner> A Grab Bag of Questions... Water changes/SW, UV use,
Sponges as foods 11/19/06
Good evening WWM crew, hope
all is well. I have a few general questions for you, if you don't mind.
First off, a good number of aquatic-veterans agree that, in most
properly planned and maintained systems, smaller, more frequent water
changes are more beneficial than larger, less frequent changes. I was
reading Scott F's article on doing 5% water changes twice a week, and
was wondering if it would be just as good, better, or worse to do 1 or
2% daily water changes?
<Mmm, possibly... the ideal would be to
continuously change out a bit... as in dripping in/out>
Most of the
information on daily water changes that my search turned up referred to
emergency situations and medicated tanks. I currently live in an
apartment and it would actually be easier for me to mix up a quick
<Ahh... better by far to pre-mix, let age... per WWM...>
2 gallon
(tank is 90g) batch of saltwater. And by "easier" I mean that my
girlfriend does not like the idea of having a Rubbermaid trashcan full
of water in the living room.
<Can be located elsewhere... pumped or
bucketed...>
I'd estimate, three weeks of daily changes a month, and
one week of a single 10% water change so I could actually have time to
vacuum the gravel. Any thoughts or downsides??
<Time, trouble,
spilling... mostly>
Tank will be (still in the planning process) a
90g FOWLR system, with a canister, skimmer and maybe a UV sterilizer,
(see next question.) I'm only picking out 4 or 5 medium sized fish as
Bob, Anthony, and others suggested in various FAQs for this size tank.
So, no major worries about the stocking level.
My second question
is... Any idea how a UV sterilizer would impact tunicate populations in
a tank?
<Mmm, possibly reduce available foodstuffs... are filter
feeders...>
I was given one as a gift, and figured I might as well
hook it up, but was curious/concerned about its possible effect on the
free-swimming young of tunicates.
<Oh! These will likely be readily
removed by skimming, predation... if produced at all>
My concern
stems from the fact that I would like to put a medium size angel in, and
want there to be some live food available. I love the Apolemichthys
genus,
<Will very likely consume ascidians...>
and it's not too
hard to find retail specimens eating prepared foods in my area.
<You
are fortunate here>
But even if it's eating, I'd like to provide the
most complete diet possible. The sterilizer takes a 9watt bulb and
suggests 100 - 200gph for most applications and I think around 50gph for
parasites. I would prefer to hook it up to my canister's output at
350gph, because in all honesty this would make it much, much easier to
clean, service, etc. Is it even worth bothering at that flow rate?
<Yes>
I know that the extra head (it's a "turbo-twist") will
decrease the gph a bit, but I doubt enough to meet ESU's recommended
flow rate. Also, on the general subject of feeding angels, is there any
real risk to using most forms of "tree sponges" as feeder sponge for
angels??
<Mmm... some... many of these... oh I see you address this
below>
Any concerns about toxicity or decay??
<Yes>
I have a
small 36"x18" tank I'm using to culture rock that I could quarantine the
incoming sponge in. I've read the warnings about most types of "ball
sponges," but haven't heard the same caveat about "tree sponges." If
there are any major risks with "tree sponges," is there any decent type
of sponge to use as a feeder, or is best to just rotate old live rock
out and new live rock in?
<This last is more... preferable. Oriental
food stores may be able to supply you with useful Poriferans... in dried
formats>
(Shouldn't be a hassle with the extra tank.) Any ways,
thank you again for your help, this wonderful site and your contribution
to the hobby.
<Welcome. Bob Fenner> Bubble Algae/UV
Sterilizer - 10-30-06
Hello Mr. Fenner/WetWebMedia crew,
<<Hello...Eric Russell here today>>
I have just discovered a few
pieces of bubble algae in my 110 gal aquarium. The bubble algae was
perfectly round and very dark green in color.
<<A species of Valonia
likely...not uncommon>>
I manually removed them however one popped
and I bet I will be seeing more in the future as spores were most likely
released.
<<Possibly...to what degree depends on how "suitable" your
system is to harboring these algae>>
A water test shows my nitrates
are high (40 ppm).
<<Yikes! Indeed so if the test kit is accurate>>
So, I know I need to work at lowering nitrates.
<<Yes...do start reading here and among the linked files at the top of
the page:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nitratesmar.htm >>
I was thinking
about purchasing a UV sterilizer which I think would kill algae spores
with the additional benefit of killing parasites.
<<I'm not a fan of
these units on reef systems as they are too indiscriminate, but they can
be of benefit for FO and FOWLR systems if you're willing to keep up with
the high maintenance of these units>>
However, I am concerned that
using a UV sterilizer may reduce other algae which my lawnmower blenny
eats.
<<It will>>
For now I will continue to manually remove any
bubble algae I see as well as reducing the nitrate level.
<<May be
all you need do. A possible biological control to this species of
algae, in my experience, is the Foxface (Siganus sp.)...if your tank has
room for the additional bio-load of course>>
Do you think the UV
sterilizer would help me here?
<<Possibly>>
And if so, what
wattage would you recommend for a 110 gallon tank?
<<I'd go with one
size up from whatever the particular manufacturer suggests>>
Thanks,
BobbyG
<<Regards, EricR>> Plumbing a Sterilizer and
Chiller...Separate Pumps? - 09/20/06
Hello,
<<Howdy>>
I
have a 15 gallon marine tank and am planning on upgrading it to a 35
gallon tank with a 20 gallon sump (still a small set-up I know, but it
is all I have space for).
<<Cool!>>
Anyway, I am wondering about
the best possible way to connect a UV sterilizer and chiller to the
sump?
<<Mmm..."best" would be with dedicated pumps for each. It is
too difficult/unreliable to try to balance differing water flow
requirements for the different pieces of equipment on a single
pump. And, if a pump goes down for maintenance/replacement you don't
lose functionality of all the equipment>>
Could I connect the return
pump in the sump to the sterilizer and then to the chiller or should I
use separate pumps for each?
<<Could...but I recommend separate
pumps>>
The chiller recommends a 250-350 gph pump and the sterilizer
recommends a 100-200gph pump. Are these gph the minimum flow needed or
is that all of the gph that can be used?
<<That is the recommended
"range"...flow needs to be "within" those numbers, speaking of
which...with these relatively low flow rates, adding a couple small
submersible pumps should be quite simple>>
Would it be alright to
use a pump that has a greater gph flow than recommended?
<<Can/will
decrease efficiency of the unit>>
Any help you can give will be
greatly appreciated.
Keep up the good work.
<<We're trying>>
Wayne
<<Regards, EricR>> UV Flow rate on a 37
column 9/1/06
Hello, Mr. Bob and crew! I have a real
quick question, it should only take a second to answer. I am looking for
a more specific answer than what I found on the site's 'UV' section. I
have a 37 gallon column with 35+ lbs. of live rock. Anyway, every once
in a while I see a couple of white spots on two of my fish. Water
quality is good, I'm not overstocked, a good quality skimmer in place.
There's never anymore then about 4-5 spots between the two affected
fish. I have a skunk cleaner shrimp,... no one lets him do his job.
<Happens>
And a cleaner goby that doesn't clean.
<Odd, but does
occur>
I qt everything that goes in the tank. I don't plan on adding
any more fish. Just some xenia as the FINAL addition. I've recently went
from a hang on bio-wheel to an Eheim canister. And I also bought a U.V.
sterilizer. The turbo twist 3x,...it's a 9 watt for up to 125 gallons.
Over kill maybe... my question is: The book that came with the U.V.
calls for 100-200 gph and I've also learned that a flow rate of 55 gph
is
best for killing parasites. I've never had a problem with algae,
therefore that is NOT why I bought the unit. I want to kill
free-swimming parasites. The Eheim has a flow rate of 106 gph. I
currently have the UV hooked up to the return from the canister. Is this
sufficient at killing parasites, being the fact the tanks size?
<Yes... given the information, gear presented, this is how I would rig
this up as well>
I am fully willing to hook the UV to a separate
pump if need. thank you.......
Adam B.
<I would run as is.
Cheers, Bob Fenner> Re: UV Flow rate on a 37 column 9/6/06
Okay,...but how about 127 gph? Is that still okay? The internet is full
of bad info.....
I read somewhere that the canister I have is at
106 gph. Only to find out it's really 127 from Eheim. Thanks again
Adam B.
<Actual flow rate/s vary... either of these will/would be
fine. You do realize that UV alone will not "cure" parasitic diseases?
Bob Fenner> Re: Epaulette sharks/Pink Bellies/New
tank on the way, pump sel. 8/24/06
Thank you so very
much for your response and time!
I will go with the larger Eheim
then. The sand was originally Caribbean sea live sand. The kind they
sell in the bag with water. It is fine sand and nothing like crushed
coral or aragonite was ever mixed with it. I was going to have 2
returns, one on either end of the tank but from your message it sounds
like 1 return on one end is a better idea.
<... is it siliceous?
Is it two dimensional, sharp... Read on WWM re>
I have a turbo
twist UV that was on the current tank that I wanted to incorporate into
the new tank. It was running off a small MaxiJet powerhead but since i
removed all powerheads based on your previous responses I am not afraid
to run it that way. I also assume a Y split on the main retune line to
go thought he UV would be recommended either. Would the return volume
from the Eheim going through the UV be too much/too fast?
<I
would divert just some of the flow to/here>
I'm off to price
compare the Eheims . . . .
-Michael
<BobF> Powder in U/V Sterilizer, CSL lead info.
8/12/06
Greetings,
<Salutations>
First off, thanks for
bring us a great site full of useful information.
<Glad to provide
it>
Now, my problem. I have a CustomSealife 9W U/V sterilizer I'm
using in a freshwater planted aquarium. I got it to help with algae and
it has done a
great job of that, even though I just have it in-line
with my Eheim. (Although, I think I will install a system to slow down
the water in the U/V in the future.)
<Mmm, a toss up between the
kill per pass and overall efficiency... I wouldn't change your
arrangement here>
The bulb has burnt out and as you know, Custom
Sealife is no longer in business.
<There are other companies that
carry their old goods>
On a positive note, that is how I found your
excellent web site.
After reading some of the posts detailing water
leaks and fire risk, I decided to open the unit. Now, I did not know I
should be opening it.
Water flows through the unit in a double helix
tube so I never opened the unit itself. I found a little sign of water
leakage but I did not see any
evidence of damage to any of the
electrical components. The bulb was definitely blown. The intriguing
part was that I found about 1 1/2 cups of
some type of gray powder
loose in the canister. I had to dump out the powder to make sure the
bulb was bad. The bulb was not broken and the
double helix tube was
not broken. In fact, the water seemed to have come in through the screw
holes from the outside and seemed very limited. So, I am
wondering
first of all what the powder is,
<Accumulated "dust" likely>
secondly if it is supposed to be there
<Mmm, not as far as I'm
aware>
and thirdly, if I need to replace it.
<See above>
The gray powder does seem to be on the water flow tube and also on the
metal shielding that lines the body of the unit.
Any help is
appreciated as I have no idea where to go from here.
Thanks for your
efforts and have a great day.
Andy
<Mmm... do please call Aqua
Logic Inc. in San Diego, 858 292 4773 (they are very familiar with CSL
products) ask for Jake Lockwood if he's there. Please write us back re
his/their response to your questions here. Bob Fenner>
Algae Control...UV Sterilizer 7/7/06
Hello,
<Hello Joseph>
Just in the past few weeks, my tank has started to accumulate green
algae all over the tank (green water). My tank is right at the entrance
to our
backyard, but does not get DIRECT sunlight because we have a
huge canopy covering majority of the backyard. I've done approx. 20%
water changes
every other day for the past few weeks, however, the
algae just keeps coming back. The water parameters are ammonia/nitrite
0ppm, nitrates 10ppm, ph7.2.
Because the tank is outside, I'm
figuring a UV sterilizer might be a good buy in this case? Please bear
with me here: I have a 40 gallon tank,
Marineland Penguin 350b
power filter that filters 350gph. I'm looking at the Coralife 9watt UV
sterilizer which has a flow rate of 100-200gph. Would
this be
compatible with my Penguin power filter? Are there any correlation
between the flow rate of the power filter and the flow rate of the UV
sterilizer.
<The flow rate of the UV means, for an effective kill,
the flow should not exceed 200gph for this model. You would need a
power head rated at 200gph or less, to pump the water through the UV. I
would install a sponge filter on the power head, such as Hagen's, that
is designed to be used with power heads. Much better to pump clean
water through the UV.>
Any recommendations on whether it would be
best to use the UV sterilizer as inline with the filter or hang-on-back
and how would you recommend hooking up the UV sterilizer?
<Your
Penguin would be of little use feeding the UV as there is no way to
attach tubing to it. As above, a power head will be needed to feed the
UV.
The UV will not do much good killing algae already growing in
the tank. All it will do is kill water borne algae spores. Outside
lighting, even though
indirect, will greatly enhance algae
growth. You may be fighting a losing battle here. Controlling
nutrients in your system will help also. Read here along
with
related articles and FAQ's above title bar.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algaeconMar.htm
Even though it is a
marine topic, it does apply to freshwater also with the exception of
protein skimming. A Pleco in the tank will definitely help control
the algae, but it would soon outgrow the tank. James (Salty Dog)>
Any info/help would be very appreciative!
Joseph
Re: 125 Gallon Aquarium - Proper Fish Selection... actually ongoing
vague questions that are sufficiently covered on WWM
5/24/06
Thanks again Bob. I believe the UV sterilizer will help
control parasites on fish such as tangs, correct?
Ryan Mullinax
<Can help, won't cure. Bob Fenner> UV Sterilizers...Too Much
Wattage? - 05/22/2006
Hi gang,
<Hello Sam>
I just
recently bought a 57 watt UV for my 120 gallon. it's a FO. I heard 40
watt was ok however, my aquarium maintainer said 57 watts is ok. What do
you think? Can you have too much UV light?
<Nope, the higher wattage
allows for higher gph rates/larger tanks. The downside in using higher
than required wattages is that you are adding more heat to the system.
Thanks,
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Sam
Nitrate Control 3/29/06
Dear Bob! <James
today.>
Can a UV sterilizer make the nitrate level lower in an only
fish saltwater aquarium? What do you think?
<Won't do much for you
in that regard. A good protein skimmer will help. Read here also.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm>
Thank you for
time! <You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)>
Sonny.
UV
Sterilizer... to UV or not to UV that is the question , alg. cont.
3/15/06
Ok I have a 220 gallon tank that has a real nasty algae
problem, the water has turned this murky green I can't see my 3 fish
unless they swim up to the front next to the glass, or the back of the
tank I have tested my phosphates and it was at .5 so I added
Phos-ban or Phos-guard, not sure what it's name was yesterday, The
history of this tank is this, there was a ick outbreak, put fish in QT
treated fish there and treated main tank with lower SG 1.009 and
Cupramine. After the treatment I put carbon filters back into my 3
powerfilters and turned on my protein skimmer and started to raise the
SG back up to normal. well after a few days my water started to turn
this cloudy greenish/yellow color.
<The algae taking "advantage" of
an unstable, predator-less environment (you bumped off most all of the
microscopic algae eating life)>
I have done several water changes on
the tank doing as much as 45 gallon changes and the green water is still
there. I think it looks worse since I did the water change this last
time. I have power heads with air stones to bring in air to the water
since I have this huge algae bloom. Here is my question. I have been
told that the only way I will be able to get rid of this is with a UV
sterilizer.
<A good part of it... likely so>
It will keep the
green water away permanently.
<Mmm, maybe... if you have
circumstances that otherwise don't favor this>
I'm not sure if my
LFS is trying to push me to buy or is actually giving me good advice. I
have so much tied up in this system at this point I would really like to
enjoy it. Would a Gamma UV 25 Watt sterilizer be enough for my tank
size?
<A good start... actually more watts could go here>
Doctor
foster and smith have it rated for a tank of 500 gallons with a max flow
rate of 2000 gph. Thanks for all your help on this.
<Mmm, before
buying I would read over the materials posted on WWM re UV use in marine
systems, algae control... Bob Fenner> UV sterilizers -
03/11/2006
Do you know much about UV sterilizers
<Some...>
Do you recommend the use of UV sterilizers in home aquariums
<Please read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/UVFAQs.htm
and the linked files above>
I hear they work well in controlling parasites such as ich .
<Can
help... but won't eliminate their possible introduction, spread...
See...>
Is it true. Thanks for responding
<Bob Fenner>
UV sterilizer 03/07/06
Hi guys, First and foremost I
would like to say how great your website has been. I am fairly new to
the hobby but I have learned a lot from my dad, as we have had tanks my
whole life. So here's my question: We have a ninety gallon tank with
a sterilizer on it from 1984.
<I do hope/trust you've been
switching... oh, see this below>
My dad has kept up with changing
the bulbs periodically over the past 20 years, and now i have grown very
fond of these tanks and have begun to take care of them. Being that
the sterilizer is 20 years old, is it still doing its job?
<Likely
so>
Does it need to be replaced?
<Likely
not>
What is the shelf life on theses items?
<The
ballast still works? If it's sleeved (a tube of quartz or Teflon twixt
the water, lamp), that has been kept clean? The lamp replaced about
every 8-10 months...? This is about it>
I just recently added 12lbs.
of live rock (cured) and I am continually checking the ammonia level.
There is a Des. Tang,
<Need lots of room...>
and clown in the
tank , and the levels are between 0 and .025, will this kill the fish at
these levels?
<... levels of what? See WWM re>
Should i take them out of the tank until the ammonia goes down to 0?
Thanks WBM
<... Bob Fenner> UV/Vitamin C/Lionfish Behavior -
03/02/06
Dear Eric
<<Hello Akila>>
Thanks for the
advice.
<<Always welcome>>
I got hold of a 9W UV sterilizer and
installed it to my main tank. Do you think this is good enough for the
tank?
<<It can be beneficial to your FOWLR system, yes. Do be sure
to keep up on the maintenance of this device.>>
I fix it to my
canister filter's output & hope this will do some good for my tank. Do
you think this UV will increase the tank temperature to damaging levels?
<<no>>
I read so many articles that said Vitamin C supplement is
very good for Marine Fish. It's pretty hard to get hold of such at
the LFS. So is it possible to use a Vitamin C supplement manufactured
for Humans and soak or inject with food and feed fish?
<<Hmmm...ascorbic acid is just that, but I think the vitamin C
supplements manufactured for aquariums are "buffered" differently from
those consumed by humans (Bob, please feel free to interject
here). Under your circumstances I think it is worth trying, but keep an
eye on your system's alkalinity.>>
Also my Lionfish seems to be
doing well. He eats very well and
seems to be free from any
infection up to now (fingers crossed!!!).
<<Excellent my friend.>>
He doesn't swim a lot but, he stays in one place most of the day but
swims a bit in the late evenings and early mornings but when he sees
food he seems to be just fine and very alert. Is this normal with
Lionfish?
<<Typical behavior, yes. These fish tend to "hide" during
the brightest part of the day.>>
What do you think? Is this
something to worry about?
<<Not at all.>>
Appreciate your
response
Thanks
Best regards
Akila
<<Very welcome,
EricR>>
UV and stray voltage... Trouble
Hi,
I
just recently installed a 80w Current USA Gamma UV on my 220g marine
tank. After installing it I noticed that my Pinpoint PH probe would no
longer get a steady reading.
<... you have an electrical "leak"...
bridged contacts, perhaps a cracked sleeve...>
It would vary
drastically and caused my to believe that it was possibly stray voltage
from the UV.
<Yes, likely so>
I know they read positively
charged hydrogen ions and thought that maybe electricity was altering
it. Well, I unplugged the UV (it was on a separate outlet) and the PH
probe began to read normally. I haven't plugged the UV up since and was
trying to find some information on what the problem could be, and if it
is harmful?
<Potentially... very. To your livestock, you>
Do
UV's normally alter PH probe readings?
<Mmm, will elevate them
slightly over time...>
What can I do to ensure its not harming my
livestock? The fish in my tank acted normally for the few hours it was
on. Also, I've tried emailing Current USA but have yet to receive a
response. Do you know of a tech support number they might have?
Thanks,
Brandon
<I would remove this unit, carefully take it
apart, dry all, re-lube the compression fittings for the lamp/sleeve,
use silicon lube on the contact pins... put it back on, plug-in and see
if this corrects the stray voltage... AND I would definitely plug this
(and all other electrics) through a GFI/GFCI device. Bob Fenner>
Re: UV and stray voltage... USE the GFI!
Thanks for the reply.
Well after sending the email, I found a contact number for the
manufacturer and they said this was very normal. I explained that the PH
probe was not just varying slightly, but was erratically moving back and
forth to abnormal readings (ex.8.8-7.3).
<... pH is the negative log
(base 10) of hydrogen ion concentration... this is a huge variance...>
The tech support guy said that this is common and that the UV light
attracts ions toward the unit altering the probes ability to get a
steady reading. He advised me to plug this unit back up and install a
grounding probe if I wanted my PH probe to work properly.
<? A
grounding probe? For what purpose?>
He sounded like a trust worthy
source. I spoke with two other people before I finally spoke to someone
competent about my situation. But it still makes me wonder. I don't feel
any type of shock when I stick my hands in the water. I'm going to try
your advice and make sure its installed properly. But what if it still
reads erratically? I also plan to use grounding probe. I have a GFCI
that contains three prongs, that I can also hook the UV to. I know this
device protects against shock and electrocution, but how will it prevent
stray voltage from flowing into the tank?
<... These devices "count"
the flow of current/numbers of electrons if you will, coming and
going... as in sixty times a second (Hertz) from and to the two wires in
the circuit... if this number varies just a little, the circuit will be
interrupted (shut off) by the GFI... if the electricity is flowing
elsewhere... as in through you to ground, the GFI will shut off the
power>
Will it just reset, if there is some type of leakage?
<...? No... has to be manually re-set... Bob Fenner>
Thanks again,
Brandon
<I would contact a real electrician or ask an electrical
engineer for "real" advice here.>
Re: UV and stray voltage
1/16/06
Thanks again for the response. But now I'm really
confused. I guess I just really want to know, what I'm supposed to do to
insure that the UV is hooked up properly.
<Uhh...>
I know that
it causes my PH monitor to read erratically.
Not slowly over time,
but it makes irregular readings skipping multiple tenths at a time
(ex.8.3 then to 8.56 then to 7.93, all in a matter of seconds).
<Mmm, yes...>
The company tech said this is normal, and that the UV
attracts or disperses ions, causing the Pinpoint PH probe to not get a
clear reading.
<... no...>
He said that he fixes this by placing
a titanium grounding probe in the tank. And that he had just recently
done this on an octopus tank he had set up.
<Think... such probes...
are grounds, electrical... but not designed to make large voltage
potential run-offs... your wet feet might be a better route...>
I
hooked the UV up to a GFCI plug and experienced the same problem with
the PH monitor. I thought that maybe if the UV was causing stray voltage
that the GFCI would reset or automatically turn off.
<Danger Will
Robbins!>
But it functioned properly.
<It did not shut off?>
I've checked to make sure the unit and bulbs are installed right, and
they are. I guess my question to you is, short of never running the UV,
how do I insure that UV is not slowly leaking voltage into my tank? I
never feel anything when I stick my hand in the tank, and I know that
the signs to my livestock are not immediate, and their health will just
slowly dwindle with time. So is there anything I can do to insure myself
that my livestock are not being slowly tortured? I'm sorry for nagging
you so much, but this is nagging me a lot worse knowing the potential
consequences.
Thanks,
Brandon
<Please re-read my last email
to you... Seek/get professional electrical help. Bob Fenner>
UV sterilizer flow rates 01-06-06
Hello,
<John>
Happy
New Year!!!
<Same to you and yours.>
I just purchased a 36 watt
Coralife UV sterilizer for my 125 gallon reef tank. My question is on
the proper flow rate needed to zap Crypto (protozoans)? The manufacturer
suggests a flow rate of 290gph. I did some research and found that a
slower flow rate about 100gph is better for zapping protozoans. What do
you think?
<The slower the flow, the greater the U.V. exposure to
the water in the chamber. The only drawback to this is the amount of
heat generated by the bulb. The problems you may see with a lower flow
rate is increase in heat transfer to your tank and possible damage or
early wear on your equipment. With only a slight increase in efficiency
I personally could not justify risking my equipment, but that is a
decision you will need to make on your own. As a side note, U.V.
sterilizers are not normally used on reef tanks due to their inability
to tell friendly organisms from their intended targets.> I plumbed it in
my sump with a dedicated power head. I can adjust to inflow with a small
ball valve if need be...Thank you to the entire WetWeb crew hope all
your holidays were joyous....See ya John
<Happy Reefing, Travis>
Metal clamps and marine systems
Hi Guys,
I have a small pump
in my sump that is running my UV sterilizer. I have a stainless steel
hose clamp holding the tubing on to the pump. Will that affect my water
quality, and if so do you have any suggestions.
Thanks,
Stephen
G. Mule
<Such metal clamps can be problematical, or not... depending
on their placement, likelihood of rusting, falling into parts of the
system. I would go with non-metal clamps. Bob Fenner>
UV
Sterilizer Brands and Uses 12/16/05
I really appreciate the
advice that I have received over the last couple of years.
<Your
welcome, I’m glad you have found us to be helpful.>
Now the UV
filter.
<Okay.>
The Jebo UV filters are almost too good to be
true concerning price (around $40 w/pump). Are these just a piece of
junk, or can I expect to get some use out of this product?
<Well
I’ll say this, “You get what you pay for.” While I will not go as far as
to say this product is worthless it’s quality is no where near as high
as say the fixtures made by Coralife/ If you plan on this fixture being
a long term component on your system I would invest in something that
will last longer.>
I am finally investing in a UV filter to try and
cut down on some of the free floating algae in my tank. This UV light
will help to clarify my water due to this problem correct?
<To some
degree yes. There is a lot of controversy as to whether UV sterilizes
help, I think the important thing to remember is that they are
indiscriminate, they will kill the good and bad things that pass through
them. My overall opinion of them is that they are useful tools to have
and can be quite helpful in some situations but not necessary or
mandatory components by any means. Adam J.>
UV Sterilizer
Effectiveness in Marine Aquaria 12/04/05
I plan to put a
110w TMC commercial UV sterilizer on my 220g fish only with live rock
tank.
<Okay.>
The manufacturer states that the unit operates at
30,000 uWS/cm2 @ 1020 gallons per hour.
<It’s a biggun’.>
I know
this is effective to kill bacteria and algae, but what about protozoans
like ich and velvet?
<Simply put am Ultra Violet Sterilizer will only
kill watt passes through it this includes the good and the bad. It is
not effective at solving a parasite problem (full eradication/disposal),
simply because the chances of every individual parasite passing through
it is so low.>
I understand that UV is not very effective at
eradicating a parasite,
<Right.>
and that it does little to the
tomite phase. But at what uWS/cm2 is UV helpful in controlling the free
swimming stage of protozoans?
<The ones that pass through it (the
UV). Of course, as I’m sure you know, if you have an out break in the
display the best way to treat is to remove the specimens to a quarantine
tank. As far as UV usage lets just say there are mixed reviews. I have
one but use it only on occasion and in emergencies, such as unexpected
algae blooms (a small Caulerpa reproductive event in this case).>
I've referenced several sources and tables but none mention this
exactly, just the tomite exposure.
Thanks,
<Welcome.>
Brandon
Hathcock
<Adam J.> To UV or not to UV - That is the
question. 12/9/05
Dear crew,
<Hello, Adam J with you
today.>
I was planning on the purchase of a UV sterilizer for my live
rock reef tank containing soft polyps, snails, hermit crabs, cleaner
shrimp and various "reef-safe" fish. Everything is fine. Will a UV
sterilizer be beneficial or can it possibly hurt the balance in my tank?
<I think the important thing to know about U.V. units is that they do
not discriminate. Whatever passes through them will be killed, whether
it be good (microfauna) or bad (pest algae and parasites). For this
reason, as you mention below, there are mixed reviews. They are not
necessary to mandatory by any mean but personally I think it is nice to
have one for emergencies such as "algae" events of epic proportions and
while they are not efficient at eradicating a parasite they are a good
tool. I only run mine occasionally (when pruning algae or new
introduction of an animal.>
It seems I've read views for & against.
Please help!
<Overall they are a nice luxury but not necessary.>
Thanks, Wayne Oinonen
<Adam J.> UV Sterilizers for ballast
water - High School Robotics Team Query (Exciting!) 11/18/05
Hello there,
<Hi there>
You all have been so helpful to me in the
past. Thank you again! My question this time is not really related to
aquariums, however I am hoping you can point me in the direction I need
to go. I have been reading all that I can find on the UV sterilizers for
fish tanks.
My son is on a LEGO robotics team. Every year they are
given a mission. This includes making and programming a robot and
also a research project. This years mission is an Ocean Odyssey. The
research project they have chosen is how ballast and bilge water can
carry organisms into foreign habitats and how to solve this problem.
They have come up with some ideas, the UV sterilizer being one of them.
They are trying to find out if this could be a practical solution.
<I do think so... not toxic, but useful for "zapping" micro-organisms,
producing ozone.... which also has a sanitizing effect>
The cons in
Bob Fenner's article Protein Skimming, Ozone, and UV Use in Marine
Filtration do not cause a problem in this usage.
Any help or ideas
would be great!
Thank you,
Cindy Haralson for the Polar Bears
Robotics Team
Kenai, AK
<You go team! Bob Fenner> UV
Light 11/3/05
Hello guys,
<... and ladies...>
I'm thinking
of using UV light to fight algae bloom in aquarium but I have a
macroalgae which is Caulerpa and I don't want to hurt it. Will UV light
hurt it?
<Mmm, nope>
Also what's the suitable UV light in terms of
power (watts) for a 4'x2'x2' tank.
<<The one that exploded..???>>
Your advice is very much appreciated. Thank you.
Sam
Malaysia
<Depends on flow rate through the unit... but likely more than 40 watts
is not useful. Cheers, Bob Fenner> Jebo UV 9/30/05
Hi, I have a question about a new Jebo 9watt UV sterilizer (outside
aquarium) I just bought. I have seen you have answered the question for
someone else. But I am confused about the extra piece that comes with
this. It is call LifeTech AP 1500 aquarium liquid filter. On the side of
the box it shows it hooked up to a underground filter. I was going to
hook up the sterilizer after the filter (Fluval 404), should I connect
the hose that returns to the part on this that propels the water in? Or
do I even this piece? Thank you for your time.
Ashley
<I would
leave this bit off... not worth the time/trouble of servicing, and no
need here. Bob Fenner>
In search of new UV sterilizer units
8/11/05
Hello all!
<Wendy>
I work for a medium sized
aquarium maintenance company and have been given the daunting task of
finding a replacement UV sterilizer units for the Aquanetics units we
can no longer purchase (since I believe they have gone out of business)
<Yes... John (Epps) sold a few years back (we were friends for many
years, both live in San Diego...) and the new folks folded>
My boss
would prefer to use the same type of bulb (with two pins on each end of
the bulb).
We have tried the new Coral life Turbo-twist UV's and
have had no end of problems with units that leak, which in a corporate
environment is a disaster.
<Yes>
We had another company, that I
can't currently remember the name of, which made very nice units, and
then went out of business after 6 months.
What we need is a unit
that is reliable, that uses the same bulbs as the Aquanetics, and from a
company that is not going to disappear faster than Cinderella after
midnight!
Please help...
Keep getting soaked with UV
sterilizers...
Wendy Amaral
<Contact Chris Buerner at Quality
Marine here... perhaps TMC's Vectron units will work for you... They're
what our service company used to use, and what they use at Quality...
Bob Fenner>
UV Question 8/2/05
Hello;
<Hi there>
I once sent a mail to WetWeb. I didn't receive a reply. In case you
recall that email and my name attached to it, I thought to add a humble
apology. At that time I was relatively new (still am though) to fish
keeping, but at the same time I didn't want to come across as
unknowledgeable for some reason. I was likely tired and frustrated that
evening trying to find answers on-line to my problems. So I may have
"over-stated / emphasized" some need to establish a lack of ignorance on
my part while asking questions. I likely did not come across well - so
sorry.
<No worries>
I have been reading on WetWeb for several
months. I wind up in your archive somewhere every time I have questions.
Thanks for having that info available free to the public, and thanks up
front if you have time to assist me here, please.
<Welcome>
UV
Sterilizers:
I've read through your UV info; but could not find info
regarding over-sizing UV's and effects on temp.
<Usually not a real
issue... as the wattage described is not the watts added... especially
with most modern units that are sleeved...>
A tech aid at Dr.
Foster&Smith recently told me that you cannot go too big regarding UV
wattage.
<Practically this is so>
Also - they post a chart
stating required flow rates for parasite kills. (btw - I have read your
statements regarding UV's actual effect on parasites and the narrow
range / requirements within which any benefit exists. I understand UV
may not be an effective guard - and I do use HT / QT, btw.)
<Ah,
good... UV is a useful adjunct....>
Even still I plan to purchase
UV's, and to use this simple standard (running the Turbo Twist models):
-- On QT / HT I'll run 9w UV in-line using a Hydor Prime-10 (80 gph)
-- On all tanks less than 55 gal I'll run 18w in-line to a Hydor
Prime-20 (155gph)
-- For tanks 55 gal to 90, I'll use 36w and a
Hydor Prime 30 (230gph)
-- anything bigger I'll use 55w UV +, and
maybe a Filstar XP3 (350gph).
My concern is if I use, say, an 18w UV
with a Hydor Prime-20 on a 20gal / 30gal tank - or a 36w on a 55gal tank
- (using the Hydors), then what would be the temperature effect of this
over-sizing / low flow-rate attempt?
<Almost negligible, as you will
find>
Will I need a chiller?
<Not unless you need one already>
I have an air-conditioned home; but in the summer my tanks always stay
about 80 deg F regardless - so I'm concerned that the larger UV's will
only lead into chiller costs too.
Thank You
Scott K
<These
fluorescent UV lamps run quite cool. No problem. Bob Fenner> UV
sterilizer and flesh eating bacteria 7/24/05
Hello,
<Hi
there>
Could you please tell me whether UV sterilizers will reduce
somewhat marine ulcer disease AKA flesh eating bacteria AKA vibriosis?
<Mmm, indirectly... through water quality improvement, increased redox,
oxygen concentration... sure>
I am treating my seahorses with
antibiotics in quarantine. However I am considering a UV sterilizer for
the main tank (has live rock) to reduce the bacteria. What do you think?
Regards Katja
<Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/UVFAQs.htm
and the linked files
above. Bob Fenner> Re: UV sterilizer and flesh eating bacteria
7/25/05
Dear Bob,
<Katja>
Thank you. I have been reading
your posts and info sites for two years now.
Most excellent help! I
have learnt so much. I asked the UV question because I was not sure
whether Vibrio is a free swimming bacteria
<Mostly not>
and thus
destroyed via UV. However I hope that the horses (given they recover)
will develop 'more' of an immunity to it. The main tank has been (and
will again be) brought up to tip top condition. Hopefully with more
frequent water changes I will manage to reduce and keep down Vibrio
bacteria populations. From what I have read, UV is more like a bonus /
additional help
<A good way to put it/this>
and more of a luxury
which I hopefully will one day try out. You don't have to reply to this
letter, I just wanted to thank you :>.
Regards Katja
<Thank you
my friend. Bob Fenner> JEBO UV-H13 QUESTION
Hi, I just
bought a Jebo Uv-H13 U.V sterilizer but I don't know which inlet/outlet
hose connector is the "in" and which one is the "out". When you answer
me I will take the electricity cable as reference.
Thanks
Marta
<Actually doesn't matter which end is which here... I do want to mention
to make sure your connections are tight (I'd use some plastic clamps
(not too tight!), and to take care with making sure water cannot trickle
down the power cord, into an electrical outlet (loop the cord...). Bob
Fenner> Tangs, Crypto and UV - In Other Words "QUARANTINE"!
(5/15/05)
I have 3 tangs in my 125G tank, and they are all
getting along very well. Rarely see a raised fin, tail slapping, etc.
<Lucky you. It may not stay that way as they grow.>
That said, two
are the most common contractors of ich, the hepatus and the powder
blue.
<Yup.>
My reef has way too much rock with coral frags all
over to dig out. If I wanted to be proactive, what is the best way to
make sure ich does not enter the picture.
<4 weeks of quarantine for
any new additions. Make sure they get a good variety of food with plenty
of algae. Supplement with vitamins and HUFAs, which may help prevent
HLLE, a big problem with the Hippos. Keep system as stable as possible.
Minimize stress. Remove aggressors if problems do develop eventually.>
I do weekly 15% to 20% water changes, aggressive skimming, etc.
Occasionally I'll see a tang scrape against a rock a time or two, but I
always hope it was just an itch.
<If this is occasional, it is
probably not a concern.>
Bottom line: do UV Sterilizers, large enough
with a slow flow rate, eliminate ich with destroying too much beneficial
stuff?
<No guarantees. It may help and some people run it
periodically or continuously, though there have been unsubstantiated
concerns of this leading to immunodeficiency in the fish. For a great
summary of UV pros and cons, read Scott Michael's marine parasite
article in Aquarium USA Annual. It was the 2004 Edition, I think.>
Thoughts on the best way to avoid problem before it starts?
<As
above.>
Thanks.
<Hope this helps.> UV sterilizer,
using WWM
Good day,
<And thou>
I firstly want to say
that I think you guys are the best!
<What about the gals?>
I
have had problems with whitespot disease (a couple of times) in my
marine aquarium in the past. A chap at one of our local fish stores
sold me a UV Sterilizer and told me that I should not have to worry that
my livestock would get the whitespot disease again,
<Wrong...>
if no new livestock was added without being quarantined.
<Oh!?>
I have a 250 Litre aquarium. The UV sterilizer is a 9 Watt unit and
the manufacturer states that for my aquarium size I only have to operate
it for 7 hours and 30 minutes a week, passing the water through it at a
rate of between 100 and 190 litres per hour.
<No... needs to run
continuously...>
I have installed it with a timer, to operate it
for 1 hour and 15 minutes per day at 150 litres per hour. Is there a
best operating period of the day (Day time or Night time)? Is my set-up
correct or must it only run one day of the week continuously for 7 hours
and 30 minutes?
Thanks.
<Please... read... on WWM re... starting
here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/UVFAQs.htm
and the linked files
above. Bob Fenner> Hermit Crabs
Hello crew. I have two
questions. When my SW hermit crabs molt, should I clean up the remains.
<It's not necessary, you can for aesthetic reasons.>
The other
question is about UV sterilizers with live rock. I have read that they
kill off organisms that the rock produces, but have seen many tanks with
LR and sterilizers. Thank You for any words of wisdom.
<UV
sterilizers will only kill what goes through them. So, if you should
have a pod population, any of those critters taking the ride through the
UV will be zapped. James (Salty Dog)>
UV and Quarantine
(4/2/05)
I am currently cycling a 52 gallon marine tank with
cocktail shrimps...
<Do you plan to eat them? Sorry, couldn't resist.
I am not familiar with an aquarium species referred to as "cocktail"
shrimp. I've only heard of the ones you buy at the grocery store.>
...and it seems essential that I also have a quarantine tank (perhaps
about 20 gallons).
<Yes!>
There is a lot of information on your
site on the details of this, and how long to keep fish in there (21 days
on average for trouble to show up).
<More precisely, if you have
gone 3-4 weeks without having problems, then it's unlikely that any will
crop up after that.>
Many people who have submitted questions are in
damage control scenarios by not using quarantine tank initially, hoping
that an UV sterilizer would help rid of a disease problem in a display
tank (if only it were that simple!)
<Hear, hear.>
Are there
significant cost effective advantages in having a small UV sterilizer up
and running in a QT from the moment the fish are put in there for their
three week stay in the hope that this may stop any potential disease
outbreak that could develop in the first place?
<UV sterilizers are
rather expensive, so I doubt that one could call them cost-effective in
this scenario. That said, I will not deny the potential benefits of
UV--I use one myself on my display tank. Using it in QT seems better as
part of a treatment for infection, rather than as a "preventive." If
infection is noted as part of initial quarantine, one could consider UV
as part of the treatment, but I doubt it is cost-effective compared with
the many relatively inexpensive medications available.>
All the
Best. Mike Lomb
<Same to you. Steve Allen.> UV
Hi everyone,
I was getting ready to purchase a U.V sterilizer for my
125 gal. The tank is only 4 weeks, and is now cycled. At what point can
I add a U.V sterilizer ? I had read not to use them on newly set up
tanks. Also I had a 9 watt Coralife Turbo twist for my 55 gal, it said
it treated up to 125 gal. but I have read a few places that I would need
a 25 watt for a 125 gal. Really confusing. I want to get the correct
wattage, any advice?
By the way, sorry for the capitalization
problem, I am working on it. Thanks for answering so many silly
questions. And don't worry, if I get any new fish it will be months from
now, I just like to plan ahead and research so I don't end up with an
incompatible or non-hardy fish.
<Kim, here is a link on UV worth
reading for a better understanding of it. James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks
again for your help, Kim
<You're welcome> <Marina greatly
appreciates your efforts with capitalization! Makes my job much
easier.> FW Stingray kiddie pool, UV sterilizer effect on it
Hello,
I have a 900 gallon swimming pool in my basement for
freshwater stingrays. This is the kind of pool you set up in the
back yard for kids to swim in. They call it "Easy Set Pool". All
plastic pool. Been running fine for 4 months now, no problems. I
was told the pool itself is fish safe???
<Should be... if the
plastics were toxic you would know so by now>
I just added a UV
sterilizer to it yesterday. Is the UV safe with the pool itself?
<Should have no effect>
Just want to make sure the UV won't interact
with the pool material. Any info would be so much appreciated.
I
value your time and answer.
Thank you for the awesome web site !
Regards, Darrel.
<Ultraviolet sterilization will elevate the pH of
the water a slight amount, increase redox potential, "burn" up some
organic constituents in the water... makes little difference to the
container itself. Bob Fenner> Wipe out
Hi James,
<Hello
Deb>
As of today I lost all of my fish.
<Sorry to hear this.>
I had the LFS service come to my home and he said he felt I had a
bacterial infection going on based on the look of one of my fish I saved
for him. The fish had a pinkish to light red line going down him. He
installed a UV sterilizer for me and said to give the tank 5 days to rid
of the bacteria then add one fish as the tank could be without fish this
long. I have two cleaner shrimp and five small snails left, everything
else is gone. I am so discouraged by this whole thing, as well as upset
that we lost such beautiful fish.
Is this the correct procedure, is
5 days long enough to wait? All levels in the tank are where they should
be so water quality is not a problem. He said he would not treat with
medication as that disrupts the whole system, that he would let the UV
do its job. Any thoughts and advice are appreciated.
<Deb, first of
all, a UV is only going to kill what goes through it. There is no
guarantee that all the bacteria will be killed. I would let the tank run
for at least three weeks if not four. This way, if there are any
parasites (ich) in the tank, these should die off also. Then I would
consider the use of a quarantine tank for new arrivals before they are
put into the display tank. James (Salty Dog)>
Turbo-Twist Hook-up (2/10/05)
I just spent a good couple of hours
installing my new Coralife Turbo-Twist (12x-36W) into my freshwater tank
canister filter's outflow line. Now that I have hooked it all up, spent
time flushing air out of the system, and hooked it up to see it all work
terrifically without any water leaks. I discovered I connected the water
flow lines to the UV sterilizer backwards. The outflow of the canister
is flowing into what should be the outflow of the sterilizer, and the
what should be the inflow of the sterilizer is flowing into the tank.
The instruction manual specifies which are the inflow and outflow ports
on the sterilizer, so it is my goof, really. However; now that I think
about it, I wonder if it really makes a difference; and if so, how?
<I also have a TurboTwist 36W and I can think of absolutely no reason
why it makes a difference which direction the water flows through it.>
I have thought about it from every angle, and cannot come up with a
reason why it should matter which way the water flows through the
sterilizer...or at least this model in particular (I am unfamiliar with
other UV sterilizers). Any thoughts? Or am I fooling myself, and I now
have to look forward to switching the tubings around?
<I agree with
you. I strongly doubt that it matters. I think the just chose one as in
and one as out for the purpose of drawing a picture. You may want to
contact Coralife and ask their opinion. Steve Allen>
Re: UV Sterilizer: I connected mine backwards - Manufacturer's Response
I contacted Coralife at the same time with the same question. I just
received the following response:
"You are fine running it the way
it is. You really can run the unit either way. The only problem I have
ever had is if I pumped water into the top of the unit and out the
bottom, it sometimes gets air trapped and it will gurgle, but the unit
will work fine.
Best regards, Dave Troop
Energy Savers Unlimited,
Inc."
<Thank you for this. Bob Fenner>
Turbo-Twist UV Sterilizer Plumbing Follow-Up (2/21/04)
I
contacted Coralife at the same time with the same question. <Whether or
not it matters which end one uses as the outlet or inlet.> I just
received the following response: "You are fine running it the way it is.
You really can run the unit either way. The only problem I have ever
had is if I pumped water into the top of the unit and out the bottom, it
sometimes gets air trapped and it will gurgle, but the unit will work
fine. Best regards, Dave Troop, Energy Savers Unlimited, Inc" <Thanks
for sharing. I run mine lying sideways on a shelf. Works fine. Steve
Allen.> UV Sterilizer help
Bob,
I have a 55-gallon
freshwater aquarium with a wet/dry filter WDM-75 and a Custom Sealife
Double Helix UV sterilizer (or had a UV). About 8 weeks ago the tank
started to get brown, I treated it many times with no luck.<What were
you treating it for? I am assuming brown diatom algae> I noticed last
week that the light in the UV was not on and discovered when changing
the bulb that the bottom was all rusted, apparently from water, Anyway,
it is no longer working. I was going to buy another to replace it (this
would be the easiest thing for me, as I had someone set the tank up for
me and do not know much connecting any of the equipment), but then I
read about the electrical problems and do not know what to do now.<First
of all Patricia, DO UNPLUG the sterilizer. DO NOT put your hands in the
tank until then.> What would you suggest? <I can't suggest a sterilizer
since they do as much bad as good. Along with killing bacteria (good
and bad), it also destroys copepods and other useful life in the
aquarium. Doing 10% water changes weekly along with weekly filter
cleaning and the use of a good chemical media in your wet/dry would be
more helpful. Sterilizers are generally used in aquarium shops where
their benefit is very cost effective in helping prevent diseases. James
(Salty Dog) I would like something fairly maintenance free.
Thanks
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