Can a UV steralizer cure or prevent ick?

[lesleybird]

Hi, Just wondering if a UV steralizer can cure or help to cure or prevent marine ick? Anyone know? If so, what wattage with what flow rate for a 90 gallon tank? Lesley

 

[beth]

It can not cure it. It may prevent some parasites from getting started. It is best not to keep UVs in reef systems, however.

 

[thomas712]

I agree with Beth, it will only kill the free floating ick, not what is on the fish or laying in the substrate. Kills to many other benificial plankton as well.
Thomas

 

[beth]

It may kill free-floating ich, but you will not know if you actually killed all of it. Its chancy.

 

[falconred]

i however donot agree. i would run uv on a reef and do with no ill effects.
when you complet your sys turn it off i run a 9 watt on a 150 @200gph

 

[lesleybird]

I realize that UV only can kill the free swimming ich, but this is all most medications do also. I am just wondering how many watts with what flow rate it takes to kill ich swimmers to help prevent future outbreaks. Lesley

 

[bang guy]

Originally posted by falconred
i run a 9 watt on a 150 @200gph
That explains why you are experiencing no ill effects. Your water flow rate is about 10 times too fast to actually kill anything except perhaps algae spores.

 

[tony detroit]

I run a 36watt and my water just barely dribbles out.