Need help with UV choices

[nickbuol]

First question, Beth said that a UV should be used in a FO tank. Is that right, or am I misunderstanding her? If so, what can someone with some inverts and a few (5) small corals do to kill free-floating bacteria, etc.
If a UV CAN be used in a non FO tank, what would work with my setup (I know that sizing is important)...
75 Gallon
65lbs Live Rock
Magnum 350 Canister with biowheel 60
Prism skimmer (going to be replaced by a Bak Pak 2)
1 Purple Tang
2 Common Clownfish
1 Cleaner Wrasse
1 Six Line Wrasse
1 Royal Dottyback
2 Cleaner Shrimp
Assortment of red and blue leg hermits
Assortment of turbo and astrea snails
Button Polyps (showed up on the Live Rock)
Colt Coral
Green Nepthea Coral
Metalic Green Star Polyps
Toadstool Coral
Rasta (spaghetti) Coral
We have developed mini-stars in the crushed coral, as well as feather dusters, and other good stuff from the live rock.
Let me know what you guys think.
One that looks interested and less expensive than most is the Azoo Hurricane, but I am not sure how well it would match my system, or how well it works.

 

[mr . salty]

I think a UV would be helpfull in your setup.but if you are going to get one,Don't choose one because it is cheaper than the others...Good stuff aint cheap,,And cheap stuff aint good..I would reccomend you look into the Aqua Ultraviolet brand...They are (IMO) the BEST on the market.And not all that expensive...Your tank would probably need the 15 watt model.Although they now make a smaller,hang on the back model that may be better suited too your needs...Lastly,,I would consider loosing that CC substrate and going with a deep sand bed first...This switch would benafit your tank more right now than a UV..

 

[nickbuol]

How much live sand would I need to put in place of the crushed coral? I've heard things like 1.5 pounds per gallon.

 

[mr . salty]

I would think that 40-50lbs would be enough.But that depends on what kind of sand you are getting..Live sand is sold WET,and weighs more than DRY sand...My guess(40-50) is using wet/live sand...

 

[sonny]

I don't think you need a UV in a reef tank. If you have that many corals, it is a reef tank. UV's will kill any plankton that goes through it, and the plankton is valuable as a food source to any filter feeder. I don't think you want a UV on any reef set-up.
Sonny

 

[nickbuol]

40-50 pounds of live sand for a 75 gallon tank? (I just want to make sure that I've got it right.) I was planning on needing to get 100-120 pounds of live sand, but if 40-50 pounds works, then that is an obvious cost savings.
I am looking into getting some of the pre-bagged live sand (Arag-Alive). I can get a 20 pound bag for $20. I know that it is just bacterially alive, but I plan on filtering out some of the live critters(mini-stars, etc) out of our crushed coral, and letting them go to town in the live sand.
As for the UV, we are planning on putting the corals into a different tank, so I am still interested in options there.