Need to know reality of uv filtration

[billy2k1]

Some people agree on the fact that uv filtration is a plus an everybody should have one.Other people said that it can create a deficiency on the fish immune system due to the fact that water quality is just to good and anything that get into the tank (new Fish as example even after quarentene) can bring stuff that can kill them easy.Any opinions on this matter? :notsure:

 

[sw65galma]

This is a huge topic of debate...
Basically You either belive in it or not...there isn't enough scientific proof to prove things either way.
I personally do like them..

 

[mudplayerx]

I don't think that they are particularily detrimental to a tank, but on the same note I don't think that they actually do anything beneficial for the tank either. The water needs prolonged exposure to the UV lighting to be effective at killing microbes. Most pumps connected to a UV filter circulate the water way too fast for this.
The only way I can theoretically see a UV filter working is if the water was pumped through it EXTREMELY slowly...and this is just inefficient because the microbes probably multiply in the display tank quicker than the UV filter is killing them (even is tanks with near perfect circulation, there are spots where water lingers).
The only way I can see to feasibly and effectively use UV filtration would be to have numerous UV filters on a tank all connected via there own very low turnover pumps.
Unfortunately, UV filtration is more of a high-tech hoax than anything. For instance, the RO machine at my walmart boasts a UV filter in its process. The UV filter is on the end of the spout where the water comes out. That spout squirts out water fast enough to fill a gallon jug in like 15 seconds....rendering it quite useless

 

[bang guy]

Mostly useless IMO. If you send the water slow enough through a big one you can decrease microalgae. Mostly they just decrease diversity by preventing beneficial organisms from reproducing.

 

[mudplayerx]

As a side note: It is probably not a good idea to utilize a UV filter if you have clams, sponges, or other organisms that depend on filter feeding as main part of their diet.

 

[billy2k1]

ok,thanks a lot,now i have a better idea and IMO it makes a lot of sense what you guys mention above...

 

[thomas712]

Something I jotted down a couple of years ago:
If you know anything about molecular biology, you will realize that the prospects for this device working are too slim to warrant the cost. UV radiation, in theory, should disrupt the ability of a cell to divide by altering genetic sequences. For the sterilizer to work correctly, the water would need to be slow to stagnant under the radiation for it to have a positive effect on any parasites, grater bulbs perhaps having greater ability, and this just isn't the case. The transient time of water rushing by is too small to be effective. This is why it has to be set up correctly. Also to me this is one more possablilty of glass breaking in the UV, whether it be the bulb itelf, which gets covered in slime and reduces effectiveness, or the sleeve which also gets dirty and reduces its ability to work. I just don't think they are worth the money and they tend to kill the good stuff first.
Once again it won't kill ick on your fish, it won't kill any that are in the substrate. It can and will kill the benifical plankton in the water colum, I firmly believe that it will harm coralline spores in the water colum.
Many people will say the they are at least good on fish only or aggresive system.
All in all I think the reasons not to use them outweight the reasons for using them.
If you are using one for the purpose of trying to eliminate disease then I would suggest rather that you simply set up a Q-tank instead, you can do this cheaper than most UV setups, and the UV's that are cheap IMO will not give you the piece of mind that a Q-tank will.
Thomas