UV on a reef tank?
- Thread starter cosmo
- Start date
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thomas712
Guest
I do not use one because I believe that the Cons outwieght the pros here.
UV's are using ultra violet radiation which in essence zaps micro organisms (emphisis on micro organisims not just ick) by destrying the nucleus of the cells. This will also kill benifical microbes, larvea and planktonic stages of your pods, worms, and many other critters that live in your system and are very necessary to the health of the system. This means less food for your filter feeding corals and such. Will it kill the parisites that could attack your fish, sure, as well as kill nuciance alge spores, also your coralline spores. This just isn't something that I would like in either of my reef tanks. Why would anyone want to kill their bacteria? Far better to invest in a Q-tank.
Now thats my opinon and I'm sticking to it.
Thomas
UV's are using ultra violet radiation which in essence zaps micro organisms (emphisis on micro organisims not just ick) by destrying the nucleus of the cells. This will also kill benifical microbes, larvea and planktonic stages of your pods, worms, and many other critters that live in your system and are very necessary to the health of the system. This means less food for your filter feeding corals and such. Will it kill the parisites that could attack your fish, sure, as well as kill nuciance alge spores, also your coralline spores. This just isn't something that I would like in either of my reef tanks. Why would anyone want to kill their bacteria? Far better to invest in a Q-tank.
Now thats my opinon and I'm sticking to it.
Thomas
poiboy
Member
I just started my tank again, 3 months ago and have been using a UV since I first started 8 yrs ago. Yes it will zap just about everthing that passes through, good and bad. You have to remember to have a lot of supplements on hand, and shut off skimmer, UV and filter for about 3 hours when feeding phyto. As far as killing coraline spores don't know, but I have specks everywhere, just started with a rock that was covered.
It's a give and take with a UV.
It's a give and take with a UV.
timsedwards
Active Member
From my experience its a 50/50 split on who uses them, and I do notice that people whodont get very offended for some reason if someone does!
Its up to you, I am seriously thinking about getting one and I have a QT, but they can be very beneficial. From my understaning, if you feed your corals by hand (which is more fun!) then the detrimental affects are lifted.
I have never heard the coraline algae thing before...is that true? Surely not. You know if nothing else you could attach it to your QT.
All the best,
Tim.
Its up to you, I am seriously thinking about getting one and I have a QT, but they can be very beneficial. From my understaning, if you feed your corals by hand (which is more fun!) then the detrimental affects are lifted.
I have never heard the coraline algae thing before...is that true? Surely not. You know if nothing else you could attach it to your QT.
All the best,
Tim.
fuscus
Member
I don't have much experience in this matter other than the fact that I have used one with a fish onlly tank, but I would think that it could be benificial to use one (once the tank is extablished) (for a period of a month or so) if a fish in your tank became sick. Once you have quaranteened the the sick specimine, wouldn't using the uv sterilizer greatly reduce the chance of the disease spreading to the other fish?
fuscus
fuscus
fshhub
Active Member
personally, I agree with thomas
I do not like them and will not use one. I feel that not only do they do harm as mentioned, I am not convinced that once have they actually eliminated the posibility of ick or any parasites.
I will however say that IF you are going to have one, then it should be on, not off or on and off all the time. A UV would not be useful in any situation like that. NOT at all.
I do not like them and will not use one. I feel that not only do they do harm as mentioned, I am not convinced that once have they actually eliminated the posibility of ick or any parasites.
I will however say that IF you are going to have one, then it should be on, not off or on and off all the time. A UV would not be useful in any situation like that. NOT at all.