UV Sterilizer for Ich?

[keyschris]

When using kich ich or no ich, can you run your uv sterilizer or does it prevent the medicine from working? I understany many people think this stuff works, but i really have no option. I have a 210g reef with 250+ pounds of live rock, lots or corals, and inverts. I dont have another tank to throw anything in and buying something large enough to move the LR and inverts is out of the question? I also cant catch the fish either. Any suggestions??

 

[merredeth]

Originally Posted by keyschris
When using kich ich or no ich, can you run your uv sterilizer or does it prevent the medicine from working? I understany many people think this stuff works, but i really have no option. I have a 210g reef with 250+ pounds of live rock, lots or corals, and inverts. I dont have another tank to throw anything in and buying something large enough to move the LR and inverts is out of the question? I also cant catch the fish either. Any suggestions??
I'm curious to know whether or not using a UV sterilizer has any benefit to a tank that has ich as well. Does anyone know?
Denise M.

 

[emporer]

It helps.... and it cant hurt

 

[carshark]

well the long debate can continue on about UV's. Especially in a reef scenario, it depletes a lot of essential elements in the water, and also killing some parasites, but it is not a for sure way to rid your system of ick. the water does not move slow enough through the sterilizer to effect anything. so now you have to monitor your levels so much more, and it doesnt kill ick all the way. I dont think it would harm using a "reef safe" chemical for ick, but I do think that your system will suffer dramatically from using these chemicals, especially in a reef setup.
you have to remove all if any carbon, and stop skimming, as well as a 1/3 water change between treatments, good luck on a tank that size!

 

[keyschris]

When you say "carbon" what are you talking about?? Is that the filter in my sump??

 

[carshark]

Originally Posted by keyschris
When you say "carbon" what are you talking about?? Is that the filter in my sump??
active carbon...wherever you put it!! whether its in your HOB filter, canister, where ever it goes it needs removed..the chemicals will be stripped, and skimming does the same thing, so your are losing quite a bit of filtration. that compromises your reef...

 

[keyschris]

Carshark, I really dont know what the "CARBON" is. My sump has bio balls and has two filters, one above the bioballs, and another below. are they usually "carbon" or something else????? Is their anyway for me to check. By the way it is half blue and half white

 

[carshark]

your filter does it have little black chunks of substance? chances are if you dont know what active carbon is you dont have it. just curious though, do you service your own tank? or does someone do that for you?

 

[fishnerd]

Check the archives under my posts. I have explained UVs and ich several times... in a nutshell, UVs are good, but don't help with ich.

 

[flamehawk]

Agree that uv's do little to help ich. Also kick ich does not work or any other reef safe chemical for that matter. IMO they are a waste of money.
I also will tell you that my experience w/ hypo has not been great. The fish seem to really breath hard during treatment -1.009 or 14ppt. 3-6 weeks seems like allot of stress to put the fish through. Many hobbiests have suferred losses as a result of this stress. I really don't know what the right answer is, besides prevention,ifor treating ich. I suppose hypo is the best option but it is not w/o it's risks.....
One day someone will discover the reef safe as well as fish safe treatment for ich.....