UV Sterilizer In-Line with Skimmer (and during cycling)

[saltfisher1]

Hi All,
I'm cycling my aquarium (using cured live rock and some dead shrimp). I have a 90 gallon filled with ~100 lbs of dead sand and 20lbs of live sand.
As I start things, I'm wondering if I should run wait to run the UV unit (18 W double helix) and the protein skimmer (hang on back CPR skimmer) until the tank is cycled?
Also, can I run the skimmer and the UV in-line -- thus off the same powerhead? I would hook the powerhead to the UV unit and then link that to the skimmer.
Thanks!
Ali.

 

[florida joe]

Do not run the skimmer or the UV while you are cycling. The skimmer will skim out dissolved organics which you need for the colonization of nitrifying bacteria. IMO you are wasting bulb life by running your UV so soon
FYI you want the water passing round your UV bulb to be as clean as possible so have it at the end of your filtration setup.

 

[saltfisher1]

Thanks!
I'll do just that -- hold off on the sterilizer/UV until the tank has cycled. And I'll see if I can reverse the order (skimmer to UV, instead of vice versa) or T-off the UV unit to my main pump in my sump.