UV sterilizer ?

[puff(er) daddy]

I was out looking for a R/O unit today and I was at a lfs and the guy gave me a few prices on the R/O's. Once my eyes popped out of my head after hearing the prices he told me that it will be sufficient to get a ultraviolet sterilizer. The cost is about $130.00 I didn't get the name and other specifications.
The reason I was going to get a R/O is because I'm currently using tap water. I have a 125gal tank,Amiracle wet/dry, Rio 3100 pump and a Zoo Med 214 powersweep powerhead.
Is this true what the lfs had said? If so and If not please recommend some products I can use because I can't afford the R/O right now. Also include the brand and other features.
Thanks in advance.

 

[jimi]

Pufferdaddy whats your e-mail address?

 

[sonny]

What he said is INCORRECT. A UV is a germicidal light that sterilizes the water by killing bacteria and microscopic life with ultraviolet light. A Reverse Osmosis unit (RO) is a membrane type filter that removes certain particles from the water. A RO is used to condition the water before you put it into the tank, a UV is used to kill bacteria/protozoans in the tank. For a reef tank, you would want to use purified water as source water, and NOT use a UV. The UV would kill live plankton in the water that would be beneficial to your corals.
A RO unit is the best way to purify water. A cheaper alternative is a DEIONIZATION (DI) filter. There are low cost "tap water purifiers" you can buy for around $25-30. These are low end DI filters. Better than using straight tap water, but they don't last very long before you have to change the cartridge. I think one cartridge will do about 200 gallons. You will also find combination RO-DI filters. These are actually the best thing for reef tanks. RO's remove most heavy metals like copper, DI's remove silicates and phosphates. Still another alternative is buying the water from your LFS. Some LFS's sell RO water by the gallon, usually 50 cents to $1 per gallon. Distilled water is another option, but it has more contaminants than RO water.
If you plan to have a tank that is 125 gallons, you should get a RO unit eventually. A RO will pay for itself quickly if you have to buy your water at 50 cents per gallon! RO's are sold in capacities or "gallons per day" (GPD) units. This refers to the amount of purified water the unit can produce in 24 hours with average water pressure. Low water pressure will make it less productive.
Brands that I like are Kent Marine, Spectrapure, and Captive purity. There are too many models to list. I say to get a model with the highest gpd you can afford. You can store RO water in plastic trash cans until you need it.
Sonny

 

[puff(er) daddy]

Thanks for clearing that up for me you guys because I was ready to put the uv sterilizer on lay-away because it was cheaper than the R/O unit. I'll just put the R/O on lay-away instead.
Jimi: My e-mail address is tamica4238@aol.com, sorry for the late response but I'm a nocternal creature