Are UV sterilizers worth it?

[AnnaG]

While im still quite inexperienced in reef keeping, I will offer this information. While I dont have a UV steriliser, there is a scholarly article discussing "Ultraviolet light and ozone controls Cryptocaryon irritans infection in
factory aquaculture" You need to either pay for the PDF or access through university, which is what I did, so ill share the results below.

I believe that people who have had no success with UV sterilisers did not a) expose the Dino, ich, etc. for a significant amount of time (as seen in the table above), or b) did not have a strong enough UV light. I only see UV sterilisers useful for battling Dino, parasites or some microorganism. I guess you could always keep the pod population in a seperate tank and dose accordingly.

 

[MinnieMouse2]

I've been doing inch management since the start and I knew 4 months ago I had ich in the tank when I had 3 fishes. A couple of clowns and a blue tang. Fed them well on dry, frozen mysis, shaved clams and they all seemed to get over it. Few months later the tank was stocked up to 5 inhabitants and no signs of ich. I then added my 6th fish a bristle tooth tang and bam the next day my Coral Beauty died with no symptoms other than not being itself the night before, blue tang broke out in white spots clown fishes started flashing. A week later the bristle tooth suddenly died showing no symptoms other than being lethargic the night before. 5 days later the Female clown died with skin falling off people would say it would look like brook and all fish show symptoms of ich, flashing, classic salt grain spots. So off to the LFS and they recommended Reef Revolution Parasite Remover. A reef safe peroxide salt remedy to control ich. 2 days later the other clown died but it could be because it was too little too late. The blue tang recovered but foxface was hiding and eating less and less. 7 days later Fox face stopped eating I knew this was the beginning of the end. I decided I would go the UV route and purchased a V2ectron 600 for my 250L (75 gallon) tank. Surprisingly there is so little information on the internet on UV brands and what kills ich. The model was definately oversized for my tank but still less than half the price of pentair and eheim uvc60 which my LFS was trying to push onto me. I got a separate pump to control the UV flow. Getting home from the LFS the foxface was on its deathbed. Camoflauged and lying on its side barely moving I would have given it another 2 hours before it would have stopped breathing. Hooked up the UV and started it off. Somehow 30 minutes later the foxface was swimming around the tank. 1 day later the foxface is swimming out in the open and started taking more and more foods. Scars are on the body but color has come back to the fish. Don't know if UV can solve ich that fast. For me UV does do wonders for ich management and well worth the price and wished I've done it sooner.

I think you had velvet. Fish dying quickly, hanging out in the shadows is classic velvet which is a dino. UV has been the only thing that cut down my velvet and saved my fish.

 

[MinnieMouse2]

I’ve had mine running for the last 11 months on my lagoon. I just pulled it out. Wonder what will happen to my system now?

I pulled mine out to treat a pond for green water. The reef tank soon got velvet. Lost two fish and almost our beloved puffer. I am going to keep using my UV 24/7. It also controlled a dino outbreak. In fact, dino was the first reason I bought it.

 

[ReefEco]

I run two 80watt pentair units on my systems (900g), and just consider them as insurance. Like car, home, or life insurance, people have different thresholds for risk, and buy different levels of insurance based on that. I think it is similar with UV (efficacy arguments aside). They may not prevent you from getting in a car accident, but may make it less costly if you do...

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Added a poll to this for fun. Jump in and discuss!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I voted no because I wanted the bacteria that organic carbon dosing spurred to grow to be available to feed filter feeders, as opposed to facing an untimely demise in a UV.