Is Blacklight effective in eliminating algae blooms?

[myrcies]

Hello everyone!

Fighting my first Algae Bloom:

Almost no visibility within the tank.

Is this harmful to the critters? I was told blacklight can damage certain animals but was unsure.

I replaced about 10 gallons of water today and did a 50% change yesterday. Was hoping one of these would finally end the unclear water.

Soon I will attempt to replace the filter cartridges. I think this may be the reason for the issue (realized they hadn't been changed as recommended).

Thank you all so much for your help!

 

[Reeferoni123]

Blacklight, as in UV, is highly effective, yes.

It works by damaging the DNA of anything that passes by the light, and so stops the algae or bacteria in the bloom from being able to reproduce, and is fantastic for overall water clarity.

It is both dangerous to fish, corals, and all life, including humans, so it’s used inside an enclosed canister and water is passed through the canister.

Search for UV sterilisers, the best ones are the deltec, or d-d sterilisers.

That being said, I don’t think you need one here. That looks like a very new setup, how long have you had it? Have you recently added sand? Are you cycled? What light are you using, and how is it set?

Canister filters are usually not the best setup for reef tanks, by the way.