Tetra UV Sterilizer

Rusticman

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After watching Prolificbreed video (link ), I decided to buy 2 of the 36 watts Tetra UV and give it a try.
I am installing it first on my Red Sea E260 and if it works well, I’ll put it on the Planet tank.
It came in today. Seems like a nicely made unit with a big brick power supply. I started by taking the unit apart to remove the stainless steel sleeve inside the UV. It was one piece glue to the inner surface of the UV. With a long flathead screwdriver I pry the sheet loose from the glue. Then I took a needle nose plier and pulled it out. The trick is to make sure you pry the glue loose all the way around the cylinder tube. I used the provided Red Sea fitting to run a external chiller to run the needed plumbing for the UV. Here’s how it looks for now. I plan to clean up the plumbing and mounting once I see how this unit is working. It should be fine and do the job it’s designed to do. My intentions for getting it is to help clarify the water by reducing algae build up on the glass and to control velvet/ich outbreak. Yes, I am aware this will required different flow rate through the UV for the two mentioned purpose. With a DC controllable pump, I should be able to adjust the pump flow to achieve my goal. I can’t justify paying 6x or 7x more for a UV unit if this does the job. I don’t see why it wouldn’t when it consist of the same thing the other UV units have. Its the same reasoning I have when I decided on a Jebao return pump vs. the other more expensive ones. Yes, it may or may not last as long but I can buy a spare or two to keep on hand. More money for coral and livestock.

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Idoc

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Interesting to see how this works for you. The saltwater UV systems are ridiculously priced for the technology you are receiving. This pond UV will function the exact same. I have a 57w Aqua UV system...but, I only have it due to buying it locally second hand for a great price. Otherwise, I wouldn't have put $450 into a UV system!
 
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Rusticman

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Just hoping to help others with alternatives. It’s a ridiculously overpriced hobby but a dollar saved = more coral candies.
 
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Rusticman

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Okay, it has been one month since I installed the uv sterilizer on my Red Sea (approx. 70 gallons) and Planet (approximately 180 gallons) aquarium. The flow through the RS is
 
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Rusticman

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Okay, it has been one month since I installed the uv sterilizer on my Red Sea (approx. 70 gallons) and Planet (approximately 180 gallons) aquarium. The flow through the RS is 240gph and Planet is 800gph. Here my observations with having a uv. First, I didn’t see much difference is algae growth or significant improvement in water clarity. There may be bit of improvement in both these areas but not notable or measurable. Second, I do however believe it does help with controlling velvet and ich. Here’s a collection of the facts that lead me to believe this. My RS had a velvet outbreak that killed my long nose hawk fish and royal gramma. My coral beauty and two occellarius clowns were not infected. I waited awhile before I added anymore fish to the tank. I purchased a yellow spot goby and added him to the tank. Within a couple of days, he was covered with velvet and passed away thereafter. So I waited a little longer this time and added a Royal gramma to the tank. The same thing happened to it. Since the installation of the uv, I’ve added a China wrasses to the tank and it is doing well. I followed up with adding a small purple tang and it too is doing well. I have not added any medications or done anything differently to my tank.

On to my Planet tank. The tank is doing great since setup back in October 2020. I just came across a deal on the local forum for one of my all time favorite fish, the Moorish Idol. I landed a pair of them. Beautiful fish! So on the morning I was to pick up the fish from the member’s house, he notified his tank had sprung a leak. He said he would call me when he’s ready. The reason he was selling them in the first place was his tangs bullied them and he already had one in his sump and the other one still in his display. So, I knew they were stressed from the bullying and now a leaking tank. He finally called me later in the day and told me to come and pick them up. I already told the guy I wanted them and wouldn’t be right to back out of the deal plus he’s already dealing with the mess from his leaking tank. I drove more than an hour to pick them up. I had a bucket ridged with an airline and pump. They were pale and super stressed when I got them. I have a tang gang too and knew it would not be good to add the idols under these conditions. I knew I had to get them accustomed to the tank and avoid attacks from the tang gang. I decided to built a acclimating box out plastic egg crate using zippy ties and magnets. I drip acclimate the idols then added them too the tank. Once added I noticed they had some white spots on them and I was sure they’re ich. I thought to myself, they are doomed, Moorish Idols+stress+ich+possible tang aggression=failure! But what was very promising was that they starting eating frozen food right away. I was surprised and floored! I decided to remove the two bully tang, the powder brown and sailfin, to give them a better chance. I had to drain the water to the tank just to catch these suckers. Back to the idols, I added nori while they were in the acclimating box and they surprised me again by eating it. The guy I brought them from said they didn’t. It has been 3 days since they were added to the tank. They are eating like pigs and seem happy so that they are nipping on my corals. I forgive them and move whatever they pick on to my other tank. Hopefully, they don’t think all my corals is a buffet.
Going back to the uv, the ich seems to be contained and not spreading to my other fish. The idols don’t seem to be bothered by it. I am seeing a reduction in the white spots on the fish. I won’t be completely at ease until all the spots are gone. It a waiting game now and I definitely don’t want to qt them at this point. So, there’s my update to having a uv sterilizer on my system. BTW, this units are no longer on sale. They’re back to regular price on Amazon.
 
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Rusticman

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My two tanks.
 

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Rusticman

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Don’t laugh...my dyi acclimating box. Less than $20 using magnets I already have.
 

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Rusticman

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Update on my idols, I don’t see anymore white spots on them. I guess with good water parameters, UV, and fish are eating well, such thing as ich and velvet can be overcome. During my early years of being a hobbyist, I didn’t always have good water parameters because I never test my water. When a fish is sick with ich or velvet I felt like it was a death sentence because I never had success with treating them. I‘m sure it was due to my lack of knowledge. Thanks to forums such as this , I have grown and gain in experience and knowledge of the hobby. It’s frustrating and stressful when your tank or fish are not doing well but it’s also rewarding when you find success in what you are doing. I hope the experience and information I share with you will help you make the hobby more enjoyable rather than stressful.
 
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Rusticman

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So this past weekend, I went to my LFS on Saturday and picked up some additional clean up crew members consisting of 8 big snails a 6 emerald crabs. I put all 8 snails in the Planet tank and split up the emerald crabs to 4 in the Red Sea tank and 2 in the Planet tank. On Sunday, I picked up 2 decent size blue maxima clams from a local member for my Planet tank. Yesterday, I noticed my blue tangs with noticeable white spots on them. It’s apparent that it was ich. A closer look it seems it’s on my other tangs too. I believe the carriers were the snails. The clams came from a tank with no fish so it had to be the snails. None of the fish seems to be bother by it. Seems like the uv is doing its job because the spots on the blue tangs are less today then yesterday. Will keep a closer eye on everyone until it’s gone.

If the uv is this effective on ich and velvet, why go through the trouble with quarantining the fish? How was I to quarantine the snails that carried the ich to my tank from the LFS?

I wish I knew about the effectiveness of a uv on combating ich/velvet earlier. It will definitely be on my essential equipment list with every build!
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

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