UV in a SPS dominant reef tank?

[swimfest]

I have been struggling with ich recently and was wondering if a uv sterilizer is the way to go?

 

[skinz78]

The problem with UV sterilizers is they kill not only the bad but the good too, more often than not they don't get all of what you are trying to kill ether.

What are the measures you have been using to get rid of the Ich already?

 

[Kbra]

IMO you cant go wrong with a UV sterilizer. Ive ran one on my mixed reef for 2 years and know many others who do as well. I wont build another tank without one.

 

[cparka23]

I've read that UV is effective only against the free-floating parasites that are a part of the ich life-cycle (makes sense). In other words, the parasites not attached to fish might be affected.

There are a couple caveats, though. The parasites can lie dormant in substrates for a very long time, and there's the real possibility that parasites can spread without ever passing through the sterilizer. So while a sterilizer could be helpful, that doesn't guarantee it'll be effective, and it can be harmful as skinz78 said.

 

[nikesb]

i know of two guys locally that run sps tanks and they run uv 24/7 without ill effects. different for everybody

 

[divewsharks]

there shouldn't be much in the way of ill-effects, but it also isn't cure for the reasons stated above by cparka.

 

[pickupman66]

True, UV is non selective in its workings. what goes thru it will be neutralized, good or bad. I run an undersized one on my reef now. and im willing to take the risk to continue to do so.

 

[btkrausen]

I used to run one back in the day, but I haven't run one in my last few tanks and haven't really seen much difference. I would be willing to try one on my tank though to see if it made a difference from before to after. I might ponder on that one a bit, haha

 

[swimfest]

Thanks for the input guys.
I havent really done anything to help it as i am nervous about putting chemicals into my tank. Is that the only way to get rid of it? now i am afraid all the fish i put in in the future are going to get it.

 

[skinz78]

I wouldn't add any fish for at least 2 months after the last you see of it. In the mean time soak your fish food in Garlic and then feed it to the fish, this is known to help them against Ich.

 

[aalvarado87]

i agree if you don't add anything to your system for at least a couple months you should be okay. I went on a week long vacation my friend was watching the tank and my powder blue came down with ich i ended up losing him and when i added another fish in a few weeks i lost that fish as well i waited for months and and finally added another and did not have any problems. so just take your time.

 

[Kbra]

Once a tank gets ick it will always have it. And I bet everyone's tank has it. However, ideally, its laying dormant in the sand bed.

 

[justinm]

Ich lives in our waters and is brought out by stress and malnutrition. Soak your food in fresh garlic like stated above, and maybe a combo with the uv. The garlic will boost the immune system of the fish. Copper and hypo will work, yes, but so can garlic.

 

[dougers31]

Do you have a quarantine tank? I would agree with the above posters on garlic, I've used it with good results. Also, consistent water changes can help.

 

[jledon4]

i would not recommend a UV to nobody, i believe that it may take the tank to a sterile state, like skins said killing the bad but also the good. some people that care for sps dominated tanks tend to make the mistake to believe that the water should be free of organics, algae and other bacterias, the cleaner the better. i believe this is false and that our tanks should have a large bio-diversity finding the way to imitate nature as much as possible. quarantine and medication should be your best option.