UV Sterilizer Help

[scfurse77]

I recently lost a Mimic Tang to ICH, I was told that a uv sterilizer would help.

- is a uv sterilizer worth the investment?
- What should i look for in a uv sterilizer?
- Which ones are you guys and girls using?

 

[Waters]

The key with UV is to make sure you buy one that is over-sized for what you need. The effectiveness of UV is based on the amount of time the water comes in contact with the light, the clarity of the water, and strength of the bulb. The smaller units are worthless IMO because to make them effective, you would need to slow the water flowing through them WAYYY down, at which point they become ineffective because they won't be able to keep up with the tank. I use the Lifegard Aquatics sterilizers. Regarding ICH....they will not eliminate the parasite but they can help keep it in control. They are also useful in helping to control algae and bacterial blooms.

 

[Lowstorm]

To be honest, I wouldn't use UV to stop ich. It may keep the floating stage down, but it won't be an immediate fix, and the fish will be fighting the infection constantly.

 

[scfurse77]

To be honest, I wouldn't use UV to stop ich. It may keep the floating stage down, but it won't be an immediate fix, and the fish will be fighting the infection constantly.

So what do you suggest that i do?

 

[scfurse77]

The key with UV is to make sure you buy one that is over-sized for what you need. The effectiveness of UV is based on the amount of time the water comes in contact with the light, the clarity of the water, and strength of the bulb. The smaller units are worthless IMO because to make them effective, you would need to slow the water flowing through them WAYYY down, at which point they become ineffective because they won't be able to keep up with the tank. I use the Lifegard Aquatics sterilizers. Regarding ICH....they will not eliminate the parasite but they can help keep it in control. They are also useful in helping to control algae and bacterial blooms.

Do you run yours 24 hours a day?

 

[Waters]

Do you run yours 24 hours a day?

Yes.....I initially installed mine to help fight a Dino issue. The UV ended up totally wiping it out after trying multiple other methods. It runs 24X7.

 

[Waters]

So what do you suggest that i do?

The only way to totally eliminate ICH from your DT is to remove all of your fish, allowing the tank to remain empty for 8-10 weeks (the period of time changes depending on who you ask), treating the remaining fish in a QT. That is assuming you have a reef tank with live rock and inverts and cannot treat the fish in your display tank.

 

[Lowstorm]

Yup, what Waters said. Go down to the disease and treatment area, read as fast as you can. Could also do the tank-transfer method. But they both take a quarantine tank.