UV Sterilizers: Are the benefits a MYTH or a REALITY?

[Xero]

OK...SO WHICH UV IS THE PICK OF THE LITTER?

HOW DO I SIZE ONE? MY Red Sea MAX S 5OO IS MIXED REEF - 135 GAL WITH SUMP.

THANKS.

I've built, repaired, and modified them from numerous brands. My buddy's even cut up aquaUV's, extended them, redone the ballasts, etc.

Having said this, I much prefer AquaUV over all the others. The seal design is the best, the clear cap has some kind of UV-reactive dye injected into it, you can tell they've been doing this a while....

TMC is probably best bang for the buck, the only issue is they use dual-sided T8s, meaning there's two seals, on each end. More points for leaking. However, for the money, good value.

Emperor/Pentair comes in third, i just don't like the seal designs on them. They put the one seal INSIDE the unit, like you sort of assemble the quartz tube then slide the thing in....where as aquaUV's and TMC it's all accessible from the end. I just don't like this design. I also have seen more failed ballasts with them, in the past, but they're all mostly sticking workhorse's inside of plastic tube. I had a emperor 40w that came with a workhorse 22 ballast, at most, it was under-driving it at 36w...I wasn't impressed. That doesn't fly with me...they are mostly using different ballast now with pentair taking them over, but all and all, they're my 3rd choice.

ignore all the china stuff, most isn't even made out of proper UVC resistant PVC, it needs to be furniture grade or UV grade PVC.....

For that size tank, I'd use a 40w or 57w.

 

[madweazl]

Here’s a photo from the Aqua UV website. The slower the flow rate the more planktonic food supply for the reef gets destroyed. Faster flow rate is ideal for reefs.

You choose a flow rate based on what you're trying to accomplish; there is no rule that faster is better.

 

[Crotalus]

"How UV Works?

Ultraviolet sterilizers are used in a wide variety of industries for sterilization, and in your saltwater aquarium they work wonders at controlling unwanted bacteria and protozoa at low flow rates, but at higher flow rates can help maintain free-floating algae which are a common cause of cloudy tank water."

I see this same information quoted over and over. I believe it is a little misleading. The key is the amount of energy put on the organism. Having a lower flow rate doesn't mean the UV will not kill algae. It just mean that lower flow will not put as much algae through the UV. Using a larger UV than the mfg. specs for your tank size means you can use a higher flow rate than a small unit and still kill bacteria. Then you have the best of both worlds.

 

[Xero]

"How UV Works?

Ultraviolet sterilizers are used in a wide variety of industries for sterilization, and in your saltwater aquarium they work wonders at controlling unwanted bacteria and protozoa at low flow rates, but at higher flow rates can help maintain free-floating algae which are a common cause of cloudy tank water."

I see this same information quoted over and over. I believe it is a little misleading. The key is the amount of energy put on the organism. Having a lower flow rate doesn't mean the UV will not kill algae. It just mean that lower flow will not put as much algae through the UV. Using a larger UV than the mfg. specs for your tank size means you can use a higher flow rate than a small unit and still kill bacteria. Then you have the best of both worlds.

Agreed. This is very similar subject to the conversation I had with Carl (of AAP) that I mentioned earlier....

 

[Dorsetsteve]

"How UV Works?

Ultraviolet sterilizers are used in a wide variety of industries for sterilization, and in your saltwater aquarium they work wonders at controlling unwanted bacteria and protozoa at low flow rates, but at higher flow rates can help maintain free-floating algae which are a common cause of cloudy tank water."

I see this same information quoted over and over. I believe it is a little misleading. The key is the amount of energy put on the organism. Having a lower flow rate doesn't mean the UV will not kill algae. It just mean that lower flow will not put as much algae through the UV. Using a larger UV than the mfg. specs for your tank size means you can use a higher flow rate than a small unit and still kill bacteria. Then you have the best of both worlds.

Some high end units will display a calculated “dose” displayed in joules per second. By delivering a specified intensity to a flow rate the effective “dose” can be applied for the application. Not seen this is hobby aquarium equipment.

 

[Acrofiend]

You choose a flow rate based on what you're trying to accomplish; there is no rule that faster is better.

I’m not sure why you’d want to destroy food supply for your reef.

 

[Jet915]

Definitely reality. I have a 40W Pentair for my 120 gallon. I had ich on tangs prior, since it's been running 24/7 for over 2 years now, none of my fish show any signs of disease. I would never have a tank without one but it has to be oversized and at the right flow rate.

 

[GMF21]

I believe UV Sterilizers are beneficial and can prove to be very helpful, but are by no means a necessity.

I have been in the hobby 15 years and bought my first one recently due to a dino outbreak (big hat tip to the Dino thread (all 400+ pages of it) for all the help). Prior to this I never owned one and haven't had any problems dealing with the issues that come up from time to time (cyano, algae, etc).

However, I do find the comparisons to how zoos and public aquariums are all using UV a bit disingenuous as we have no idea as to their entire husbandry regime. In those environments there are people who are paid to take care of the tanks 24hrs/day. That is quite a bit different from how most of us care for our tanks as hobbyists (although my wife would argue I spend 24/7 taking care of my tank ).

To me, the biggest advancement in the past year or so has been the general hobbyist community increasing understanding of the importance of having the correct flow rate. Maybe, the zoos and aquariums knew this all along...

 

[Pinky80]

I've run my tanks, through my 20 years, off and on with a UV sterilizer. I get dinos, algae, red slime, brown slime, plaid slime and just about anything annoying you can think of, including Ich, when I don't run the UV sterilizer, or if the bulb is old. I can't contribute any scientific evidence, so I know I sound anecdotal. But I vote, when a UV sterilizer is setup correctly, it has a positive affect on our hobby and definitely controls problematic symptoms. I use the word symptom, because we also have to consider the causes of our problems to begin with, just to further help the hobby along. Relying completely on a UV sterilizer to solve problems is just like running a track meet with a crutch. Having the UV Sterilizer as part of a holistic solution to the tank is the best option in my opinion. It's a helpful component of a good running system. And I run my tanks with it all the time now, along with the usual equipment we stack on our tanks to make them run.

 

[tnyr5]

*puts hand on bridge of nose in frustrated exhaustion* Of course they bloody work.

 

[VLR3]

I just got and installed one yesterday. Results TBD

 

[RedSea500MaxS]

I just got and installed one yesterday. Results TBD

which did you buy may I ask? Not cheap! But I have algae.

 

[Michael Adam]

I had a Dino problem. Tried all the phosphate and nitrate balancing helped but didn't totally get rid of them. Put a UV sterilizer on and they went away. So did my algae. Not totally gone but a lot less. Have to feed my fox face more now. I also had a leak on the sterilizer took it off line for a couple days to fix. The Dinos started to come back. They work. I haven't noticed a reduction in pods.

 

[Badilac]

Here is a little write up I did on UV Sterilizers if anyone is interested.

UV Sterilizers, which to choose and why?

Ever since BRS did a video on UV's and QT I have seen a lot more people talking about UV's. Naturally most purchase what BRS pushes / sells which is fine and dandy (I also love BRS) but I suggest everyone do their research. When selecting the right UV you need to determine what it is that you...

humble.fish

 

[Lp1977]

Single handily help me rid my tank of Dino infestation. Kept raised nutrients with little success. Added 80w HO UV and there gone! No questions.

 

[Scape]

A UV sterilizer was an absolute god send when I had an algae bloom in my first year of reefing, kept it ever since!

 

[Brad ward]

Forget all that we need to find a way to internally light tank glass with uv so we never have to clean the film off the glass again.

It would cause blindness

 

[Tuffloud1]

That's misleading statement at best. You attached a running tank to a new tank. Bacteria can move through the system. No one is disputing that.

Maybe I misunderstood you when you said you cannot cycle a tank by water changes? Were you referring to transferring old water from a cycled tank to none-cycled new tank?

If bacteria can move through the water between 2 systems that are connected, why can’t they move through transferring water from one tank to the next by water changes?

My point is, bacteria does move through the water and there is enough doing so to populate surface areas and cycle a tank without adding bacteria in a bottle or live rock directly to the new tank. It doesn’t tank a lot of bacteria, they will just multiply exponentially.

I am not in any way attempting to be misleading.

Also, do you have any experience with the Lifegard Pro-Max models?

 

[Brad ward]

Do they work? Of course. Tested for years in science and industry.
Do you want to run it on a reef tank? Different questions.

It depends on the goals. I believe they will help control some of the problems in reef aquariums that can be otherwise difficult to control (if properly installed). But they are not magic. It will not likely eradicate a disease for instance, probably just help manage it (unless it only has planktonic stages).

However, I believe they come at a cost and its not the money (although that could also be one).
In ecology there is a theory of R/K strategies in relation to bacteria.
In my field of work (research in recirculation aquaculture systems) it is one of the research fields and mentalities, that disinfection should not be used to allow slow growing bacteria (K strategy) to develop and take over. If the system is stable the bacteria will fill up all the systems carrying capacity (the systems maximum sustainable biomass) and will not allow bacteria with potential negative effects to take hold. If you use a UV you will kill both bacteria, but since R strategist multiply must faster they can take a much faster hold and take over the system, creating a problem.
In marine larvae systems this has been shown to produce good results.
One think that UVs do is transfer organic matter from the water collumn to fixed media (at least in RAS) by killing the bacteria in the water phase. Therefore, all organic matter that would normally be bound in their biomass is available for other organisms to use (normally the ones that will not come in contact with the UVs).

Having said that, I do think UVs can have very positive impacts. But it will depend on the use and the individual system.

Hope it makes sense

What? We are not all marine biologists here but thanks for you expert knowledge

 

[Braves Fan]

I voted not sure ,, when I set my new tank up ,, before putting fish into the tank ,, I added one to my system ,, just to many smart reefers in the Forum that say it helps for me to not take their advice ,,