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

[BurgerFish]

UV help me to fight dinos in nano tank and cloudy water in my 90g. It was cheap UV from AA Green Killing Machine.

Now I run it 4h every second day.

 

[Acrocrazy725]

UV will not cure ich outbreaks ... refer to the ich trophant life cycle.

It didn’t cure it , unfortunately the fish died... I believe the ich was keep at bay by UV and when I broke it and it wasn’t running the ich seemed to show itself. It was always in this fish I’m sure, as this was a new tank with new rocks ect.
I have read very interesting and informative posts here on the ich cycle. I believe that UV can help with ich. Not cure it, but help.

 

[Laith]

That’s about what my system is and I run the 90watt. If I could redo it I would have went with the 5” housing instead of 3”

Curious as to why the 5" over the 3"?

 

[Badilac]

Curious as to why the 5" over the 3"?

More contact time. If you have the room It's better.

 

[Marc88]

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[Bill Bolton]

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.

The bulk of bacteria lives on the rock and substrate , so the little that is floating in the water column wont be missed. I have used them for about 25 years, even on my Cichlid systems. I noticed a big difference in my systems, that rapidly changed if the UV was switched off. As mentioned, size and flow rate are key.

Hope it makes sense

 

[AL210]

I have the Coralife Turbo Twist 6x on my new 120gal. Set it per manufacturer recommended flow for algae control. It definitely works. I run it overnight and my water is crystal clear in the morning and algae disappearing in my tank.

 

[jasonrusso]

Just a couple uncertainties keeping me from pulling the trigger on one.
I am waiting till they are more innovative or advanced. I would like to see UVs coming out with digital flow displays and bulb intensity or bulb life. That will remove the quest work of setting them up and when to recalibrate. There are many imitators and not enough tests or monitors to remove the grey areas of using/tuning one. Many say it’s one of those items that you don’t always know for sure if it is working correctly. I would like to see Clarity there. I want to buy one, but not just for piece of mind. I want to buy a UV that has settings preprogrammed for switching between pest control and algae control. It would be epic to see a BRS investigates video on this. A video where UVs are tested against strains of algae and parasites. I’m sure @Humblefish could spare some parasites to the cause hah

I have mine on a separate DC pump (jeabo). If I for some reason wanted to switch between pest control and algae control, I could change the speed of the pump.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

I have mine on a separate DC pump (jeabo). If I for some reason wanted to switch between pest control and algae control, I could change the speed of the pump.

How about a UV with a display of how many gph is going threw it. Also some more test on how much uvc is necessary to kill certain saltwater nuisances.

 

[tamanning]

How about a UV with a display of how many gph is going threw it. Also some more test on how much uvc is necessary to kill certain saltwater nuisances.

That sounds like it would make this thing more useful. Then a study could be done pinpointing certain flows for a given issue.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

That sounds like it would make this thing more useful. Then a study could be done pinpointing certain flows for a given issue.

Yes! I know research has been done and anecdotal experience is all there but. Just a little more innovation and testing and I am sold haha.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't know how one can vote in a poll that asks whether UV benefits are a myth or a reality when there may be (I think are) examples of both at the same time. lol

I think I would prefer to not have one due to my perception of its detriments for a system like mine where I want suspended bacteria to feed filter feeders like sponges.

 

[Xero]

I don't know how one can vote in a poll that asks whether UV benefits are a myth or a reality when there may be (I think are) examples of both at the same time. lol

I think I would prefer to not have one due to my perception of its detriments for a system like mine where I want suspended bacteria to feed filter feeders like sponges.

I wish UV's reduced my amount of sponges. I have had no such effect in my experience. I absolutely hate sponges.

I've seen them do things like this, and I post this everywhere it's mentioned...I've also spent countless hours picking black sponge off from smothering an old galaxea colony I've had for many years, usually a once or twice a year ordeal. There's a video of me doing that somewhere....I will say - it seems that it's only some species of sponge that are particularly bad, so this isn't maybe a universal truth, but, given my past bad experiences, I now take the mindset of "when in doubt, pull it out."

I talked to a few people who had some additional knowledge on the subject, and they theorized that it's perhaps creating a local PH drop, or emitting some kind of acid, and eroding the coral itself like as if a calcium reactor. Definitely interested in any feedback on this. My old fish store owner proudly posited, "that's natural fragging!" when I discussed the phenomena and showed him this, but I'm not sure that's something I'm trying to achieve in my tank!

Now you've got me going, I'd love to see the next poll be: Are sponges good?

It always felt like the good ones are difficult to keep alive, regardless of UV, like some kind of murphy's law of sponges. "Don't expose them to air!" they said....lol, if only that worked for any of the ones i'm talking about!

I've also historically kept a lot of NPS, and I can't say that it's ever impacted that, either.

 

[Xero]

Just a couple uncertainties keeping me from pulling the trigger on one.
I am waiting till they are more innovative or advanced. I would like to see UVs coming out with digital flow displays and bulb intensity or bulb life. That will remove the quest work of setting them up and when to recalibrate. There are many imitators and not enough tests or monitors to remove the grey areas of using/tuning one. Many say it’s one of those items that you don’t always know for sure if it is working correctly. I would like to see Clarity there. I want to buy one, but not just for piece of mind. I want to buy a UV that has settings preprogrammed for switching between pest control and algae control. It would be epic to see a BRS investigates video on this. A video where UVs are tested against strains of algae and parasites. I’m sure @Humblefish could spare some parasites to the cause hah

Somehow missed this post, but I kept seeing people reply to it!

I think the big concern here is cost. They already cost a lot, and I'm not sure you're going to make a unit that's both cost-effective and meets all these conditions. There are ballasts made by phillips, that actually do have "bulb life counters" on them, and I suspect that's the ballast on those lifegard units, but truthfully, that's where my DIY mentality comes in - because i've redone the ballasts on more than a few UVs, so swapping to one of those is no big deal for me. Likewise, there are pre-existing flow meters, even mechanical ones that are are fairly cheap. Also, some units, like the big aquaUV vipers, actually have a flow-shut-off switch, and they sell a separate one as well, not really a meter, but, prevents you from dry running or melting the housing. So it's partially there, but mind you, it's only on like a $2500 unit meant for 1000g+ setups. Goes back to the cost factor again. The stand alone switch isn't exactly super-cheap, either. I use my apex flow meters with programming to shut off the UV outlet when there's no flow, or when my return pumps are off, etc.

Short of having some sort of UV-PAR meter inside the unit, I suspect there isn't a very good way of doing bulb life intensity measurements. I do have a few ballasts with alarms in them if the bulb doesn't successfully ignite, however. Plus, exposure time can vary depending on flow rate, so it's more about what you're trying to do with it, and how you size it. You can simply undersize it, and no matter what you do, you won't have enough exposure. However, trusting the manufacturers to make that decision for you, is often just as silly, because almost all of them undercut the numbers represented in the scientific literature, significantly, especially with regards to things like parasite control, pentair/emperor's suggestions are at least half, and aquauv's are at least a quarter - of the lowest published numbers I've seen that would take care of saltwater ich (crypto). So, basically, in the current state of affairs, I wouldn't even trust them to do this right, even if they did make such a product. As is often said, if you want it done right, do it yourself.

On the other hand, being able to measure UV intensity is something I'd be really curious to do myself, just because I'm always tinkering and modifying these things. I'm frankly not familiar enough with the tools used for this, or their costs, which I imagine is outside my budget, but hey, you never know....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I wish UV's reduced my amount of sponges. I have had no such effect in my experience. I absolutely hate sponges.

Most sponges are very hard to keep long term. Those are the ones I'm talking about.

Mine clearly grew faster when I started organic carbon dosing and would not want to reduce the bacteria in the water, hence I'm not a fan of using a UV and aside from possible reduced yellowing of the water with some types of UV bulbs (if not using ozone), I don't see a reason to do so in a system like mine.

 

[Xero]

Most sponges are very hard to keep long term. Those are the ones I'm talking about.

Mine clearly grew faster when I started organic carbon dosing and would not want to reduce the bacteria in the water, hence I'm not a fan of using a UV and aside from reduced yellowing of the water (if not using ozone), I don't see a reason to do so.

That makes more sense, the "impossible sponges" as I would call them, spider sponge, orange sponge, etc, etc. I love to joke how it's always the things that are going to die anyway that "can't be exposed to air." Like these sponges, and certain starfish, and etc....heh, call me a skeptic anyway, most people just fail to keep em alive long term, as you said...

I use carbon dosing and UV together on my one tank with NPS. Never had any problems with that, either, admittedly.

 

[VLR3]

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

$55 at Petco. My water definitely seems more clear so far.

 

[scardall]

Had my aqua UV in operation for a year. Ordered a small gold rim tang for my 100gal from friend who is a wholesaler on the side. When fish came in my small tang was a four 4+ inch fish. I had no choice But to take it. Took a week to get him to eat, but he did and was fine for four months.
Down the road, I upgraded my sump and made some changes and forgot to turn off UV when I turned sump off and unknown at time to me, burned out bulb. It was off for a week when I first began to notice ich in my gold rim. I figured out UV was broken had to order a bulb, by that time fish was covered. i later caught him and treated him, he was the healthiest looking sick fish you have ever seen. Made it a week and died. UV are great. I run them on all my tanks. I have never had the problems I read about here. It is all possible that it is all a coincidence. I am no scientist, but if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. It works for me! It is extra insurence and peace of mind for a very expensive hobby. Just my personal experience.

For a UV to be "helpful" you MUST have a level 2 set up. UV data including level 2 and 1 information IMO UV is useful upto a point. Can't Hurt. IMO BRS has some interesting video's on UV. Good Luck

 

[RedSea500MaxS]

$55 at Petco. My water definitely seems more clear so far.

What size is your tank?

 

[VLR3]

$55 at Petco. My water definitely seems more clear so far.

They have a

What size is your tank?

65 with 10 in the sump. The UV I got says up to 50 gallons but the next size was up to 120g and I didn’t want my tank to be “too sterile”. This size seems to be working fine after a week or so.