UV Sterilization

ccwilke

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Is it good or bad??
@Mc and I have different opinions on this.Also I have found different opinions on google;

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Lets see what comes out of this...

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You are miss qouting me I never said it was good or bad.
I only disagreed with you as you said "It kills all bad stuff but also kills your good bacteria and pods...." and this was also concerning the boyu TL550 UV, which I believe is pretty useless.
 
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Some important facts: water speed through the uv unit, space between uv lamp and wall of unit, must not
be greater than 15mm. UV does kill waterborne bacteria indiscriminately, but won't destroy your bacterial populations important for the removal of waste products.
It is recommended to run a UV unit with a minimum flow of 58 litres per watt per hour.
This will kill most pathogens that are free swimming including the free swimming stages of parasites.
Also no recirculation of water must occur within the unit ie, the water must enter and leave, then be directed back to the main dt. Water entering the unit must always be new water from the dt.
 
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Having said what I have I don't disagree that UV can have some purpose running with the right equipment as some people have had success with it but it has to be farelly powerful uv lights(unlike that gimic included int the boyus). I can't say I have ever heard of someone that could prove any real results using the UV in these tanks.
 
Again like I said I didn't mean to offend you, I am sorry if I did, but to say that little uv on the boyus is harmful to the bacteria and pods is just wrong information.
 
@Mc

Everything is ok.I just started this thread not to offend you or anything.

I would like to get more guys and girls opinions on this object.

I have a UV light for my tank I am not using it.I just out of al the reading found that it kills good and bad.

This is the reason for this topic.

Lets see what others say:
 
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Cool I'm sure there will be some mixed opinions on this subject.
Another reason why I believe the TL550's uv is ineffective is the water flows through it way too fast for anything to be sterilized.
 
@ccwilke what app you using?

I know that the older reefers swear by using a UV. Some even say its a miracle cure for whitespot?
I dont have a spot of whitespot in my tank (touch wood) with 30 odd fish. But i dont have a UV either.
 
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UV sterilizers are good for removing free-swimming parasites...as well as floating algea spores etc. The UV will not clean your fish of the parasite....lower salinity in the quarantine tank or lower salinity in a fish only tank will reduce and should erradicate parasites (1.010-1.011) for about 15 days. Chemicals treatments can be deadly since there is a risk of overdosing.
The only drawback in a UV unit is the bulb loses its strength and usually needs to be changed every 6-8 months.
 
UV kills single cell organisms. Does not matter if they are good or bad.

UV only treats water passing through the unit. Duh.

So free swimming whitespot that just hatch, that goes through the unit gets zapped. But it is not instant lightning strike, but rather a "slow" exposure to the UV light that actually kills the whitespot. So if they past through the unit, they survive. Like running through a fire, you burn, its hot, but you survived (hopefully). Going slowly through the fire and you are dead.

That is why flow rate is important. We need maximum water to pass through the unit. But not too fast. That is why you will see those mega tanks in the US have multiple UV bars. 3 to 5 units.

Also note that the globes last only 6 months. To be really effective you need to keep the glass sleeves clean as well. No point in dirt on the sleeve providing shade for the bacteria.

Ozone also kills free swimming bacteria, but again, only the ones that is in the water passing through the unit. But ozone also have its own issues.

Personally, I know what a UV unit is supposed to achieve. But I do not use one.
 
water flows through it way too fast for anything to be sterilized.

Agree with this. People also dont change bulbs often enough. And then everyone expects miracles from uv without understanding what it really does and what results to expect.
 
but. the free swimming GOOD bacteria numbers are minute compared to the bacteria in your live rock, against tank glass, heaters, pumps and substrate. So the numbers of GOOD bacteria being zapped does not really matter. Should be of no concern. If you do not have any bacteria on rock or substrate surfaces anymore, then you got more other issues than to worry about the small numbers of bacteria lost in the UV unit.

Free swimming whitespot searching for a host is also a gamble? Do the pump pick them up first or do they find a host first? That is like a 50/50 gamble. Russian Roulette. Willing to take it? Not me, Nope
 
well ozone and UV both have a place, so do fishnets :)
unless following the manufactures guidelines nothing will work.. erm Bio-cubes anyone?

so whether you have all or none of these, follow the instructions
 
i would like to test bio-cubes just not sure whether they really work as well as people say
well they work better, if used as recomended, its all i use and many others
 
i would like to test bio-cubes just not sure whether they really work as well as people say
The only way to find out is by trying it out yourself ;) 1/2 V4 & other 1/2 Titanium it works for many people why shouldn't it work for you.....
 
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