UV Filtration

Do you have UV filters ?

  • Yes, run it 24/7

    Votes: 6 23.1%
  • Yes, use when needed

    Votes: 5 19.2%
  • No, but going to get one

    Votes: 1 3.8%
  • No, this is not for Marine tanks

    Votes: 8 30.8%
  • No, I don't use one

    Votes: 6 23.1%

  • Total voters
    26
  • Poll closed .
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Do you run UV filters ?

If so what is your reason ?

IYO does UV help with eradicating whitespot ?
 
I have been curious about UV filtration but have had mixed responses from quite a few people. And judging by the current pole here it seems that most of you guys are against them...
 
I also run it 24/7 - although I would prefer to run ozone.
 
Something VERY VERY interesting on Reefkeeping.com:
URL: Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part II by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

Excerpt:
"
Treatment Option 9: U.V. Sterilization
Ultraviolet sterilizers work by damaging most anything in the water column that passes through them. Their effectiveness is dependent on the wattage of the unit, the flow rate through the unit, the age of the lamp, the volume of the water being treated, the cleanliness of the sleeve, the clarity of the water, and the decorations (potential hiding spots for tomonts) in the aquarium (Moe, 1989). Colorni & Burgess (1997) discuss the use of UV. They extrapolate from a previous study done on freshwater Ich, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, and UV (If you are so interested, the original article is Gratzek, Gilbert, Lohr, Shotts, and Brown's 1983 piece "Ultraviolet light control of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in a closed fish culture recirculation system." It can be found in the Journal of Fish Diseases volume 6 pages 145-153). In the study, they showed UV could prevent the spread of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis when used on a central system, but could not affect a cure within an individual aquarium. Colorni and Burgess believe the same would hold true with Cryptocaryon irritans. I would concur with them as my own personal/professional experience has demonstrated the same. I have found UV's to be very effective in bare bottom tanks, primarily in retail and wholesale operations. In display aquaria, the volume of the tank, the substrate and rockwork, the flow rate of the UV, and the wattage all work against its effectiveness. In commercial operations, many times, employees wipe down bare bottom tanks daily to maintain a clean appearance for customers. This has the added benefit of knocking loose the cyst stage of the parasite. The bare bottom, minimal decoration, high flow rates, and massive UV units on these systems ensure that most all the cysts and theronts pass through the sterilizer and are neutralized.
Please note that while I have drawn a comparison between freshwater and saltwater Ich, there is no taxonomic relationship. They may appear superficially similar to aquarists and they do in fact share some common features such as life cycle, mode of reproduction, and dispersal mechanism, but they are different and distinct organisms. This is a case of convergent evolution; when different organisms evolve to have a similar appearance because they occupy similar niches. There is a very nice example illustrating this phenomenon located at this website."
 
ive previously use to run a UV 24/7 then cut it down by only switching it on when new fish are introduced or should a fish pick up fungal diseases eg.white spots.but now completley stopped.
Seah H did metion that fish tend to become dependant on a UV.ie if it is switched off at one go,there will/may be a whitespot break out
 
with UV bashing down on the surface of the ocean all day what are we talking about? UV is introduced to the oceans water everyday but we are reluctant to do it? In your tank you are trying to simmulate the natural enviroment to get the best results, so what is wrong with introducing UV to your system if that is what is happening in nature.
 
with UV bashing down on the surface of the ocean all day what are we talking about? UV is introduced to the oceans water everyday but we are reluctant to do it? In your tank you are trying to simmulate the natural enviroment to get the best results, so what is wrong with introducing UV to your system if that is what is happening in nature.
You've got a point I suppose, but the water does have a reducing effect on the amount of UV that penetrates the water, but then again I suppose it is huge amounts of UV light.
 
Tricky question to answer with the options available, but I have a bank of uv's. They have never been used, but have them dry and plumbed-in, just in case there is ever a whitespot outbreak;) . Consists of 2x30W and 2x55W lamps:slayer: .

I feel that they do more harm than good in a reef tank when run 24/7 jmho..;)
 
So the results are split right down the middle.

I must say since I have been running UV my inmates have recovered from their ailments, but not 100% sure if it is the UV or their natural immune system
 
I am a great believer in ozone used in the right proportions. Your fish probably recovered because you assisted them by cleaning the water so their immune systems cold do the job. Good to hear all is sorted.
 
If i were running FOWLR then maybe. But to be honest i believe that whitespot can be be overcome by diet and crystal water alone.
 
I don't use UV on my tank. It destroys all plantonic organisms in the water which is food for corals etc.
I do use UV on my NSW before using it for water change etc.
 
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is this because you store NSW Neil?coz in my case i do my water change in about 1-2 hours after collecting,so no/minimal plankton die off

No, because I think it is a crap shoot as to what you pick up in the water during the collection. If you pick up a plantonic organism that "blooms" under tank conditions the subsequent depletion of oxygen in the water can wipe out your tank. For me the possible beneficial plankton that I may collect as food for the thank is far outweighed by the risk of a bacteria / plankton bloom. I totally nuke the water to ensure as close to sterile as possible.
 
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