UV Sterilizer Schedule?

[Woodstock]

Okay, I will receive my new Aqua UV 40 watt sterilizer any day. I was wondering when I should operate it... 24/7, night time only, day time only? I know that a UV sterilizer is not a cure but instead it simply reduces the amount of parasites the fish are subjected to. This gives the fish's immune system a stronger chance to build up a tolerance.

For those of you that have or have had a UV Sterilizer, how was it operated? What was the schedule that you found to be the best?

I plan on using it for at least 4-8 weeks after new additions are added. The ich life cycle states that the ICH "Theront stage" hatch early morning so early morning operation is certainly important. I was thinking 6am - 10pm.... Will this be enough?

I am also concerned with heat gernerated from the UV and the large pump... I will add another fan to the top of the display while running the UV... hopefully, that will offset the temp increase...


Let me know what has worked for you!

Thanks in advance!

[PhilOlsen]

IMO.... They should only be run during the day, the "critters" like zooplanketon and other bacteria that are beneficial only come out at night and it they pass thru the unit the will be killed. As for disease, a UV does not treat disease, its primary function is for water clarity, it will kill the parasites that pass through it however, parasite such as ICH are not totally water bourne they will cling to rocks, substrate etc. and those will remain un affected by the UV. I also have Aqua units ranging from 15-80 watts on different tanks and love them, thay are on the timer to work with my actinics and are used everyday. Aqua claims to have a 14 month lifespan for the bulb, but the bulbs do lose their effectivness over time so I replace mine every 8 months just to be safe and I have not noticed any dramaitc temp issues and have been using them for many years now.

[Warnberg]

I've never used one....

[blue_eyes53813]

I use min 24/7, But mine isnt as big as the one you are getting either.. I dont think you can go wrong with a UV sterilzer, Anytime schedule you choose will def help the tank...

[Witfull]

Originally Posted by PhilOlsen

the "critters" like photoplanketon and other bacteria that are beneficial only come out at night and it they pass thru the unit the will be killed.

this is totally wrong. Phytoplankton are microscopic plants and contain the pigment chlorophyll, which gives them their greenish color. Chlorophyll is used by plants for photosynthesis, in which sunlight is used as an energy source to fuse water molecules and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates. therefore they are most active during daylight hours and this is when they will spore. so, by daytime usage you are killing the spores, AKA green water, which is clarity.

[PhilOlsen]

Originally Posted by Witfull

this is totally wrong. Phytoplankton are microscopic plants and contain the pigment chlorophyll, which gives them their greenish color. Chlorophyll is used by plants for photosynthesis, in which sunlight is used as an energy source to fuse water molecules and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates. therefore they are most active during daylight hours and this is when they will spore. so, by daytime usage you are killing the spores, AKA green water, which is clarity.

I stand corrected about the photoplanketon just got ahead of myself, however, nightime use is more detrimental due the the life forms that only come out in darkness.

[Witfull]

oh, now we wish to get into breeding habits of nocteral life. most, including copepods, breed at night, but the eggs rise to feed with the phytocycle. critters come out at night cause its safer. yet embryonic life relies on light.

as for life forms that come out only at night, most likely copepods. they can go through a UV and suffer no damage. bacteria,,,,could careless bout light.

as for UV usage. they do a decent job on pelargic life forms. good or bad. over all. they enhance clarity, reduce waterborne parisites, and will recuce pod populations. but in a healthy tank, rich in pod life and low in infectuous life, and sufficient nutrient uptake, a UV is a tool that can and will always be used.

now, with these above mentioned factors, we must include another factor all enclosed system keepers must battle. temperature. an appropriately sized UV will increase water temp approximately 2-3 degrees. seems harmless, but if one is bordering higher than norm temps, say 80. 2-3 degrees could be detrimental to the overall system.

[PhilOlsen]

Here are some of the places I got my info from
http://www.netpets.com/fish/healthspa/uvsteril.html
http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/g...ral_pagesid=21
http://www.peteducation.com/article....articleid=2855
http://aquariumuvsterilizer.blogspot.com/
and the following reports:
Cross, Verlin K. and Lee Peterson. 1987. Efficacy of ultraviolet water treatment at the Green Lake, Maine, National Fish Hatchery. The Progressive Fish Culturist 49:233-235/87.

Drew, C. 1970. How To Build an Ultra-Violet Germicidal Filter. Modern Aquarium, December 1970.

Epps, John E. 1993. Ultraviolet sterilization; The truth behind 11 common myths. Pet Age 8/93.

Escobal, P.R. 1991. The time required to sterilize a body of water with an ultraviolet sterilizer. FAMA 2/91.

Escobal, Pete. 1993. Inside ultraviolet sterilizers; determining the correct flow rate, power and diameter. Aquarium Fish Magazine 1/93.

Fenner, Robert. 1987, 88. Ultraviolet sterilizers use in filtration systems. Pets Supplies Marketing 6/88, FAMA 5/89.

Fujita, Grant 1987. Nishikigoi Book. Electrical Purification, p.107

Kennedy, Ron & Rosemay, 1986. Electronic U.V. Filter. In The Associated Koi Club's of America's, KOI BOOK, p. 85 & 86

Webb, R.B. & Brown, M.S., 1982. Genetic Damage in Escherichia coli K12 AB2480 by Broad Spectrum Near-Ultraviolet Radiation. Science, Vol 215, 19 Feb. 1982, AAAS

[Witfull]

i dont see any relevance from your bibligraphy and the topic. no where in any of the above articles mention timeframes or light dark issues. they talk about contact tims and strength horizontal vs vertical and the last study date was 1993.

[Woodstock]

I found this information on the Live Aquaria link above. It is very interesting and although I knew "larger is better" when getting a UV, I wasn't sure just how large to get and why. This explains it clearly!

What size unit?
This is about the only "complicated" part to the use of a sterilizer. See the chart below for most size calculations.



To use this chart we need to know the size of the aquarium and whether you want to kill just bacteria or bacteria AND parasites. As long as the flow rate is greater than the number of gallons in the system (tank & sump) you will be OK. For instance, for a 100 gallon tank with the goal of killing parasites, you would need a MINIMUM 18 W UV with a flow rate of 100 GPH maximum. A 25 W UV at a flow rate of 150 GPH would be preferable. Sterilizers are a case where bigger is better.

[PhilOlsen]

Originally Posted by Witfull

i dont see any relevance from your bibligraphy and the topic. no where in any of the above articles mention timeframes or light dark issues. they talk about contact tims and strength horizontal vs vertical and the last study date was 1993.

These were some of the articles, I will find the one I read about times and post it as soon as I find it, but I distinctly remember it stating NOT to use under dark conditions.

[DaveK]

Having used UV in the past, I feel that it does more harm than good by killing most of the algae, pods, and such that run through it.

I don't consider UV a substitute for a QT tank, nor do I consider UV effective for disease control.

My personal choice would be to not use UV at all.

[Dragon Wrasse]

I have an 18W UV on my SPS tank...I cycle the sump water through it...Pump at far end of sump, pumps water through the UV and then to a Phosban Reactor and then back to the filter sock.....this way I'm treating the water in my sump before it returns to the main display and my refugium....I know that its not 100% effective but that is the plan...not to filter 100% of my water through the UV...plus I'm only filtering what makes it down to the sump....

[Dragon Wrasse]

P.S. to my last post....I have tons of pods in my main display and refugium.

[Boomer]

Where do I start ?

First there is nothing wrong with a UV, it is personally choice. I always choose not to for many reasons. Biggest reason there is not need for one. My only real exception is to use them in case there is "green water" where they help more than anything. For ick, they can reduce the population as long as the zap rate and flow rates are correct.This is all explained in Pete Escobal's book in great technical detail.

Aquatic Systems Engineering, 206 pages.

They will not cure a tank of ick by far and are almost useless for this. Ick doe not have an exact cycle and there are different cyclic ick stages, like 3 of them i.e, 24 hrs, 7 days or so, and one about 3-4 weeks. The reason behind leaving tank with no fish for 5 weeks. Remember that 1 ick parasite on a fish converts to around 400 new parasites. Many ick will make it to that fish before ever even getting to that UV.

Most people with UV's are way off on flow rates and zap dosages, although Woody's chart is pretty much in line.

People are getting phytoplankton confused with zooplankton which do come out mostly at night. If we want to argue that then you better start shutting down that skimmer at night, as skimmers are one of the biggest extractors of plankton. The reasoning behind the Tunze skimmer, little plankton stripping.

A coral reef aquarium is not the ocean or a reef and should not be compared to when it comes to plankton. Why, there is to much filtration and they do not do well in a reef tank. And the animal density and diversity of a reef tank compared to a coral reef is like comparing apples to a dump truck.

Someone please show me a ref where bacteria come out at night mostly. That is so funny. And it has been already pointed out phytoplankton are function of light not darkness.

I agree with Witt and Dave for the most part. For most, you just can't shut down the skimmer to keep the plankton in check. If one wants a UV then run it 24/7. Most UV's will do much of nothing for multi-cellular animals, pods, instar shrimp larvae, etc. as the zap and flow rates are not high enough. Phytoplankton is a separate issue.

As I said, a UV is a personally choice and is fine with me if someone wants to use one.