UV Sterilizers - does anyone use one? Pros and cons?

[Spikewire]

Hey all,
I was just curious if anyone currently uses one or is considering it. I know very little about them other than the theory behind what they do.

I ask because I think I have my first real issue in the tank. I think my royal gramma Ziggy has caught a case of ich.

Aside from what I need to do to treat it (medications, QT tank?) I was curious about UV Sterilizers.

Thanks all

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

Chris... see several post & threads on the subject...

This thread... outlines the general consensus though...

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/red-sea-max-owners-club/41818-uv-sterilizer-rsm-130d.html

 

[bodyguard295]

I use one but only have it on at night when the day lights are off. A UV won't treat ich. You need to find out what the cause of the problem is.

 

[teggner]

The thing with ich is that it falls to the ground and reproduce, at that stage the uv can burn the ich instead of letting it reproduce and reach the fish again.

 

[Reefmack]

The only phase of the ich life cycle that a UV sterilizer has the best chance of killing is the free swimming Tomite stage, and that's assuming every ounce of water passes through a small UV filter, which would probably never happen, since the flow through a UV serilizer has to be very low to get enough contact time with the UV light.

 

[teggner]

The only phase of the ich life cycle that a UV sterilizer has the best chance of killing is the free swimming Tomite stage, and that's assuming every ounce of water passes through a small UV filter, which would probably never happen, since the flow through a UV serilizer has to be very low to get enough contact time with the UV light.

But it sure helps, otherwise people would never be able to keep the most sensitive tangs.

 

[Reefmack]

I think they're able to keep the most sensitive tangs by getting healthy ones and using QT for a while. UV can help, maybe, but it's no guarantee that ich won't appear.