• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

UV FILTER!

dkm

Member
Joined
7 Jun 2009
Messages
208
HI,

Quick question. Can a UV filter be used during cycling a new planted aquarium?

Cheers guys,

Dave
 
It won't make any difference to the cycling of a tank. UVs only affect anything that passes through them and filter bacteria live on the filter media, not in the water column.
 
Thanks for that.

My thinking was I thought it may slow down cycling. I could be wrong but I thought there was 'good' bacteria in the water column. Not anywhere near as much as in the filters but some.

Cheers

Dave
 
There will be some but not enough to make any significant difference and most UVs are rubbish at killing bacteria - they only kill and flocculate algae cells. Even so called UV sterilisers won't kill most bacteria that go through them.
 
That is good to know.

Might use one I have spare then. Hopefully reduce chances of algae problems.

Cheers

Dave
 
dkm said:
That is good to know.

Might use one I have spare then. Hopefully reduce chances of algae problems.

Cheers

Dave

Only if your algae is free-floating algae - otherwise it's not worth it and adding a UV will reduce your flow rate as well as upping your electricity usage. I really wouldn't bother.
 
I use one and swear by it. Ed's right of course it won't stop algae other than green water algae, which it does very efficiently, but it will help to keep your fish disease free. Especially when combined with a healthy and varied diet and effective quarenteening of new arrivals. In the last few years I haven't needed to use a single drop of any disease remedy in my tanks so maybe the ammount I save on the cost of medicines may go some way to paying the the running cost of the UV filter.

Regards, Chris.
 
chris1004 said:
I use one and swear by it. Ed's right of course it won't stop algae other than green water algae, which it does very efficiently, but it will help to keep your fish disease free. Especially when combined with a healthy and varied diet and effective quarenteening of new arrivals. In the last few years I haven't needed to use a single drop of any disease remedy in my tanks so maybe the ammount I save on the cost of medicines may go some way to paying the the running cost of the UV filter.

Regards, Chris.

Unless you use a high grade UV steriliser I'm afraid it probably won't be doing too much to help prevent diseases really Chris. Only things that pass through the UV will be affected at all and then a lot of those could pass through without being killed, especially bacteria. It might reduce population levels slightly but won't eliminate them. You'd be better off using ozone to kill off bacteria and parasites in a separate chamber, but that could be worse than aeration for reducing CO2 levels!

Apart from some Apistogramma with internal, probably bacterial infection that they're pretty prone to; I haven't had to use remedies to treat diseases for years either - I buy new fish from trusted or recommended sources, quarantine new fish and keep them in pretty good water conditions - no need for a UV!
 
Hi,

Dito on the water conditions as you know Ed, looks like we at least agree on that point, maybe that point alone goes a long way to explaining why neither of us suffer from repetitive fish diseases, but thats been thrashed out on this forum already.

The UV's I use are all vectrons mostly the v2's don't know if you regard these as good ones or not but I doubt anybody would convince me that they are of no benifit.

Regards, Chris.
 
I'd never say no benefit Chris without a lot more hard evidence, but I would say almost certainly negligible!

Would be interesting to see what happened if you turned it off as I bet you'd see no difference!!!! However I wouldn't blame you for sticking with what works for you though as 'if it aint broke, don't fix it'!
 
Hi Ed

You know me mate 'belt and braces' kind of guy when it comes to my fish. :)

Regards, Chris.
 
Back
Top