I'm Running Bio-Pellets Should I Run My UV Sterilizer?

I'm Running Bio-Pellets Should I Run My UV Sterilizer?

Okay so I have been running my Bio-Pellet Reactor for about 3 months now and water conditions are great. About 1 month ago I added my 3 Tangs (Blue Hippo Tang, White Cheek Gold Rim Tang and a Blue Hippo Tang). They have been eating me out of house and home (they eat Rod's Food Seaweed Sheets, about two sheets per day at a minimum). They are active swimmers and never had an issue. But yesterday I came home to find the start of Marine Ich (mostly on the Blue Hippo Tang but some slight signs on the other two). I have stopped using my UV Sterilizer because of of the Bio-Pellet Reactor but I'm thinking that my reactor has built up a nice bacteria colony within the last three months inside the reactor. Would it be logical to fire up the UV Sterilizer to at least assist in killing the Marine Ich when their in their free floating stage? I'm thinking it should cause minimal to no effect on the Bio-Pellet Reactor since all the magic happens within in. What are your thoughts?

 

It shouldn't effect your BP reactor at all. But unfortunately unless you have a serious UV filter, it's not likely to affect the Ich either.

What kind do you have?

 

Welcome to 3reef.


My thoughts are that since the bio pellets are running and doing their job efficiently I would not turn them off.

Some members do post that they thought UV was of assist during outbreaks of Marine Ich. In my opinion there are too many variable regarding the life stage of the parasite, the overall health of the tank and fish to be certain that UV did anything to contribute to declining the population of the parasite. Since yours has been turned off and logically very little of the parasite will ever make it through the UV filter I am of the opinion that you should continue to run the biopellets and continue feeding the quality foods, ride it out in other words.

Moved to-----------Fish Diseases.

 

I have a 9 watt Coralvue Turbo Twist. Just something that I picked up a few months ago to deal with algae before I decided to go into running a Bio-Pellet Reactor.

 

That unit doesn't have enough power/contact time to do anything but kill some algae in the water column. It won't have any effect on the parasite.

I fully agree with Coralline. Keep the BP reactor running and try feeding more high quality foods and hope to ride it out.

 

Thank you all. I will continue to ride it out. I just looked at them this morning and all three seem to appear better visually. Their behavior is the same as they have always been.