u.v. sterilizer??

Hi about to buy a red sea max 130d tank and wondered if it would be neccesary to add a uv sterilizer to this tank??
Are uv's vital to marine tanks?
Are there pros and cons to adding one?
Im aware they help with disease on fish, but i have also heard that giving any new additions to the tank a fresh water dip and a period in quarantine will help "clean" any new fish?
Also are they ok to use with inverts?

Sorry for sounding so wet around the ears but im just getting back into marine hobby and want to be sure im doing everything i can to make my water as good as it can be, i dont want to go through the "hell and heartache" that i had a few years ago!!!!!
Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Och aye Colcol

some run UV 24/7 - many dont
they do kill parasites at various stages of development and some swear by them and some dont think they are required

FW dip - if you buy fish that look healthy and are going to QT them - no need to put the fish through this IMO

if you have a QT tank, keep the fish in there and study for 2 weeks, if they show signs of parasites you can treat them in the QT , which is better as you know then treating them in the main tank ( as you recall, some treatments cant be used with corals and inverts)

thats just my tuppeny worth anyway

Steve

 

Hey steve,
Thanks for the quick reply. If you were me would you buy one??
I value your opinion! och aye i do! ha ha

 

Hi Colcol

the best way for me to answer that question would be to say
"I have never used one myself and had various salt water set ups in UK and now in China"

thats not to say I dont agree with those that choose to use them

its simply that I dont use one and in my latest set up, 16 months old now, I have not had any parasitic issues
keep your parameters in order, avoid sudden changes, feed garlic enhanced food stuffs

and if you add to that QT your new purchases , then IMO (and its just my opinion)

you could decide not to purchase and use one

hope this helps

Steve

 

Thanks I'll probably just see how i get on without one for now. Thanks again steve, your help is always valued!

 

if you set up a QT tank then I would put a UV on it, if you are setting up a FO tank then It wouldnt hurt to add one, if you are setting up a reef then I would NOT add one, as it will kill good little critters along with the bad ones.

 

I wouldn't suggest installing one in a QT, but if you do, make sure you don't run it w/meds or other sort of treatment. Lots of med instructions say specfically not run a UV concurrently with it.

 

i have a 130D and i dont use one. i've never had any problems.