What are your views on UV lights?

I am getting a 20 watt UV lights next thursday and I wanted to know your views on them.

My main purpose is just so that it makes my water more clean looking, possibly control parasites etc...

so what do you think?

 

A few qs:

1) How large is your tank?

2) How much flow will you be putting through the UV sterilizer?

Info:

1) UV sterilizers use radiation to change the RNA and DNA of free floating algaes and parasites so that they cannot reproduce successfully.

2) If there is nothing in the water a UV won't do a thing in the lines of algae or parasite control/eridication.

3) The UV sterilizer will act as a clarrifier at higher flow rates than what would be needed to kill/control parasites. There should be two flow rates given to you on the box. One is the max flow to act as a clarrifier and the other is to act properly as a sterilizer.

4) They will also harm some good things in your tank as well.

I ran one on my tank when I had a huge bacteria bloom and have not stopped using it. My water is always very clear and I don't have problems with parasites. I would recommend one if you feel you need it. if there is nothing wrong with your tank then I would save your money and get something else that you need or want.

 

From what I read for parasite control you may need to get a higher wattage one...have to read again as it's been a while.
You can read about it on marinedepot's website under the articles about them. They tell you the minimum wattage needed to kill algae, bacteria and viruses/parasites since the more complex the organism the higher the wattage needed to kill it as well as a longer exposure time (slower flow through it).
I've also read independant reviews stating the same. I plan on getting one myself.

 

i can say my dt is almost 2 years old and it's never seen water filtered with a uv.

i've never had a problem i couldn't address without a uv.



So I've never bothered to really look into them. I have read enough to realize they are not universally agreed upon as beneficial as are things like RO/DI, controlled feedings, running carbon, etc.

IMO, I view them similar to a placebo. With the same sort of associated feelings that they work. I wouldn't argue it though - like i said, it's something i haven't really looked into.

 

Love them for a fish only system and would not have one without a UV.
Would not put one on a reef though as they inactivate an important part of the food chain. Little critters need to eat too so they can be eaten by the bigger critters and so on.
A UV will add quite a bit of heat to your system so be prepared for that, expecially if its a small system.

 

There's no impact on a reef either. Animals that eat phytoplankton couldn't care less if it's live, dead, or genetically sterilized phyto. Animals that eat zooplankton don't care if it's live, dead, or genetically sterilized zooplankton. Animals that eat bacterioplankton don't care if it's live, dead, or genetically sterilized bacterioplankton.

 

Once they are sterilized they cannot reproduce and eventually disappear. They do have an effect on a reef system when they are no longer present.

 

I don't think they are worth the money to buy or run them. It is just one more item to go wrong and cause a possible leak or problem.

 

I've never once had this happen and I've been doing this a long time. On the current 135, there's pods galore and I still have to clean phytoplankton off the glass periodically and I'm using a very low flow on an oversized sterilizer.

 

I have been doing it over 30 years myself and used UV in water and watewater treatment plants way before that. Without a similar system minus the UV side by side its hard to explain the differences. I would venture to say you pod population minus UV would be even greater and the overall system would be healthier. UV is a very misunderstood and often misused device. Working in engineering and plant operations and maintenance I have done quite a bit of research and pilot testing over the years. UV has its place but I still feel its not in a closed reef system. We are all entitled to our opinions though and like I said earlier, I swear by them in a fish only system and could visibly tell when my sleeve was dirty or the lamp was weak.