Uv Sterilizer And Good Bacteria

[dee dee]

I realize that UV does not distinguish between good and bad bacteria, but...

I had a big die off of unwanted pond snails and this resulted in a bacterial
bloom (cloudy white). I used the UV to bring the water to clear. During this time
obviously, the ammonia spiked.

I was advised to vacuum well ( I know not to take too much of the gravel and good bacteria).
I did about a 60% water change. I have had to do water changes daily to keep the ammonia
down. I had to replace the filter medium since it was completely clogged with goo. I bought ammo lock and a supposed new tank bacteria bottle. I know these are limited in efficacy or may be 'snake-oil', at best. But I need to know how long it may take for the tank to cycle? Am I harming the good culture if I start the UV again? How often can I change the water without undoing the good?

Nitrates and Nitrites neg.
Ammonia .25
PH and hardness high (just our water)

 

[ajs2294]

UV sterilizers don't kill much if any beneficial bacteria as it tends not to be free floating it stays on surfaces in your tank or filter. All the UV sterilizer is doing is zapping free floating things like algae. It also isn't anywhere close to 100% effective at that as you need much slower flow rates than most fish UV sterilizers are set. You beneficial bacteria will be fine BUT changing the filter media did you throw out all of what you had in the filter? If so you just removed all of the beneficial bacteria in your tank and you will most likely have to recycle or find some mature media. You are suppose to wash that "goo" off in water you remove from the tank during water changes and then reuse the media. Eventually you can replace a little bit of media at a time but removing all of it and you filter is no longer cycled.

 

[dee dee]

I would have loved to keep the filter, but this goo was so thick, that the water would not go through. I tried to use a nail brush and it was so thick, it would not budge. It also clogged the water intake on the filter to the point it would not move water. Really awful!