Uv Sterilizer

[kramers]

Ok, I just returned from one of the LFS in my area. I had inquired about getting a UV light but was told that unless it is a saltwater setup, it is pretty much unneeded while another shop sais they work well in freshwater. Which one is correct? Should I spend the money and try it or should I use clarifiers to try to remove any haziness from my tank. By haziness, I mean, if you look at the tank from the front, the water looks whitish color. From the side it looks green colored. I'm so confused.

 

[Katana]

I used to have a uv light in my outdoor pond. It seemed to help, but it stopped working pretty quick. Never found out what was wrong with it.

 

[Wanda hornsey]

I have posted loads in the other topics...I have found it very good...the reason it may have stopped working is that the bulbs only have a useful life of 6 months after that they still light up but from my understanding dont give the correct spectrum of light for sterilaization

 

[Katana]

I don't even know where the darn unit is. I think we threw it out. $100 down the drain

 

[Bloo]

Too many people with FW tanks rave about them - for them to be useless.

 

[Whitey]

They are just as good for freshwater as for marine, they do exactly the same thing - remove unwanted particals in water that filters cant catch. I really want one too.

In the latest Practical fishkeeping magazine there is a big topic about them, everything u need to know.

 

[Sp00ky]

one think needs to be clarified here... do you want to be a UV Sterilizer or a UV light?

 

[Bloo]

The topic says sterilizer....

 

[kramers]

UV sterilizer/clarifier.
EDIT: The haziness I'm talking about can be seen in the avatar.

 

[Sp00ky]

The topic says sterilizer....

the first line of his question says light DER !!

UV sterilizer/clarifier.
EDIT: The haziness I'm talking about can be seen in the avatar.

i have personally found that the sterlizier has sorted out a "haziness" in my discus tank and its now crystal clear. However, make sure your tank is not in a mini-cycle if this haziness has just occured. I'd hate for you to lose any fish. What are the stats in the tank?

 

[kramers]

Stats are:
water temp 80
ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 0ppm
pH 7.6

 

[Sp00ky]

Stats are:
water temp 80
ammonia 0ppm
nitrite 0ppm
pH 7.6

nitrate?

 

[kramers]

I don't have a test for it yet.

 

[Sp00ky]

well, i guess so long as you havent lost any fish, you should be ok and your tank isnt in a mini cycle. What sort of filtration do you have? Any carbon anywhere?

 

[kramers]

As for filtration I have 2 Marineland biowheel 350 each with 2 filter carts in each. I recently pulled the carbon out and am using straight filter floss. This was after the haziness, which appeared some time ago. Also I do water changes at least every 2 weeks at 20-25%. It looks a little clearer afterwards but soon clouds up again. My next step was to either add in the UV, upgrade from the HOB's to a Fluval 304, replace the fake plants with real or all of the above.