How do you like your UV sterilizer?

[Patrick M. Bodega Aquatics]

Hello everyone!

I have considered buying a UV sterilizer for a few months now and was wondering how you liked yours. I've learned it keeps the water clear and can kill some parasites. I don't want to spend $90+ unless it would benefit the aquarium. Today I saw for the first time a inline Fluval sterilizer that is compatible with my 407. How did you like your UV? Does anyone have the Fluval sterilizer?

Thanks in advance!

[tolstoy21]

I ran UV for a while and can say that they absolutely help with water clarity. However, I haven’t noticed anything that leads me to any conclusion about how they influence fish health.

I took the time to get the flow rate through mine right so that the contact time of the water  could help mitigate against illness, etc. But I’d still say my observations didn’t convince me it had a tremendous impact, or any.

When it came time to replace the bulb, I discontinued using it. Immediately following that I had a bacterial bloom that lasted maybe a week or so. Even my wife looked at the tank and remarked “what’s going on? The tank looks milky.”

So the only thing I can commit to claiming for sure after using one for about two years is that they can give you foolproof crystal clear water.

After discontinuing using mine, and the bacterial bloom subsided, my water clarity is variable, but that’s only noticeable by me who can detect these slight changes as I spend so much time with my tanks. Everyone else would probably say I’m nuts and a perfectionist and the water is always clear as can be.

Edited December 24, 2020 by tolstoy21

[Daniel]

1 hour ago, tolstoy21 said:

I ran UV for a while and can say that they absolutely help with water clarity. However, I haven’t noticed anything that leads me to any conclusion about how they influence fish health.

I took the time to get the flow rate through mine right so that the contact time of the water  could help mitigate against illness, etc. But I’d still say my observations didn’t convince me it had a tremendous impact, or any.

When it came time to replace the bulb, I discontinued using it. Immediately following that I had a bacterial bloom that lasted maybe a week or so. Even my wife looked at the tank and remarked “what’s going on? The tank looks milky.”

So the only thing I can commit to claiming for sure after using one for about two years is that they can give you foolproof crystal clear water.

After discontinuing using mine, and the bacterial bloom subsided, my water clarity is variable, but that’s only noticeable by me who can detect these slight changes as I spend so much time with my tanks. Everyone else would probably say I’m nuts and a perfectionist and the water is always clear as can be.

I agree with everything @tolstoy21 said. I too took the time to get a properly sized one (it was huge) and it did help make the water marginally more clear. But when it came time to replace to bulb, I bailed. It wasn't worth it to me.

In the end I felt ambivalent with irradiating with DNA damaging radiation the less visible part of the aquarium ecosystem for aesthetic reasons.

[Ken Burke]

I’ve use one to fight an algae problem, and it works.  But I moved the tank, and don’t need it anymore.  If you are not using it to address a specific problem, I’d spend the money on something else.

[Brandy]

I have a small cheap in tank unit (basic light + small powerhead ~$30) that I move around at will to clean up algae blooms. I have one tank that catches sunlight on the corner at certain times of the year, and another that catches some in the summer. It has been a handy tool, and because I only use it breifly it doesn't need a new bulb and I don't expect it will for a while. I would happily use it for ich, etc, also. I think a cheap one used as a mobile treatment unit was a great investment, but I don't run it continuosly, and don't find that I need to.

[Alesha]

14 hours ago, Patrick M. Bodega Aquatics said:

Hello everyone!

I have considered buying a UV sterilizer for a few months now and was wondering how you liked yours. I've learned it keeps the water clear and can kill some parasites. I don't want to spend $90+ unless it would benefit the aquarium. Today I saw for the first time a inline Fluval sterilizer that is compatible with my 407. How did you like your UV? Does anyone have the Fluval sterilizer?

Thanks in advance!

Thanks, @Patrick M. Bodega Aquatics, I'd been wanting to ask this question too! So now I'll just troll *your* thread. 😄

24 minutes ago, Brandy said:

I have a small cheap in tank unit (basic light + small powerhead ~$30) that I move around at will to clean up algae blooms. I have one tank that catches sunlight on the corner at certain times of the year, and another that catches some in the summer. It has been a handy tool, and because I only use it breifly it doesn't need a new bulb and I don't expect it will for a while. I would happily use it for ich, etc, also. I think a cheap one used as a mobile treatment unit was a great investment, but I don't run it continuosly, and don't find that I need to.

@Brandy, do you mind if I ask what unit you have? You can PM me if you don't want to link it here. There are just so many options that I get overwhelmed when I go to look. I'm still not convinced I'm going to try one, as I'm keeping that daphnia idea in mind and also keeping the lights off 24/7 for the past 2 days does seem to be helping. 😉 

[Brandy]

@Alesha I got it off amazon...I think it is a rebranded thing, but it was called COODIA. Like it is probably sold under 6 names. It has a 5w light and a flow rate for up to 75g according to the listing. It barely fits in the height of a 10g, and the flow rate is intense in a small tank, but it could be diffused with a piece of sponge. I think I just searched for the smallest I could find, that didn't cost an arm and a leg.

Edited December 24, 2020 by Brandy

[Daniel]

30 minutes ago, Alesha said:

I'm still not convinced I'm going to try one, as I'm keeping that daphnia idea in mind and also keeping the lights off 24/7 for the past 2 days does seem to be helping. 😉 

UV will clear green water. Patience (sometimes extreme patience) will clear green water eventually too. Maybe more patience than you have to give. For me the biggest green water battle was back in 2007 during first 3 months after I set up my big aquarium. I loaded the aquarium up with several inches deep of everything I could get from ADA. Naturally the aquarium turned a milky opaque green. After 6 weeks of waiting it was just as green and just as opaque as day 20. Diana Walstad was member of our aquarium club and said one of her first dirted tanks had been pea soup green for the first 60 days or so before clearing. So I waited. Somewhere around day 70 ish it suddenly cleared up and has never had green water since then.

But back to the topic. UV will clear green water (much better than Daphnia).

[Alesha]

3 minutes ago, Daniel said:

UV will clear green water. Patience (sometimes extreme patience) will clear green water eventually too. Maybe more patience than you have to give.

Right now, while there are lots of holiday-ish things going on, it's not bothering me very much. But there will come a day when I just want to sit down and visit with my Sparklers, and if the water is still cloudy, that will probably be the day I order the UV sterilizer. I am pretty patient, but then, when I'm done, I'm done. And I make lightening-quick decisions at that point, most of the time without regret. (Not every time, of course! I have plenty of "Doh!" moments, too.) 🙄😬

Thanks, @Daniel.

[shkote]

I use the Mini Green Killing Machine to pop into small tanks every once in a great while when I need to clear out green water. I recently broke it out again for the 5 gallon portrait at work. I believe it's 3w, great little tool. I don't think I've ever had to run it more than 4 or 5 days, then it's packed back up again. I don't have @Daniel level patience 😊

[Patrick M. Bodega Aquatics]

5 hours ago, Daniel said:

UV will clear green water. Patience (sometimes extreme patience) will clear green water eventually too. Maybe more patience than you have to give. For me the biggest green water battle was back in 2007 during first 3 months after I set up my big aquarium. I loaded the aquarium up with several inches deep of everything I could get from ADA. Naturally the aquarium turned a milky opaque green. After 6 weeks of waiting it was just as green and just as opaque as day 20. Diana Walstad was member of our aquarium club and said one of her first dirted tanks had been pea soup green for the first 60 days or so before clearing. So I waited. Somewhere around day 70 ish it suddenly cleared up and has never had green water since then.

But back to the topic. UV will clear green water (much better than Daphnia).

Your tank is as old as I am!

[Patrick M. Bodega Aquatics]

The thing I like about the Fluval sterilizer is that is is made to be an inline UV and connects to my Fluval 407 rather than a different system all together.

[Meg]

On 12/24/2020 at 9:42 AM, Brandy said:

I have a small cheap in tank unit (basic light + small powerhead ~$30) that I move around at will to clean up algae blooms. I have one tank that catches sunlight on the corner at certain times of the year, and another that catches some in the summer. It has been a handy tool, and because I only use it breifly it doesn't need a new bulb and I don't expect it will for a while. I would happily use it for ich, etc, also. I think a cheap one used as a mobile treatment unit was a great investment, but I don't run it continuosly, and don't find that I need to.

May I ask what brand? Sounds like what I’m looking for. TIA