# Green Water + UV Sterilizer Results



## shadow_cruiser (Jan 26, 2010)

I've had this green water for about 2 months. I tried a 5 day blackout with water change's everyday. I tried moving the tank out of the sun and did another blackout for a week. I tried everything without resorting to using a sterilizer. It just came to the point where I said, let me try this magical device everyone is talking about. Let me say one thing, a sterilizer DOES make your water clearer like you've never seen it before. Even with the double filtration in my tank, the water has never been this clear. It's quite enjoyable now.

The sterilizer I used is this one bought from the seller in the link. It arrived in two weeks. It's extremely massive, measures about 14 inches high.
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...77762&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT#ht_2741wt_1165

Now onto the results. I had the sterilizer running constantly for 5 days.

*Day 1, 12 hours after installation*









*Day 2*









*Day 3*









*Day 4*









*Day 5*


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## Joeee (Apr 3, 2010)

Your tank looks great now, I was considering a UV sterilizer but I'm pretty cheap. I decided that I'd just wipe any algae off with an aquaclear sponge which actually works pretty well.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

Thanks for share results.

I assume that you did not change your light and just added UV Sterilizer. Right?

Have you tried Crystal water in your tank method?


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## Cypher (Apr 15, 2006)

Another alternative to the green water problem: daphnia. And they become food for the fish too!


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## shadow_cruiser (Jan 26, 2010)

igor.kanshyn said:


> Thanks for share results.
> 
> I assume that you did not change your light and just added UV Sterilizer. Right?
> 
> Have you tried Crystal water in your tank method?


Yep, I just left the light as is and only added the UV sterilizer. I've been using that crystal water method after you posted it actually. It helped a bit but I think it would be a big difference for smaller tanks (20G and lower)



Cypher said:


> Another alternative to the green water problem: daphnia. And they become food for the fish too!


I was going to go with daphina cultures but I had some trouble finding them and when I did, they were quite expensive.


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## mauve (Apr 12, 2010)

Doesn't UV kill the beneficial bacteria as well?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Cypher said:


> Another alternative to the green water problem: daphnia. And they become food for the fish too!


This only works if there are no fish in the tank. Daphnia are available (now) pretty much everywhere there is standing water without fish. Even temporary ponds.


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## Tigercga (Mar 26, 2006)

I've had ich in my reef tank for 2 months and my powder blue never stopped getting ich covered all over his body. I tried garlic and everything that was said in the forums, but still no use. 

Then I used UV sterilizer and now the ich is all gone. My tank water is crystal clear and it is ich free (as I do not see a single white dot on my powder blue tang). I do not need to quarantee when adding new fish in my tank.

I am not an expert in treating ich, but I find UV sterilizer works great for me I hate dosing chemical medication to my tank which killed the corals and some fish. 

My tank may still have the ich hidden somewhere. As far as I concern, it is ich free because I do not see one single dot on the fish that I used to see when the white spots covered all over the body in the past.


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## shadow_cruiser (Jan 26, 2010)

mauve said:


> Doesn't UV kill the beneficial bacteria as well?


The colony of beneficial bacteria is in the filters. From what I know, there's no way it will kill all beneficial bacteria. Some guys even run it 24/7, excessive I think. I took mine out when the green water cleared up. I had the green water because I dosed too much dry ferts


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## mauve (Apr 12, 2010)

I wish could rent one for a couple of days.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

Tigercga said:


> I've had ich in my reef tank for 2 months and my powder blue never stopped getting ich covered all over his body. I tried garlic and everything that was said in the forums, but still no use.
> 
> Then I used UV sterilizer and now the ich is all gone. My tank water is crystal clear and it is ich free (as I do not see a single white dot on my powder blue tang). I do not need to quarantee when adding new fish in my tank.
> 
> ...


Actually, UV sterilizer can't kill ich. This is written in a lot of places. It kills a lot of other bacterias and viruses, but not ich. Your case might be just a coincidence.


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

mauve said:


> I wish could rent one for a couple of days.


Why rent if it only costs $30. That is actually pretty cheap. I might get one just to use a few hours a day, set it on a timer. I hear it doesn't kill ICH on fish but then again, even meds can 't kill ICH until they are free swimming. UV sterilizers do help in slowing down the ICH tomites though. It's not an excuse to not do routine maintenance but it does help keep the water a tad bit cleaner and clearer.  Probably gonna pick one up, had one in my old tank as a kid


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

Philip.Chan.92 said:


> Why rent if it only costs $30. That is actually pretty cheap. I might get one just to use a few hours a day, set it on a timer. I hear it doesn't kill ICH on fish but then again, even meds can 't kill ICH until they are free swimming. UV sterilizers do help in slowing down the ICH tomites though. It's not an excuse to not do routine maintenance but it does help keep the water a tad bit cleaner and clearer.  Probably gonna pick one up, had one in my old tank as a kid


what happen to your old tank and stuff when you were a kid? I'm guessing your not that old now


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

I had it about 8 years ago, I am probably the youngest person here lol. The filter leaked and it ruined the carpet so my family got rid of the tank and everything.


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## Fish_Man (Apr 9, 2010)

Philip.Chan.92 said:


> I had it about 8 years ago, I am probably the youngest person here lol. The filter leaked and it ruined the carpet so my family got rid of the tank and everything.


ah I see. I'm guessing you are early 20s

enter your vote here:

http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13817


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## shadow_cruiser (Jan 26, 2010)

Philip.Chan.92 said:


> Why rent if it only costs $30. That is actually pretty cheap. I might get one just to use a few hours a day, set it on a timer. I hear it doesn't kill ICH on fish but then again, even meds can 't kill ICH until they are free swimming. UV sterilizers do help in slowing down the ICH tomites though. It's not an excuse to not do routine maintenance but it does help keep the water a tad bit cleaner and clearer.  Probably gonna pick one up, had one in my old tank as a kid


Where does it cost $30?


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## Tigercga (Mar 26, 2006)

igor.kanshyn said:


> Actually, UV sterilizer can't kill ich. This is written in a lot of places. It kills a lot of other bacterias and viruses, but not ich. Your case might be just a coincidence.


UV sterilizers can kill bacteria (good and bad) and ich tormites (in swimming stage) when passing the UV lamps. It does kill it when the contact is long enough by slowing down the flow rate (it has to be longer to kill it than simple bacteria). It can not kill ICh when it is attached to the fish. Of course, it is not 100% effective because it has to pass through the lamps to get killed.


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Every little bit counts when it comes to bacteria in your tank . Link for 30$ is on the first page


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## mauve (Apr 12, 2010)

Philip.Chan.92 said:


> Every little bit counts when it comes to bacteria in your tank . Link for 30$ is on the first page


+$20 for shipment


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## Philip.Chan.92 (Apr 25, 2010)

Still not bad. What is the usual price for a decent UV sterilizer?


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

did you clean your filter when doing water changes?
did you block out morning sunlight? evening sunlight? 


have you checked your nutrients?


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## Holidays (Apr 18, 2010)

some people here may have different view on carbon, but I had it with my planted tank before, it keeps the water clean and not cloudy.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

Green water growth like that, even if cured by UV treatment, could still be a case where the UV is masking the real issue. I'm curious what it could be. Could there be something leaching massive amounts of nutrients into your tank?

W


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