# UV sterilizer's Good for Freshwater aquariums?



## AnnaZ (Dec 1, 2009)

Hi, I've been reading a lot about UV STERILIZERS and that they will kill off pathogens and algae diatoms, and I was wondering whether people are using these on their freshwater aquariums? And if it is worth the money as I am thinking of starting an 120 gallon planted aquarium and I am afraid of an algae outbreak or a disease outbreak caused if a fish dies and I can't find it in the jungle?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

AnnaZ said:


> Hi, I've been reading a lot about UV STERILIZERS and that they will kill off pathogens and algae diatoms, and I was wondering whether people are using these on their freshwater aquariums?


A UV sterilizer will kill off pathogens, and free floating algae (which will cause green water). However, it will not kill diatoms (which are a different type of algae altogether).



AnnaZ said:


> And if it is worth the money as I am thinking of starting an 120 gallon planted aquarium and I am afraid of an algae outbreak or a disease outbreak caused if a fish dies and I can't find it in the jungle?


Some people like to have a UV sterilizer, while others don't find the need. It is kind of a "luxury item"; nice to have, but entirely optional.

There is no real disadvantage in having one, but neither is there not having one.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Darkblade48 said:


> A UV sterilizer will kill off pathogens, and free floating algae (which will cause green water). However, it will not kill diatoms (which are a different type of algae altogether).
> 
> Some people like to have a UV sterilizer, while others don't find the need. It is kind of a "luxury item"; nice to have, but entirely optional.
> 
> There is no real disadvantage in having one, but neither is there not having one.


No there are disadvantages a plenty. The UV filter will kill any free floating biofilter bacteria as well, which isn't necessarily bad, but, if say one of your filters dies and your biomedia in it dies, it will take longer for it to re-seed itself unless you add dirty media from another filter to it. Also, it makes the water so pathogen free that the fish's immune system doesn't have to work as hard, and thus when you move that fish it is much more prone to infection in a non-UV tank. (From Harold)

On the upshot, say you buy a fish at an LFS and, unbeknownst to you, said fish has some kind of small parasite. It is highly unlikely to spread to your other fish if you use a UV sterilizer. Also if algae is not something you like the UV sterilizer greatly reduces the spread of algae by killing algae in the water column.


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

Here is a good article.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Hmm.. I was thinking of making my own UV sterlizer with LED's. Wire 4 or more up with an option to turn off 2 if needed soI don't over kill all the bac. in the tank but enough to help low/clear up some issues. I think those UV LED's are like $10 a piece or something.

Nope.. $8ish.. http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4334

What's the cost of a UV sterlizer anyways?


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

Prices really vary depending on quality of the unit and UV Bulb.

I highly recommend Pentair (Lifegard Units)

I would stay away from the ebay specials like Jebo.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

UnderTheSea said:


> Prices really vary depending on quality of the unit and UV Bulb.
> 
> I highly recommend Pentair (Lifegard Units)
> 
> I would stay away from the ebay specials like Jebo.


Edit nevermind. Prices on that site.

Ahhh they use a spiral system going up. Probably cost $50-60 in parts to get one done that may rival the 25W one. Still on one of those things to build lists.


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

free floating algae is usually killed off by the uv as for algae that is stuck to your walls, decor, gravel...it will not so really depends how the algae spreads

usually people use this with ponds as koi poop tends to create lots of algae outbreaks


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

Does it prevent spreading algae across aquarium by killing its floating part?


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

igor.kanshyn said:


> Does it prevent spreading algae across aquarium by killing its floating part?


Yes. The same applies for it reducing/preventing the spread of unwanted diseases/parasites, although certain organisms are not affected. Ich, for example, needs something like 80w> and long exposure time to die of UV exposure in the 'free swimming' form stage.


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## AnnaZ (Dec 1, 2009)

UnderTheSea said:


> Here is a good article.


That is a good article. Thanks for all the quick replies, I guess it isn't really necessary to have, more of a luxury rather than an requirement. Just don't know what to do, buy a UV sterilizer which I saw at petsmart for like $50 or buy and setup a 10 gallon quarantine tank which would cost me maybe $30 but would be empty most of the time as I don't go fish shopping or swapping that often.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

I was also thinking about buying "Jebo 5w UV Ultraviolet Sterilizer" ( http://cgi.ebay.ca/Jebo-5w-UV-Ultraviolet-Sterilizer-a-spare-bulb-on-sale_W0QQitemZ400105073735QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item5d281eec47#ht_2594wt_1165 ) or something similar. 
My main goal of using it is fighting with *algae* 

But after some reading I saw that it was not a main tool for this 

Small quarantine tank looks more useful to place newly bought fishes into there. It requires some maintenance, of course, but you can have it running not all the time.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

you want a UV clarifier not sterilizer. Also it won't do anything to prevent the algae that's already in your tank from fluorishing or spreading along where it already is. All it does is kill free floating alge.


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## UnderTheSea (Jun 2, 2008)

A UV unit does not replace a QT tank as they serve very different purposes. If you want truly good quality water, water changes are essential, then you can start looking at UV units and Ozone.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

AquariAM said:


> you want a UV clarifier not sterilizer. Also it won't do anything to prevent the algae that's already in your tank from fluorishing or spreading along where it already is. All it does is kill free floating alge.


I assume that algae spreads by sending floating cells that starts to grow on another places after some floating time. So, having them killed while they are floating, I will have less new algae. 
The main question is how this efficient. I think that is not really.
Look at the end of this article. Balanced tank is more important


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