UV in canisters

[malawi4me]

I all

I have a cannister filter I just purchased to run my Mangrove Jack tank and it has the 11 watt uv sterilizer with it. Nowhere in the instructions does it advise how much use you should give it... Do you switch it on for a few hours? a few days? a month? I have no idea.... Its on a 4x2x2 tank. Has a seperate switch to turn the uv on and off.

Cheers Rob.

[mattrox]

The manufacturers want you to use it 24/7 to burn out the globe and keep replacing it. They will say it is only sterilizing when the lamp is on. But in the end it is up to you.

[Ali]

I run mine 24/7 and I vouce for them, I have alot less algae build up compared to when I ran a filter without it, my fish spawn allot more so I beleve it has helped mantain clean and better water conditions as well.

[antz]

i usually run mine when i do a water change, then after a day or so i turn it off..

but the only reason i got one is, at the time the canister with the UV was cheaper than one without at the same capacity.. lol

actually when i think about it, not many fish keepers i know run them.

cheers

antz

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ps. make sure you turn the UV off, before you clean out the canister.

[mcloughlin2]

All depends. On these cheaper cannisters don't run it 24/7 as it wears the plastic out on the cannisters. I would only run it periodically (Perhaps as Antz does after water changes).

The manufacturers want you to use it 24/7 to burn out the globe and keep replacing it. They will say it is only sterilizing when the lamp is on. But in the end it is up to you.

Don't see the point from their point of view in this - most UV globes are easily replaced with other brands that are not marketed by these cannister filter companies. I use phillips globes in my UV light. By the way the UV lights are only working when they are on. When they are off they do nothing so they are not lieing when if they say that. The filter will continuing filtering the tank regardless though.

I run mine 24/7 and I vouce for them, I have alot less algae build up compared to when I ran a filter without it, my fish spawn allot more so I beleve it has helped mantain clean and better water conditions as well.

It will not help with algae buildup on surfaces within the tank nor will it really help maintain water quality. It's purpose is to remove free floating pathogens and free floating algae. What is likely to be responsible for the improved conditions of the tank and fish is the filtration ability of the actual cannister.

[Gav]

i find that UV are of most use in larger setups. I have one on my quarantine and hospital tank and then i have them on the systems as well.

For stand alone tanks, assuming you have no quarantine tank, I would run it similar to the above, after every water change for a week or so. I would also run it for at least a month after any new additions to the tank.

for algae, it does make a difference. when you clean algae of the hard surfaces of the tank, it is repopulated by algae in the water. if you are killing this with the UV then you will reduce the algae to some extent, though you wont entirely remove it. i just like the fact its less time between cleans

[fishnchips]

i used to run my tanks on canisters, and one of which had a UV in it, gee it was clear as a bell.

Now that i have racked and sumped my tanks, i can see a huge decline in the clarity of the water,

and am now searching for an inline steriliser big enuff, and priced right....... they're not cheap hey?

[Altec]

As I already have canister filters without UV in them can anyone recommend a UV for a 6x2x2??

Craig

[fishnchips]

As I already have canister filters without UV in them can anyone recommend a UV for a 6x2x2??

Craig

Craig if you dont mind shoppin feebAY

then heres 2

a 200ltr phr one, absolute minimum for a 6x2x2

and

and this one

there is also many pond filters which can hold massive amounts of media you can consider,

sorta like a fx5 but with higher water turnover.

[mattrox]

The manufacturers want you to use it 24/7 to burn out the globe and keep replacing it. They will say it is only sterilizing when the lamp is on. But in the end it is up to you.

By the way the UV lights are only working when they are on. When they are off they do nothing so they are not lieing when if they say that. The filter will continuing filtering the tank regardless though.

I guess what I meant was, if you keep a clean, hygenic tank do you really need a sterile water column? Not asserting they were lying, just sceptical about using them all the time.

I liken it to all the cleaning products that use advertising to scare you into using them "antibacterial" etc. If you are hygenic there should really be no need for a sterilie bathroom, kitchen etc. The long term effect of this are just beeing seen now. In human's the incidence of hypersensitive immune systems (extreme allergies) is on the rise and it has been shown that there is a link to the over use of these products.

What are the long term effects of this in fish? Are you willing to test it in the long term to find out?

I am not saying that there is not a place for them in specific instances, eg in a hospital tank after you have treated with medication and the fish is recovering or the pwc example above. I am just cautious about the "need" for them.

[fishnchips]

for me its a want over need. After having had one, i deffinately want one again.

prior i was very sceptical myself. Its a personal descision, as its the personal wallet that pays the power bills, and UV's do use added power.

[CThompson]

They are only as good as the strength of the UV, the speed of the water past the UV and the water's proximity to the UV.

It can really only affect the things IN the water that pass through based on the above limitations, not what is in the tank.

That is, green water and or parasites (dependant on the above limitations) such as white spot and for them only when they are in the free swimming stage, that go past the UV light (dependant on above limitations) can be affected.

So if you have green water (not algae growing on things in the tank) or a white spot outbreak they can be used as an effective tool.

They are good for quarantine tanks (with the above mentioned limitations) and for hobbyists who like the bells and whistles.

Without a UV, two tanks side by side can have or won't have an algae issue, for many and varied reasons. To say that your tank with a UV was cleaner than the tank without a UV as proof that the UV was effective or doing something is not really very scientific .

As mattrox said, there probably isn't a great need in our cichlid tank, but I don't believe that they will hurt, as the fish has to be touched by the light (even then it won't do anything), and if there is anything that the fish can eat alive in the tanks that can be killed by the UV should it go past, well so what, the fish aren't going exactly starve are they. A UV cannot sterilise a fish tank, so the fish kept in a tank with a UV won't be somehow more susceptible,

As fishnchips said, want over need, and personally, I like UVs, so, if you want to use them, put less water through them than the advertising recommends and they might have a chance to kill something that passes their UV (they are usually over rated) light. If nothing else, they are not going to hurt.

I've got a pretty powerfully one with a brand new bulb in it if anyone is interested in buying it. Superfluous to my needs now, and it's just sitting around in its box gathering dust.

[malawi4me]

Thanks for all the info guys. Another question re UV filters..

Do they play any part in riding tanks of flukes or fish lice?

[CThompson]

Thanks for all the info guys. Another question re UV filters..

Do they play any part in riding tanks of flukes or fish lice?

probably not. not sure of their life cycle, but if there is not a free swimming stage where they can pass the UV.....and even if they did, they may be too big for it to have much impact

Google it to make sure, but my guess is no