# Do UV sterilizers really work??



## hariom (Sep 2, 2008)

I have been reading about many ways to remove algae. i've been fighting for long with BBA for some time. I have managed to bring it to a all time low but...

it still pops here and there.(specially on old leaves) i was reading through blogs and they suggested that UV sterilizers work in keeping algae at a low (of-course the more you spend i guess the better it works!!)

and i have also read the UV's will kill beneficial bacteria along with harmful ones.....

so my question is how many of you (if any) have experience +ve results, neutral or no results at all with UV sterilization. any experts who would like to shed some advice will also be welcome....

these pieces are expensive and wanted some feedback before I invest in it.

thanks.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

UV sterilizers work amazingly well at controlling green water. They probably do kill most bacteria that are water-borne, but in reality this isn't a problem. The beneficial bacteria in your aquarium live mostly on the surfaces of the substrate, filter media, hardscape items, and the plants themselves.

UV units probably don't do anything for BBA though. That particular algae is best controlled by properly matching your fertilizer and CO2 program to your tank's lighting. I actually do believe that SAE's help too.

An additional benefit of a UV unit is that it helps to control waterborne disease outbreaks. Many people have reported increased success when trying to acclimate sensitive species if they use one. As far as I know, this hasn't been scientifically verified, but lots of people are using them for this reason.

One potential issue is the possibility of the UV unit affecting the chelators that stabilize iron and other trace elements in the system. Some have said that this can result in iron deficiencies. I use a UV unit 24/7 and haven't noticed this, but YMMV.


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## hariom (Sep 2, 2008)

aaah great insight bruce!! thanks.

i have 4 Sae's in my 72G, they all are fat as pigs but they dont seem to eat it as fast as the algae spreads. I have now only BBA on old leaves. 

maybe Il invest in one when i have the money or get a good deal. any wattage to G ratio recommended?


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## wkndracer (Mar 23, 2008)

hariom said:


> aaah great insight bruce!! thanks.
> 
> i have 4 Sae's in my 72G, they all are fat as pigs but they dont seem to eat it as fast as the algae spreads. I have now only BBA on old leaves.
> 
> maybe Il invest in one when i have the money or get a good deal. any wattage to G ratio recommended?


Base your purchase on flow rate. Wattage is based on that as dwell time in front of the bulb is what fries the nasty's.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

I used a 9watt turbo twist on my 72g and it worked really well. It was inline with my eheim ecco 2236. This combination got rid of green water as well as parasites. Bryce pretty much covered all the benefits. I personally did notice a big difference when I acclimated cardinal tetras. Before the UV I would lose 1 out of 3, after probably around 1 out of 8. I likened this to their immune systems being compromised from the stress of acclimation and they were more likely to fall victim to parasites before the UV destroyed them.


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