# UV Sterilizer????



## Leslie (Aug 17, 2010)

How usefull are UV Steralizers on a big tank? Will it help in algea control?


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## Invictus (Nov 7, 2009)

I have to ask how big the tank is. Usually you can find a sterilizer rated for your tank by gallon size. I have a 90 gallon tank and my UV-S cleared out the green water in about 8 hrs. If your tank is under 200 gallons amazon should have some options. Additionally, try making ur fertilizer dosage leaner, if you are dosing EI try cutting the dose in half thats what I did, and my water is crystal clear, plants look happy.


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## pitabread (Jul 14, 2006)

Yes, a UV will help. I had green water issues on my 48 gallon prior to investing in a 9W UV. It also helps reduce the risk of water borne disease/parasites.


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

If you size them correctly and have the correct dewell time. they can clear up gree water.


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## Leslie (Aug 17, 2010)

I am setting up 125, I am looking into this before its set up. Is green water algea the only algea it will help with?


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

pretty much. it will kill anything free floating, but they really only help for protozo and green water.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

I have a Reaction 4 filter (I think it's just under 300 gph) that comes with an internal 5w UV on a 125. I don't use it as a filter so much as I do water movement, just with the coarse pads, but the 5w UV cleared up my green water in a 125 gallon NPT.


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## TonyVideo (Aug 11, 2010)

Does a UV sterilizer prolong cycling of the tank? I have an 18w unit hooked up to the output of my Eheim canister which flows 240GPH in a 75gal aquarium.


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## mudboots (Jun 24, 2009)

TonyVideo said:


> Does a UV sterilizer prolong cycling of the tank? I have an 18w unit hooked up to the output of my Eheim canister which flows 240GPH in a 75gal aquarium.


That shouldn't be too much of a problem as the filter itself is a tank for the bacteria et cetera to colonize. As long as you have plenty of media surface in the canister there is habitat for them, and while some may end up passing through the UV and die, there will be plenty still in the filter.


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## nilocg (Sep 14, 2010)

It will help with green water, but so will water changes. Other types of algae are normally a bigger problem for most people and UV setups wont help with that. To me they just seem like a waste of money.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

If you have green water and can't get rid of it, the UV is the best way to go. It won't affect the cycle since most of the bacteria is adhered to surfaces whether that be the biomedia itself or within the substrate of the tank. If the dwell time is longer enough they can also kill parasites that harm many fish. That's a big reason they are so popular in the salt water hobby since the fish are a large investment.


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