What is a quality brand of UV Sterilizer for a 50 gallon reef tank? The reason i'm wondering is because i've got ick in the tank and have heard that UV Sterilizers will help greatly with killing not only parasites but also other various micro-organisms. The tank is being treated now for ick.
UV Sterilizer
- Thread starter kevchev515
- Start date
I would run a CustomSeaLife Double Helix Model 8008 UV sterilizer on that tank but only run it three days before adding fish and three days after adding fish. I do not run the UV all the time on my reef tank only when adding a new fish
The name of the product should give you a clue -Sterilizer- it does not care if its a good organism or a naughty organism... when it passes the UV Light it gets zapped
But I believe once the tank has been overcome by ich the sterilzer is pointless to add at least for the fish in question. It will not help a sick fish. It only lessens the chance of the organisms to be free floating and find another host. In a sick tank its too late for the UV to be effective for the current bout
No I have no sceintific data for the unit nor have I tested the time frame as a preventative measure against disease. I just guessed for mine and already feel the yelling from other reefers coming as I am typing this.
[ February 27, 2002: Message edited by: Jawbone ]</p>
The name of the product should give you a clue -Sterilizer- it does not care if its a good organism or a naughty organism... when it passes the UV Light it gets zapped
But I believe once the tank has been overcome by ich the sterilzer is pointless to add at least for the fish in question. It will not help a sick fish. It only lessens the chance of the organisms to be free floating and find another host. In a sick tank its too late for the UV to be effective for the current bout
No I have no sceintific data for the unit nor have I tested the time frame as a preventative measure against disease. I just guessed for mine and already feel the yelling from other reefers coming as I am typing this.
[ February 27, 2002: Message edited by: Jawbone ]</p>
Hi:
My personal opinion is that a UV sterilizer does little for an active ich infection. Mainly becuz the parasite has to pass thru the Uv unit to be killed. Since ich is either attached to fish or the liverock and or tank, the Uv unit will do little to slow this down. I also have a number of other bugaboos about aquarium Uv units.
They are outlined here:
http://reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=b7f5e7fc22cf77ed44fd04c8b841e05f&threadid=53950
However Uv units do work if you can properly match them w/ a slow flow pump, ensure you have the correct wattage, and change/clean bulbs regularly
my opinion
frank
My personal opinion is that a UV sterilizer does little for an active ich infection. Mainly becuz the parasite has to pass thru the Uv unit to be killed. Since ich is either attached to fish or the liverock and or tank, the Uv unit will do little to slow this down. I also have a number of other bugaboos about aquarium Uv units.
They are outlined here:
http://reefcentral.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=b7f5e7fc22cf77ed44fd04c8b841e05f&threadid=53950
However Uv units do work if you can properly match them w/ a slow flow pump, ensure you have the correct wattage, and change/clean bulbs regularly
my opinion
frank
Since established ick doesn't get detered by a UV Sterilizer what should i do next?
What i'm thinking of doing is setting up my old 15 gallon for a quarentine tank. The LFS told me not to do that because he had this miracle food that fights ick. It's called Tetra Medica. But i'm still thinking of setting up the quarentine tank and bombarding it with malachite green and methalyne blue. The medicine i have is NOX-ICH. I know its old fasioned medicine. If any of you have had any success with another medicine and swear by it tell me PLEASE!! Even though i'm a youngster i still get stressed out over my babies. Thanks alot!
What i'm thinking of doing is setting up my old 15 gallon for a quarentine tank. The LFS told me not to do that because he had this miracle food that fights ick. It's called Tetra Medica. But i'm still thinking of setting up the quarentine tank and bombarding it with malachite green and methalyne blue. The medicine i have is NOX-ICH. I know its old fasioned medicine. If any of you have had any success with another medicine and swear by it tell me PLEASE!! Even though i'm a youngster i still get stressed out over my babies. Thanks alot!
I like the medical tank Idea that way the uncontaminated fish and your reef do not get medicated for no reason.
I am by no means an expert so go with what feels right to you. Take a little bit of what everyone tells you and make your own philosophy.
web page to read about this subject
[ February 27, 2002: Message edited by: Jawbone ]</p>
I am by no means an expert so go with what feels right to you. Take a little bit of what everyone tells you and make your own philosophy.
web page to read about this subject
[ February 27, 2002: Message edited by: Jawbone ]</p>
Personally... I love my UV sterilizer, I'm not an expert but I had been fighting against Ick for months because you can not eradicate it, unless you threat your whole tank with medication (ne ver do this if you have live rock or invertebrates). Ick has a cycle; it infects a fish and after some days it goes to your sand in order to multiplicate then you can think that your fish is cured but after Ick multiplicate itself in your sandbed, it swims looking for a victim the problem is that everytime it returns it's stronger and stronger, I tried my fish in a quarantine tank without any success. then I bought a UV sterilizer ( it's a Custom sea life "helix") suddenly Ick disappeared. I think it kill Ick when it is in the "swimming phase" now I'm afraid and I don't want to turn it off, my corals are growing (same as always) and my fish is happy and their skin is just beautiful (they will love your sterilizer too) It sounds like a TV commercial but it's true
this is my experience only and I hope it can help.
Hi:
the easist way to eradicate ich is to treat the fish w/ hyposalinity. I would set up a quarentine tank add your infected fish, and treat using hypo for 30-45days, leave your main tank fishless the whole time.
Hypo is safe, effective, and uses no chemicals. You cannot treat inverts using hypo, and you must also have a good hydromter or refractometer to ensure you keep the water at 1.009. Feel free to read up on hyposalinity.
As far as Uv, I know they do work if you can get a new high powerred unit w/ matched low flow pump. However, i suspect your ich disppearing in two days is due to the life cycle of ich and not the Uv.
good luck
frank
the easist way to eradicate ich is to treat the fish w/ hyposalinity. I would set up a quarentine tank add your infected fish, and treat using hypo for 30-45days, leave your main tank fishless the whole time.
Hypo is safe, effective, and uses no chemicals. You cannot treat inverts using hypo, and you must also have a good hydromter or refractometer to ensure you keep the water at 1.009. Feel free to read up on hyposalinity.
As far as Uv, I know they do work if you can get a new high powerred unit w/ matched low flow pump. However, i suspect your ich disppearing in two days is due to the life cycle of ich and not the Uv.
good luck
frank
Qcumber I can see were you might think the UV helped in this scenario but unless you had two sick fish and two exact tanks and blah blah blah it would be impossible to tell if the UV helped but I would guess it was just coincidence. But I do hope your Tang makes it. BTW I am jealous that you have the blue tang. Its one of the fish on my list that I have not found a worthy specimen at any of the fish store's in 100 miles
Time heals all....
Fmarini's Time frame shows 30 to 45 days and this is a great rule of thumb - If we were to treat a sick fish just until his symptoms clear they would generally not be cured. They might look better but the sickness is still there.
Time heals all....
Fmarini's Time frame shows 30 to 45 days and this is a great rule of thumb - If we were to treat a sick fish just until his symptoms clear they would generally not be cured. They might look better but the sickness is still there.
I am now having a Blue Tang with a worsening condition of ICK in a 90g tank. I first noticed tiny specs. Within 5 days, it was big and all over.
Desperate, I installed a UV, plugged the weakest powerhead to it. Within 24 hours, I saw a noticeable difference. By 48 hours, it was back to the tiny specs. Now I am optimistic that it will be back to normal.
What actually happened? I don't know, and probably need not care. My fish looks good and its all that matters. I think its kinda like chemotherapy. It may work for the worse or for the better. But it's worth the try.
Desperate, I installed a UV, plugged the weakest powerhead to it. Within 24 hours, I saw a noticeable difference. By 48 hours, it was back to the tiny specs. Now I am optimistic that it will be back to normal.
What actually happened? I don't know, and probably need not care. My fish looks good and its all that matters. I think its kinda like chemotherapy. It may work for the worse or for the better. But it's worth the try.
Hi guys.
Like I told you before in this thread I bought my uv sterilizer to cure my blue tang, Ick disappeared and I was affraid to turn it off because personally I don't think you can erradicate Ick from your tank. well, I turned it off three days ago and guess what? ... My Blue tang has Ick again!
he was perfect for months and now he's sick again... I turn my sterilizer on today. Now I'm pretty sure UV sterilizers help to fight against Ick but they can not erradicate it.
Like I told you before in this thread I bought my uv sterilizer to cure my blue tang, Ick disappeared and I was affraid to turn it off because personally I don't think you can erradicate Ick from your tank. well, I turned it off three days ago and guess what? ... My Blue tang has Ick again!
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