27 replies to this topic

[benckie]

uv

Cuts down on number of free swimmers but wont get rid of spots completely.
(can reduce the effect of some therapeutics like Malachite green and antibiotics like Oxytetracyline that break down in light)

doc

yeah very true but with uv,s you dont need them ! or with the right combination with a small amount of the right chemicals you get rid of it alot easyer and have a nice clean tank. there is alot of good articals about uv,s and how hospitals and surgins use them and also third world countries for cleaning water, and there is some good articals in fish mag,s about white spot and uv,s and other harmfuls but i recon you cant beat them for nice cristal clean water and glass im sure any ones else who uses them will agree, as i found out the work for white spot by acident (unfortunaly i caused the problem myself) then read up about it and its true, i recomend people to get of the buts and buy one or two and give it a go and see how long you can go with out cleaning the glass on your tank

p s i wouldnt recomend any one to use Malachite green unless you want to kill all your plec,s ,catfish , loaches and stain all your air lines tubes and silicone and any plastic in the tank 8O tetracyline is good but also nasty but i have used it and i keep a bottle handy but like most meds uv is the same as carbon or some other types of media you just turn it of or remove it but personly in ime and imo you leave them on and use very small amounts of meds and you will remove any dramers in your tanks

[cobby]

You can now get internal powerhead filters with UVs in them

Also external canisters with them in which you can turn on and of

i took Benkys advice and am now using them on all my tanks 8O

And like he said the water is crystal clear

I know thay are not everybodys cup of tea but they are worth concidering

Regards Cobby

[Mr_docfish]

true, UV can keep the water clear (kills single cell algae in the water) and they can kill free swimmers as we know, but they cannot kill all the bugs on the fish. Reducing the medication/salt levels because you have a UV wont help, you still need to keep up the levels if you have Spots or similar parasites. On its own, UV can help, but it is not a complete cure for external parasites, just an additional treatment like increasing heat etc.
Definitely worth having on heavy stocked tanks to slow down possible parasite out breaks (keep in mind the wavelength of the UV C ,as opposed to UV A & B, and the retention time may not be sufficient in reducing bacterial count - just algae and possibly parasites).

doc

[cobby]

Mr_docfish

Thanks Mate

What i was trying to say was UVs are a help not a cure

And lets face it for a beginer like myself al the help you can get is a bargin

What do you think running a uv from day one before you introduce fish ?
would this greatly reduce the white spot problem?

Is there any downside in your humble opinion in using UVs

Regards Cobby

[Mr_docfish]

I do agree with the use of UV in an aquarium, don't get me wrong, just understand its limitations (there are different wavelengths of UV - A,B&C) Some are more suitable than others depending on the situation, eg: UV C is normally used for killing algae cells.
Also it has the tendency to destroy or change some chemicals like Malachite green and Tetracyclines and any other chemical that should be 'kept in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight' as you might have seen on some products.
UV can reduce the severity of some problems including algae and white spot, which is commonplace in new aquariums. So if you have it - flaunt (use) it. It can't hurt much.

doc

[madasa]

I would argue (but only a little Benks - nothing personal as we know we have different thoughts on this) that UV like incorrectly used charcoal in a filter, can mask poor water quality.

Good tank husbandry and appropriate quarantining of new fish negate the need for a UV IMO.

[benckie]

I would argue (but only a little Benks - nothing personal as we know we have different thoughts on this) that UV like incorrectly used charcoal in a filter, can mask poor water quality.

Good tank husbandry and appropriate quarantining of new fish negate the need for a UV IMO.

very true pete if you have a unstable tank with poor water quilty and your uv glob blows your tank will crash in a big way ! and people shouldnt get complacent with uv,s as normal mantiance should be upketp even if your water looks cristal clear, but i will say i love my uv,s they have help me in some stick situation, and kept my tanks clear and clean, with some tank ive recently moved or sold ive never had to clean glass in over a year now and the water was more clear then the tap water no algee what so ever, and have help me with white spot a couple of times when ive messed up or rushed things, and when you think about it its basicly sun light,

[Mr_docfish]

true, UV can keep the water clear (kills single cell algae in the water) ......

doc

Pete is right, and I hinted at this, if your filter is working correctly, and your water quality in general is optimum, your water should be crystal clear as filters can pick up fines and kill algae, only if the bacteria are doing well.

While we on on this subject, allow me to point out one difference between the different filters, eheim have a slow flow rate to ensure the bacteria have sufficient time to assimilate waste properly, other filters (aquaone and fluval x5 etc) are sold on high flow rates, they need to have the water pass through the cannister two or three times to have the same effect.

With the right flow rate for cannister volume, and the correct media in the filter, you too can have crystal clear water. (of cause this also depends on other fish keeping husbandry techniques such as careful feeding and water changing among others)
I will elaborate on this in a different thread later when the subject crops up.

doc