[rnakas]

I've noticed over the last couple of weeks my plants haven't been growing all the best. Some of you say that the UV removes lots of the good stuff plants need. Should i run the UV after water changes or how should I run a UV? Right now it's plugged in all the time. Any suggestions would be greatly appriciated. Aloha,Rick

 

[boink]

id only run it every once in a while like when you do maintenance

 

[kzr750r1]

I'm considering this tact as well. A couple of years ago I pinged Marc on his phenomenal growth. Look at his tank journal. He claimed to notice better growth without and using just after WC.

Although this is not a fair comparison it's always worth a shot as each tank varies quite a bit. Even if the equipment may be similar all of the other factors involved make it hard to provide a real bench mark.

Substrate, WC chemistry, Dosing regime, plant selection, Light ect...ect... Will vary regardless...

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I'm going to try running my U/V on one of my shorter span timers. I've been running it 24/7, and have been having problems getting any of the plants that get red to get the right color. I've read that the U/V can supposedly reudce the iron content of the tank, so maybe that 's what the problem is.

Tommy

 

[Sympley]

From my limited experience in planted tanks (1.2 years). I would not recommend running the UV 24/7. It reacts with iron in your water and completly uses it up. I use Saechem Iron supplement. If I have my UV running at the same time as I am adding the iron my water turns cloudy for few days(I mane rally cloudy lie a bacterial bloom). There is some sort of a raction going on in there. If I turn on the UV few days after I added iron then then the cloudiness does not show up.
This was discussed here in more detile a while back.
This is ofcourse my 2 cents.

I believe that if everything is maintained well in your tank you don't need to run the UV. I have not run my UV for about 3 months and all seems good.

 

[spypet]

Should i run the UV after water changes or how should I run a UV

I run my UV the first 24 hours after my weekly water change.
I have not noticed a benefit to running it any more than that.

 

[rnakas]

Thanks everyone! I'll try and run it 24hours after water change then turn it off till I change water the following week.

 

[ebichu]

But by running the UV longer, wouldnt it help to reduce algae as well ?
Its interesting to find that UV can the iron content in the water.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

But by running the UV longer, wouldnt it help to reduce algae as well ?
Its interesting to find that UV can the iron content in the water.

It definitely helps w/algae control, but only H2O borne algae like GW. I had GW once in over 30 years of having tanks. It was enough to make me get a U/V & I haven't had it since. It helps with GDA, too, because it kills it in the H2O column after cleaning the glass.

I'm gonna try cutting back on the U/V run time. none of my red plants get much color, even with the Fluorish iron. We'll see what happens.


Tommy

 

[Raul-7]

It definitely helps w/algae control, but only H2O borne algae like GW. I had GW once in over 30 years of having tanks. It was enough to make me get a U/V & I haven't had it since. It helps with GDA, too, because it kills it in the H2O column after cleaning the glass.

I'm gonna try cutting back on the U/V run time. none of my red plants get much color, even with the Fluorish iron. We'll see what happens.


Tommy

But iron availability has nothing to do with the redness of plants. Try lowering your nitrate to 5 ppm and you'll start seeing the best reds you could ever want.

 

[VITARTE]

I've run an UV sterilizer on my set up 24/7 for almost a year now. I had an issue with the iron precipitating only during the first weeks of seting it up.
Now the water is crystal clear the whole seven days till water change.
I also dose micros and extra iron (fluorish) heavily - 8 ml. each, daily on a 50G
I don't know how this works out.
Rafo

 

[Naja002]

From my limited experience in planted tanks (1.2 years). I would not recommend running the UV 24/7. It reacts with iron in your water and completly uses it up. I use Saechem Iron supplement. If I have my UV running at the same time as I am adding the iron my water turns cloudy for few days(I mane rally cloudy lie a bacterial bloom). There is some sort of a raction going on in there. If I turn on the UV few days after I added iron then then the cloudiness does not show up.
This was discussed here in more detile a while back.
This is ofcourse my 2 cents.

I believe that if everything is maintained well in your tank you don't need to run the UV. I have not run my UV for about 3 months and all seems good.

I'm not sure what's going on there, but from what You are describing--it sounds like P precipitating out the Fe. Might want to take a look at Your dosing schedule and quantities--the P that's already in the tank will precipitate out any Fe that You add.....

The more P that's in the tank--the more Fe it will precipitate out....

HTH

 

[mott]

I've run an UV sterilizer on my set up 24/7 for almost a year now. I had an issue with the iron precipitating only during the first weeks of seting it up.
Now the water is crystal clear the whole seven days till water change.
I also dose micros and extra iron (fluorish) heavily - 8 ml. each, daily on a 50G
I don't know how this works out.
Rafo

I agree same happened to me in my 55.I recently had to do a huge trime and have PLENTY of plants for my next meeting so I do not think running a UV 24/7 inhibits growth in any way.

 

[Raul-7]

I was going to suggest running it for a couple of hours after the lights went out but I heard it's a recipe for disaster since the tank is constantly going from a sterile environment to a non-sterile environment.

 

[Sympley]

By P do you mean Potassium? I dose potassium daily. So what you are saying is that when the UV is on and I add Fe there is some sort of reaction between the 2.
Does this raction use up Fe? I show 0ppm day after running UV, and my iron levels are high compared to norm. My tank is at around 1ppm, vs 0.1 that is recomended.

 

[boink]

K is potassium, by P i think he was referring to phosphates

 

[Naja002]

By P do you mean Potassium? I dose potassium daily. So what you are saying is that when the UV is on and I add Fe there is some sort of reaction between the 2.
Does this raction use up Fe? I show 0ppm day after running UV, and my iron levels are high compared to norm. My tank is at around 1ppm, vs 0.1 that is recomended.

N=Nitrate
P=Phosphate
K=Potassium

P and Fe don't get along. It has absolutely nothing to do with the UV. P will precipitate Fe out of solution. If I remember correctly--the Fe is still available--it just sinks to the substrate, but can be utilized by the plants roots.

 

[PRESTON4479]

I'm getting good growth also running the uv 24/7. Just got done trimming my plants yesterday. Also the water is crystal clear.

 

[RachPreach]

i have a uv sterilizer by jebo that ive had for about 1 year and i have been running it 24/7. I now plan to only turn it on only after water changes but i wanted to know

How do you know when to change the bulb?

 

[mistergreen]

But iron availability has nothing to do with the redness of plants. Try lowering your nitrate to 5 ppm and you'll start seeing the best reds you could ever want.

it's in your light intensity that turns a plant red.