[thedood]

I have been considering investing in uv sterilizers for my tanks. I was curious how many of you are using them and is are they something that is really worth the investment? Maybe just on my qt tank? Like all of us in the hobby I spend a lot of money on fish and doing maintenance. I hate losing fish and if these are worthwhile I may get them if they are as effective as portrayed by the manufacturers.

 

[WaterLife]

Wealth of information here
Aquarium & Pond UV Sterilization | How to use a UVC Sterilizer
Everything you want to know and then some

Little additional info on UV dwell time
UV Sterilizer Dwell Time Experiment, Effect on UV-C Sterilization

They have their benefits.
I don't use a proper one currently. If I just had one or two very large display tanks with a ton of money invested in fish in those tanks, I would definitely get a good UV sterilizer.
I see it more practical as providing longevity of your fish/tanks. For a quarantine, they can have some uses, but I wouldn't say they are necessary.

Saltwater guys use UV's quite a lot. Maybe you can find a used one for a good price. Not all UV's are created equal though, so read the article above and do your research on the UV's you come across.

 

[SwampGremlin]

I recently added one to my tank and it improved my water clarity greatly.

 

[aja31]

Wealth of information here
Aquarium & Pond UV Sterilization | How to use a UVC Sterilizer
Everything you want to know and then some

Little additional info on UV dwell time
UV Sterilizer Dwell Time Experiment, Effect on UV-C Sterilization

They have their benefits.
I don't use a proper one currently. If I just had one or two very large display tanks with a ton of money invested in fish in those tanks, I would definitely get a good UV sterilizer.
I see it more practical as providing longevity of your fish/tanks. For a quarantine, they can have some uses, but I wouldn't say they are necessary.

Saltwater guys use UV's quite a lot. Maybe you can find a used one for a good price. Not all UV's are created equal though, so read the article above and do your research on the UV's you come across.

That was a fascinating read. Thanks for posting that. I've been thinking about buying one for my tank, and it seems like a pretty good investment.

 

[kevmo911]

My feeling is that they're not a bad idea to have, but since they're very rarely run full-time (they're generally used for specific situations), and you don't don't know when, if ever, you'll actually need one, I wouldn't bother buying one unless you have some cash burning a hole in your pocket.

Over the last several years, I've had up to six tanks running at once, and I've never had green water. So I never needed a UV, and never purchased one.

 

[TriconTech]

As you may have noticed the contact time is immportant if you are trying to kill water born organisms. I have used U.V. for holding and resale fish systems both saltwater and freshwater for Aquarium stores. The results for my customers was a reduction in mortality in their fish systems from 20%-30% down to 2% or lower. So in my experiance they work and prevent a host of problems associated with fish loss. I ran systems with the highest dwell time so you get the 45,000 or above kill ranges. I don,t want to start a discussion of quarantine methods since most hobbiest and stores do not use them. If I ever have a store I will use them period on both the main displays and backroom holding systems (quarantine). In my experiance they are worth the time and effort to install and maintain. Remember the quartz sleeve systems are best quality and prevent contact with the U.V. bulb and the water...this is a necessary safety percaution in opinion. Change the bulbs every 6 months for best performance.

 

[thedood]

Thanks to all who replied. That article was an excellent and informative read.

@TriconTech Is there particular manufacturer or style you would recommend? If I go this route it will be on a qt/hospital tank either a 10 or 20g to start. If I do make a purchase I would like a unit that would work on either as I havent decided how I am going to move things around.

I have been considering a couple of tanks using native wild caught fishes so my goal would be treatment and optimal health for those fish plus of course treating my own if the need arises. The only time I seem to have had issues is with new stock as I maintain my systems fairly well (as in 20 to 30% water changes weekly and I try not to over feed). But one never knows. I am now a firm believer in qt all fish after my recent experience with an lfs that is reputable and that experience made me into a hardcore convert to the church of qt. I am thinking a layered approach much like security.

 

[TriconTech]

I prefer the TMC or Aquanetics, or LifeGuard (Pentel Aquatics) units from past history they seemed the best quality. Not sure the various Chinese units are all that good...turbo twist this and turbo twist that if you know what I mean.

 

[thedood]

@TriconTech Thanks for the info. I personally avoid the chinese stuff. I appreciate the advice.