Return pipe and uv light?

Exotic Reef. · 03/12/2012, 09:55 PM

Do I really need a uv light and how many of you use it just want to make sure before I start glueing these pvc together

thegrun · 03/12/2012, 10:00 PM

No, you do not need one.

shaginwagon13 · 03/12/2012, 10:22 PM

You don't need one. You will find both sides the argument if they work or not.

I use one. I am on the side that believe they work but if you don't want to fork out the money for one you don't need one to run a successful tank.

Exotic Reef. · 03/12/2012, 11:12 PM

Ah thanks any one else have experience with the uv lights

ken55 · 03/13/2012, 07:15 AM

I have one. Bought it after reading a magazine article about their benefits. I have also read on here that it's a waste of effort and money.

I honestly don't know (at this point) if I'm getting any benefit out of it or not. I bought it and went through the trouble of hooking it up so I continue to use it.

None of my fish have developed three eyes from the uv radiation so I guess it's not doing any harm.

As a side note, I asked about harmful effects on here about two weeks ago and the thread died off. This is a crowd that usually disdains uv so with no negative response I guess there isn't any.

With all that being said: Beats Me!!!

jasimek · 03/13/2012, 07:23 AM

i believe my water is clearer after using it

WillM · 03/13/2012, 07:37 AM

I use one on my heavily stocked FW 120G Tropheus tank. I spent around $100 on it, so that might be why I think my water is clearer... hahah... The bulb burned out 7 months after I bought it and I didn't notice a big difference, but I went ahead and replaced it.

BTW - You will be replacing the bulbs every 6 months if you use it all the time.

After using it for a year I think they are a great thing to have around if you have a free floating algae outbreak (ie green water) for instance, or if you have cloudy water and think it might be a bacterial bloom (again these are FW findings, these problems might not happen in a reef tank, and generally don't happen in my tanks much either). They aren't a necessity, and on the down side take money away from stuff with tangible benefits that you could be getting with the money you are spending on the UV.

Final analysis, if you have the coin to drop on it, why not? But I would run it only when needed to save on bulb costs. Otherwise, put the money you save on it into a better skimmer or lights.

Just my two cents (and this is based off of using it on FW tanks not SW)....

ken55 · 03/13/2012, 08:01 AM

Just to clarify (pun alert) my comment of "Beats Me" was in reference to the benefits.

No, you do not NEED one.

fishgate · 03/13/2012, 08:07 AM

UV light works wonders. I really see no downside to it. I have a 15 watt unit that was around $150. It is on my 120G FW DT but last night I moved it to a 10g FW growout tank because the 10g tank had so much algae in it that you couldn't see 2" and all other methods of getting rid of it failed. I did 90% per week water changes for a month and didn't even make a dent in the green muck. Well I am happy to report this morning after less that 12 hours with the UV that over 2 months of no change the water is now CRYSTAL CLEAR!

So listen, read, make your own decision. Nothing like experience to change your mind about something.

WillM · 03/13/2012, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishgate

UV light works wonders. I really see no downside to it. I have a 15 watt unit that was around $150. It is on my 120G FW DT but last night I moved it to a 10g FW growout tank because the 10g tank had so much algae in it that you couldn't see 2" and all other methods of getting rid of it failed. I did 90% per week water changes for a month and didn't even make a dent in the green muck. Well I am happy to report this morning after less that 12 hours with the UV that over 2 months of no change the water is now CRYSTAL CLEAR!

So listen, read, make your own decision. Nothing like experience to change your mind about something.

+1 If you use it to target specific issues, but I don't know that running it all the time is really needed and it can get spendy replacing bulbs every 6 months.

ken55 · 03/13/2012, 12:01 PM

FWIW, I was reading a different thread about the Diver's Den section of Live Aquaria. It seems they use a UV light on their sytem and a really big one at that.

03/12/2012, 09:55 PM	#1
Exotic Reef. Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NEW YORK Posts: 119	Return pipe and uv light? Do I really need a uv light and how many of you use it just want to make sure before I start glueing these pvc together

03/12/2012, 10:22 PM	#3
shaginwagon13 Chartered Accountant Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 2,219	You don't need one. You will find both sides the argument if they work or not. I use one. I am on the side that believe they work but if you don't want to fork out the money for one you don't need one to run a successful tank. __________________ - Shaginwagon - Current Tank Info: 550 Gallon SPS Reef l 200 Gallon Sump l Skimmer: Vertex Alpha 250 l Return Pump: Reeflo Hammerhead l Tank Circulation: (2) Maxspect Gyre XF280 l Lighting: (3) 400w Halides & (3) AI Hydra 52 HD

03/13/2012, 07:15 AM	#5
ken55 A wing and a prayer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: SoChes Posts: 635	I have one. Bought it after reading a magazine article about their benefits. I have also read on here that it's a waste of effort and money. I honestly don't know (at this point) if I'm getting any benefit out of it or not. I bought it and went through the trouble of hooking it up so I continue to use it. None of my fish have developed three eyes from the uv radiation so I guess it's not doing any harm. As a side note, I asked about harmful effects on here about two weeks ago and the thread died off. This is a crowd that usually disdains uv so with no negative response I guess there isn't any. With all that being said: Beats Me!!! __________________ Current tank info: Last time I saw them they were leaning against a tree in my ex's backyard.

03/13/2012, 08:01 AM	#8
ken55 A wing and a prayer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: SoChes Posts: 635	Just to clarify (pun alert) my comment of "Beats Me" was in reference to the benefits. No, you do not NEED one. __________________ Current tank info: Last time I saw them they were leaning against a tree in my ex's backyard.

03/13/2012, 08:07 AM	#9
fishgate Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Damascus, MD Posts: 3,340	UV light works wonders. I really see no downside to it. I have a 15 watt unit that was around $150. It is on my 120G FW DT but last night I moved it to a 10g FW growout tank because the 10g tank had so much algae in it that you couldn't see 2" and all other methods of getting rid of it failed. I did 90% per week water changes for a month and didn't even make a dent in the green muck. Well I am happy to report this morning after less that 12 hours with the UV that over 2 months of no change the water is now CRYSTAL CLEAR! So listen, read, make your own decision. Nothing like experience to change your mind about something. __________________ 125RR in-wall, 40B Sump, CS180 BM Skimmer, ATI 4x80 watt, eheim 1262, custom wrap around rock wall, ReefKeeper Elite 120g in-wall, 40B Sump, PC 54wx4, Jabao DC-6000 (full siphon), future seahorse t Current Tank Info: 125g, 120g, 2x40b sumps, ATI 4x80 T5HO

03/12/2012, 10:00 PM	#2
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	No, you do not need one.

03/12/2012, 11:12 PM	#4
Exotic Reef. Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: NEW YORK Posts: 119	Ah thanks any one else have experience with the uv lights

03/13/2012, 07:23 AM	#6
jasimek Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Plainfield, Illinois Posts: 692	i believe my water is clearer after using it

03/13/2012, 07:37 AM	#7
WillM Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Roanoke, VA Posts: 663	I use one on my heavily stocked FW 120G Tropheus tank. I spent around $100 on it, so that might be why I think my water is clearer... hahah... The bulb burned out 7 months after I bought it and I didn't notice a big difference, but I went ahead and replaced it. BTW - You will be replacing the bulbs every 6 months if you use it all the time. After using it for a year I think they are a great thing to have around if you have a free floating algae outbreak (ie green water) for instance, or if you have cloudy water and think it might be a bacterial bloom (again these are FW findings, these problems might not happen in a reef tank, and generally don't happen in my tanks much either). They aren't a necessity, and on the down side take money away from stuff with tangible benefits that you could be getting with the money you are spending on the UV. Final analysis, if you have the coin to drop on it, why not? But I would run it only when needed to save on bulb costs. Otherwise, put the money you save on it into a better skimmer or lights. Just my two cents (and this is based off of using it on FW tanks not SW)....

03/13/2012, 12:01 PM	#11
ken55 A wing and a prayer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: SoChes Posts: 635	FWIW, I was reading a different thread about the Diver's Den section of Live Aquaria. It seems they use a UV light on their sytem and a really big one at that. __________________ Current tank info: Last time I saw them they were leaning against a tree in my ex's backyard. Last edited by ken55; 03/13/2012 at 12:08 PM.