To UV, or not to UV (or, Shakespeare is spinning in his tomb)

BHF · 08/08/2006, 05:08 AM

To UV, or not to UV?
That is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler in the water to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous algae,
Or to take arms against a sea of bacteria
No more? and by some radiation to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand floating bits
That water is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd.

What say you, friends?

UV the water supply, or no?

Blown 346 · 08/08/2006, 05:23 AM

You could, but you should consider that anything that passes thru the UV wil die. That includes pods, bacteria, phyto plankton,any live food etc.

UV wont eliminate the risk of disease, but it can help with it, and with water clarity.
Basically, what would you want to use it for?

Steven Pro · 08/08/2006, 05:58 AM

A quarantine tank is far more effective and usually cheaper too.

lux_06 · 08/08/2006, 07:26 AM

so what about running a uv on your qt tank before any fish makes it into the display will this guarentee you parasite free fish in your display? from what i think i know! most if not all these parasites have a free swimming stage UV's are only usefull at this stage or the paraistes life right?

Blown 346 · 08/08/2006, 08:20 AM

No, running a UV in the QT tank wont gurantee a parasite free fish in the display. The fish can still get parasites if the fishs immune system is low, or the fish is stressed out.
Once the parasite is in the main display, most of the time the parasite needs a host to survive. If there are fish in the tank the parasite will continue to live.

Yes, in the free swimming stage, the paraites would be killed if they pass thru the UV, otherwise the larva of the parsite, usually survive in the rock and the substrate.

BHF · 08/08/2006, 05:52 PM

Note to self: TWO cups of coffee before reading RC.

Anyway. I was just musing, thinking of different ways to clear up some water. The more I read, the more I've come to believe the negatives outweigh the positives.

Steel_Phoenix · 08/08/2006, 06:43 PM

Hath not parasites eyes? hath not parasites flagellum, organs, dimensions, senses, afflictions, slime? fed with the same detritus, hurt with the same ultraviolet light, subject to the same nutrient cycles healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same heater and chiller...If you remove his nutrients with refugium and skimmer, does he not disappear? if you feed him, does he not bloom? if you irradiate him, does he not die?

BHF · 08/08/2006, 07:02 PM

*golf clap*

Well done.

08/08/2006, 05:08 AM	#1
BHF Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 127	To UV, or not to UV (or, Shakespeare is spinning in his tomb) To UV, or not to UV? That is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the water to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous algae, Or to take arms against a sea of bacteria No more? and by some radiation to say we end The heart-ache and the thousand floating bits That water is heir to, 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. What say you, friends? UV the water supply, or no?

08/08/2006, 05:58 AM	#3
Steven Pro Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 9,376	A quarantine tank is far more effective and usually cheaper too. __________________ Steven Pro, yep that is my real name. Current Tank Info: Twelve 600 gallon tubs located in a greenhouse

08/08/2006, 05:23 AM	#2
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	You could, but you should consider that anything that passes thru the UV wil die. That includes pods, bacteria, phyto plankton,any live food etc. UV wont eliminate the risk of disease, but it can help with it, and with water clarity. Basically, what would you want to use it for?

08/08/2006, 07:26 AM	#4
lux_06 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: down under Posts: 472	so what about running a uv on your qt tank before any fish makes it into the display will this guarentee you parasite free fish in your display? from what i think i know! most if not all these parasites have a free swimming stage UV's are only usefull at this stage or the paraistes life right?

08/08/2006, 08:20 AM	#5
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	No, running a UV in the QT tank wont gurantee a parasite free fish in the display. The fish can still get parasites if the fishs immune system is low, or the fish is stressed out. Once the parasite is in the main display, most of the time the parasite needs a host to survive. If there are fish in the tank the parasite will continue to live. Yes, in the free swimming stage, the paraites would be killed if they pass thru the UV, otherwise the larva of the parsite, usually survive in the rock and the substrate.

08/08/2006, 05:52 PM	#6
BHF Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 127	Note to self: TWO cups of coffee before reading RC. Anyway. I was just musing, thinking of different ways to clear up some water. The more I read, the more I've come to believe the negatives outweigh the positives.

08/08/2006, 06:43 PM	#7
Steel_Phoenix Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: far Northern California Posts: 277	Hath not parasites eyes? hath not parasites flagellum, organs, dimensions, senses, afflictions, slime? fed with the same detritus, hurt with the same ultraviolet light, subject to the same nutrient cycles healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same heater and chiller...If you remove his nutrients with refugium and skimmer, does he not disappear? if you feed him, does he not bloom? if you irradiate him, does he not die?

08/08/2006, 07:02 PM	#8
BHF Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 127	golf clap Well done.