UV what do you reefers think?

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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Well Reefers,

After some long thought I've decided to invest in the 34 watt UV sterilizer by Coralife.

Even though I only have 72 gallon reef it's better to be way above in UV watts than just at standard.

I've spent at least $100 dollars in meds and it didn't erradicate my ich to my desire.

With the constant use of my ozone plus my UV light I will have comfort at night that my tank is killing my free floating parasites.

I just cannot stand it any longer seeng my infested fish, it drives me nuts seeing them scratch and frustrated.

They use to be beautiful in color and happy, now they are dull and bothered.

I should have done this a long time ago but didn't think I needed it. I just have too many nice fish to neglect this process.

I've also decided I'm not going to harbor SPS corals, I'll keep the ones that made it through the STN process and change my tank into a gorgeous LPS/ ricordia tank with many neat frags.

It's just much easier having this balance without the nitrates killing my SPS and giving me headaches.

Reef tanks are suppose to soothe your mind and mine is doing the opposite.

Well, wish me luck and I will be posting soon....

MG
 
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Jordan8008

New Member
Sounds like thats the best move for you, I have always planed on using UV sterilization if I ever get a bigger tank, becasue just as you have said, it takes away the worry, becasue it KILLS all the bad stuff.......cant wait to see the pics, of how it all fits in..... Good luck

Thanks

Jordan
 
Dickie52

Dickie52

New Member
Mike,
I am sorry to hear that the tank is causing you stress, but you remind me of me many years ago! :lol: I had finally set up my 110 reef ready tank, with all the bells and whistles. If it was made, I had it and soon I started to feel more like a mad scientist than a reef keeper. Well, those day are far behind me now and as you can see from my posts, my largest tank is now 20 gallons. The 110 is working wonderful as my prop tank.... :razz:

Every tank I own has fish in it and I have never had ick in over 2 years, why I don't know.....

I am rooting for you and hope the UV does the trick for you, we all want to see you sit back and enjoy the hobby!!!
 
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sadielynn

New Member
Mike
Wishing you only the best at this point as you do have a very beautiful tank I would love to see it blossom and you to be able to enjoy it and all the hard work you have placed into this tank I would say what harm could it do it is worth a try at this point
 
skipm

skipm

Moderator
Staff member
As much as I hate to see it come to this I wish you the best of luck in eradicating your ich problem. As nice as SPS reefs look I do think they are better suited for tanks with few or no fish. I think an LPS or even a softy tank will look fantastic once you put your magic touch on it. Good luck and I hope reefing becomes more enjoyable for you again.
 
aromano

aromano

New Member
Mike,

It's tough to be able to handle the best of both worlds, especially when it comes to SPS corals and a significant amount fish together. IMHO all you need to do, as hard as it can be :sad: , is get rid of some of your fish.

Yeah the UV might be another good soldier to your filtration troop, but I personally thing that your tank already has enough soldiers to be as healthy and enjoyable as it can be... At the moment it just has more fish than your system can handle. Not only as far as bio-load is concerned, but also as the space and "privacy" saltwater fish normally need in order to remain stress free and be as close to their natural environment as possible.

I've had a 90 gallon FOWLR in the past, but as nice as I can remember that tank, with all the diversity of beautiful colorful fish, constant traffic and movement, today I just love staring at my empty "fishless" tank. I don't know why, but it just feels so peaceful.

I think you have so much knowledge about reef keeping, and by far one of the most efficient filtration systems I've ever seen.
Mike, your tank is just one step way from getting there, and a simple move can provide you a less stressful, maintenance free environment, so you can sit back, relax and enjoy the gorgeous reef you have there.

P.S. A simple design always takes less time to finish than a complex one. So I always do the simplest thing that could possibly work and be as efficient as it can be for my needs. Try to keep things as simple as possible, being aware though, keeping it simple is hard work.

Just my 2 cents. ;-)
 
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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Andre,

Thanks for the heads up on my fish. Yeah you are right that my bioload is high and had I stopped and never added the Powder blue tang I would never have started this epidemic.

It's really really bad, every night when the lights go off the ich freakin attack my fish, I want to reach in and remove the spots off my fish with a clean cloth.

This morning my chevron tang is full of ich over his head and body, man it makes me pissed.

But here is the odd thing, as the morning sun rises my fish begin grazing on the rocks and gravel as if nothing is bothering them, and they eat any food I dump in.

Okay I've tried No-Ich twice, Garlic Exilir and I still have a resiliant strain of ich.

So I decided I have to get the best gun possible to bring down the free floating parasite, and I know it's the Coralife 36 watt that is rated for a 500 gallon aquarium, that's right 500 gallons!!!

Since my wife ordered me the Tunze and it's on back order, I'm opting to go with the coralife sterilizer.

I feel confident that between my Ozone and Sterilzer running together, my free floating germs will get zapped.

As of now, the ozone is not enough to wipe out the free floating stage alone, in my opinion, maybe I'm just impatient since I haven't really run my ozone more than two weeks constant.

Anyway, after work I'm picking up the sterilizer and all the equipment to fire her up tonight.

I was going to run Stop Parasites but opted not too after I've heard users say it's a wast of more money.

Besides, I'd have to shut off my ozone again and remove charcoal and then my corals take a hit.

MG
 
EDGRAY

EDGRAY

New Member
MIKE i dont know but the products no ick and kick ick in my experience have something weird the first time you use them work like charm then ick is back use the product and ick still there weird but using natural garlic this never happend me before .... so is like medication for humans drugs are made to cure something but at same time has chemicals to produce you other sickness why i know i was studing medicine for 1 1/2 years and we will studing the crazy world of drugs maybe in some way is the same so you should stick to natural garlic no made by human garlic why i say this well experience with ick nothing worked for me only like ones with those products and also other that i try but then i was i should stick with the natural garlic like i used to .... to prevent ick to come and guesss what that help better thatn other chemical products stick with natural medicine..... i have been almost 2-3 weeks ick free but keep doing NATURAL GARLIC every week.... so well is up to you but that's what i been saying you in 3 different post....but if you new idea works good .......but give natural garlic a chance for fishies sake.....
 
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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Thanks Eddy,

I just got back from my LFS and my new weapon, the Turbo-Test 12x 36 watt UV Sterilzer.

I'm doing a closed loop on it with my Mag 700 that is rated at 700 GPH. My unit calls for GPH to be between 400-1200.

With headpressure I should be around 500 to 600 perfect to kill that dam free floating ich.

The only concern my lfs has is that I might need to dial down my Mag 1200 with a ball valve, because my drain may not be able to take more water in than can clear the drain.

Does anyone know how much drain the 72 gallon bowfront drain can take?

MG
 
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reefman23

New Member
There is dual 1" overflows in that tank, right? or am i wrong. I would think it could handle 1200 to 1500 gph.

I am probably wrong though.

Jesse
 
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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Jesse,

I have only one overflow, and I just got off the phone with Marine Depot, they say for every 1 inch drain you get about 1000 gph.

Remember I have a Mag 1200 as my return pump going to my chiller up to my tank.

So I think I'm at my max...

I need a ball valve or do a close loop back to the sump....

What do you think what pump should I use?

I have a Mag 700 at the house that I don't use and I wanted to connect that so I can have extra flow, but I think my drain will not support it.

Any suggestions?

My GPH on the sterilizer should be bewteen 400-1200 I'm guessing the lower end for parasite maximum death.

MG
 
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reefman23

New Member
Can you run it in-line on your return line?

This isnt adding any extra flow to the tank, and then all the water is passing through the sterilizer at some point...

Jesse
 
skipm

skipm

Moderator
Staff member
You could get a small hang on overflow just for the UV, not the prettiest option but this would keep from making big changes in your system. Just another thought to ponder.
 
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mikeguerrero

Active Member
Well,

I finally got it connected last night, it took the whole night, since I went down to the hardware store to pick up all the supplies I was going to use.

In the end it turned out, that I didn't need the ball valve for my return and I ended up usng my Mag 7 to drive my sterilizer.

I mounted it on the wall next to my reservoir and the chiller. I tried first to place it in my cabinet, no can do, with the size of the UV unit it would not fit anywhere. Then I noticed it came with brackets for the wall.

I also learned you need two overflows if you want to kick up the GPH to beyond 1000. I tried running the UV from my sump to my tank and it drained my sump in seconds.

Ater playing with it enough I decided that the easiest setup was run it from my sump to the unit and back to the sump; it then overlaps itself over and over ensuring the parasite gets double dipped.

Like I mentioned I'm running the mag 7 up to the UV unit; it's exactly 3 feet at it's highest point so I'm wondering since the UV states that you should have between 400-1200 am I were I want to be?

At 3 feet I'm at 500 GPH. So I feel I'm with the right pump because if I get the Mag 500 then I would be at 380 GPH below the recommendation.

I'm just hoping that at 500 gph I'm at the lower end of the specs, giving me enough kill ratio for parasites.

So what do you guys or gals think?

Mike





 
rmanecke

rmanecke

New Member
Mike... I am admiring the "metastasis" of your equipment out from behind your cabinet. You still make it look nice. I can identify two of three items... I see a chiller, a UV sterilizer, what is the black box right next to the cabinet?
 
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mannaize

New Member
UV questions?

I’ve been reading about the UV set ups and I have read your two threads about them. I'm starting up a new nano system with all the bells and whistles. I want to do it right this time around. If I were to get one of these it would be later because I plan on buying other things first.

So my questions mostly pertain to the size and amount of fish in my tank if a UV would be needed or beneficial?

I will be running a 12 gallon JBJ with a 20 or so gal sump/refugium. Mostly coral and inverts. I will have one clown fish size fish and a small gobie or two.

Would I need a UV to control algae? Because it sounds like most people have UV for algae and for ich problems...

I will only have two small fish.

I really just found out about this type of attachment so I was wondering if I would benefit from it thanks

I know this forum was old but if anyone could help that would be great...

just trying to get everything squared away before I create my master piece.
 
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denverjomo

New Member
I would use UV as a last resort. It kills beneficial things as well, but if you are at a dead end, then go ahead. Ich is in most people's tanks but does not usually manifest unless there is significant stress, inadequate nutrition, etc. If you feel those elements are controlled, then maybe UV is an answer for you.
 
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