UV sterilization remains a contentious subject among saltwater aquarists due to historical myths and misinformation surrounding its use. Only in recent times have we acquired reliable information and effective techniques that demonstrate the true value of UV sterilization. However, it is crucial to grasp the precise capabilities and limitations of a UV water purifier to maintain realistic expectations.
Choosing an Objective
UV water purifiers offer various functionalities. It is essential to decide which specific goals you want to achieve with their usage.
Bacterial and Algae Concerns
A UV water purifier can efficiently resolve issues such as cloudy water caused by bacterial blooms, eradicate cyanobacteria and dinoflagellates, and curb the proliferation of nuisance algae in your tank. This desire for improved water clarity and control over unsightly pests is widespread among hobbyists and represents the primary and most effective use case for UV water purifiers. However, it is essential to utilize them correctly to achieve the desired results.
For the UV water purifier to effectively eliminate a problem, the target organism must pass through it, which means it must be suspended in the water. If algae are growing on your rocks or cyanobacteria is covering your sand bed, the UV water purifier cannot directly kill them. Its action is limited to reducing the populations of free-floating ailments in the water, which can slow down their growth and spread. However, it won’t eradicate what is already established on your tank’s surfaces. In such cases, UV sterilization serves as a valuable preventative measure and should be seen as a method of control rather than complete eradication. To maximize its effectiveness, combine UV sterilization with proper husbandry and maintenance practices, significantly decreasing the likelihood of a pesky outbreak.
Parasites
The use of UV water purifiers for controlling protozoa in aquariums has been a subject of ongoing debate, mainly due to the limited availability of reliable information until recently. Protozoa encompass various common parasites that can afflict aquarium fish. When these protozoa pass through the UV water purifier, they are exposed to UV rays, breaking down their DNA and inhibiting their ability to reproduce. As a result, the overall population of parasites in your aquarium is reduced, making it less likely to experience a widespread parasitic infection.
Once more, it’s important to emphasize that UV sterilization cannot eliminate what has already infected your fish. Instead, it should be regarded as a proactive measure for prevention and control. By incorporating UV sterilization alongside proper quarantine protocols and sourcing/keeping healthy fish, you can significantly decrease the likelihood of encountering these infections. However, it’s essential to acknowledge that complete eradication of the risk is unlikely to be achieved.
Effective UV Sterilization Application
Achieving the goals we outlined earlier requires precise installation and tuning of the UV water purifier. To start, selecting the appropriate wattage for your tank size is crucial, regardless of your specific objectives. Next, ensure the UV water purifier is correctly installed to effectively sterilize the entire volume of water. Lastly, fine-tune the flow rate through the water purifier to achieve the desired level of sterilization, whether it’s targeting bacteria and algae or addressing parasites. These steps are vital to optimizing the UV water purifier’s performance and attaining your desired results.
When aiming to combat bacteria and algae, a faster flow-through rate is necessary compared to targeting parasites. The reason behind this difference lies in the distinct sterilization requirements of bacteria/algae versus parasites. By running the water through the water purifier more frequently with a faster flow, you prevent bacteria and algae from reproducing faster than they can be sterilized. This becomes critical as some bacteria can replicate as quickly as once every 20 minutes under favorable conditions. Adjusting the flow rate accordingly ensures effective sterilization and inhibits the rapid proliferation of bacteria and algae.
When dealing with parasites, a much slower flow-through rate is required. This deliberate approach achieves a longer contact time, resulting in a higher level of sterilization that effectively disrupts the DNA of the protozoa. Additionally, parasites typically have reproductive cycles measured in days rather than minutes or hours, ensuring they cannot reproduce at a rate faster than the sterilization process. By adopting a slower flow rate, you can adequately combat parasites and maintain a controlled environment that inhibits their proliferation.
As you cannot simultaneously run both a fast and slow flow rate through the same UV water purifier, a decision must be made to opt for one or the other. However, if you aim for comprehensive sterilization, the alternative solution is to utilize multiple UV water purifiers, each with a different flow rate. This approach enables you to achieve both objectives effectively, providing the ultimate sterilization potential for your aquarium.
Myths of UV Water purifier & Reef Tanks
As we have discussed earlier, UV water purifiers are valuable tools for preventing and controlling bacteria, algae, and parasites, but they cannot guarantee complete eradication. To achieve the best possible outcomes, it remains essential to maintain good husbandry practices alongside UV sterilization. With these measures in place, one prevailing myth in reef aquarium circles remains to be addressed.
In the past, there was a misconception that UV water purifiers would disrupt the natural food chain in your reef aquarium, leading to the demise of phytoplankton and other beneficial microorganisms that nourish corals and invertebrates. However, this notion couldn’t be further from the truth, as using UV water purifiers does not have the negative impact on your tank inhabitants as previously believed.
While a UV water purifier can indeed eliminate live phytoplankton and other suspended organisms, it’s essential to note that these elements are typically removed from the water through the action of a protein skimmer and other filtration methods. Furthermore, we understand that the natural food chain within the tank is not sufficient to sustain fish, invertebrates, and corals, which is why we supplement their diet by feeding them.
For those who choose to feed live phytoplankton to their tank, a straightforward solution is to temporarily disable the UV water purifier and protein skimmer for a brief period. By doing so, the animals in the tank can consume the live suspended foods before they are removed by the filtration system. This practice ensures that your aquarium inhabitants benefit from the live phytoplankton, maintaining a balanced and well-nourished ecosystem.
Visit Puritor now and talk to our professionals who will recommend the best UV water purifier for you. Using a UV water purifier will not lead to the starvation of your reef aquarium or disrupt its biological foundation. Beneficial bacteria primarily reside on surfaces, which means they are not suspended in the water where the UV water purifier operates, thus avoiding being affected.
Additionally, any natural food chain within the tank is only supplementary to the manual feeding of tank inhabitants. This is precisely why live phytoplankton and rotifers need to be propagated in a separate tank and then intermittently introduced into your aquarium.
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