Internal UV Filter Some Benefits - Jury is still Out!!

[REDSTEVEO]

Hi all,

Just a quickie question. Has anyone used or had any experience with an internal UV filter such as the one below? Does anyone think it could be good for eradicating diatomous algae - brown algae?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquarium-...2?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item3f256fad9e

It has a built in UV Light and an oxygenating feature. I am thinking of getting one and giving it a try. Apparently it does not have to be a permanent fixture, just used as and when required.

Just a thought,

Cheers,

Steve.

 

[ian_m]

Marketing gimmick. Water flows too fast past UV tube to do any good.

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html

Brown algae (if you really have that) is easily wiped off things using say a piece of filter floss and is scoffed by Ottos. Normally a "new tank" syndrome (or massive replant) and will just naturally go away along with cleaning and water changes.

 

[Bhu]

I only get it in my pipes. Just cleaned them last night (first time in 50 days) so will keep a track of how long it stays away this time. The initial build up I think is due to being a new tank and lots of new plants. So now hopefully it will keep away UV are just a strain on the flow if you get an inline one. Id only use one if I had a bad outbreak of parasites such as white spot.

 

[Mr. Teapot]

Even if you get a really good steriliser, I would have thought UV is only going to work on green water and leave all the other types of algae untouched.

I only get it in my pipes.

I would have guessed the coating on the inside of our pipes was a build-up of bacterial biofilm.

 

[Bhu]

I would have guessed the coating on the inside of our pipes was a build-up of bacterial biofilm.

Yuk!!! Well I'm glad I cleaned them then. Not sure the kitchen sink was the best place mind you

 

[ceg4048]

Does anyone think it could be good for eradicating diatomous algae - brown algae?

No, GWA only, as Ian noted.

Cheers,

 

[Bhu]

I would have guessed the coating on the inside of our pipes was a build-up of bacterial biofilm.

Is that a cyano bacteria?

 

[Mr. Teapot]

Is that a cyano bacteria?

I wouldn't have thought so. I would hazard a guess it would be made of the same collection as the ones making a home on your filter media. All good stuff.

 

[sciencefiction]

And why do you guys say UV's eradicate green water algae only?
I installed a 9W UV on my 54 litre tank because I had one that came with another tank.
Before I installed the UV the tank had a thick layer of algae on the glass

After the UV right now has been working for maybe more than a couple of months. Rest assured I haven't cleaned the glass myself and sorry for the poor state of the plants. The tank is just a nursery for some fry right now that unfortunately appeared out of that red platy who's in there to keep the tank ticking. The UV is connected to the powerhead of the sponge filter, outside the tank and is on super low flow. Unless the algae got rid of itself itself, then I give credit to the UV as the tank is pretty clean right now except its not maintained bar water changes.

 

[ceg4048]

Yes the algae got rid of itself.

Cheers,

 

[drodgers]

I have a couple of these units they are more to keep ich at bay then green water etc and currently only on a African Cichlid tank.

 

[REDSTEVEO]

Well that got a bigger response than I was expecting

Brown algae (if you really have that) is easily wiped off things using say a piece of filter floss and is scoffed by Ottos. Normally a "new tank" syndrome (or massive replant) and will just naturally go away along with cleaning and water changes.

This is not the easy to clean or wipe off brown algae that we get inside filter pipes otherwise I wouldn't have a problem with it. This diatoms or diatomous stuff that seems to cling to the eleocharis grass and is a pain to get off. You can siphon some of it off but other parts seem to be stuck, it is even impossible to brush it off with a toothbrush! This stuff moves with the flow and traps itself among the blades of grass, if you imagine a wind blowing debris through tree branches and it all getting stuck in the branches.

I have just done a major trim of the grass, siphoned out as much as I can see, done a water change, and now am adding Flourish Excel and Easy Carbo to supplement the Co2. I can't pump any more Co2 in from the cylinder because the two drop checkers are edging towards lemon yellow as it is. I have also added a big powe head in one corner to increase the flow. I have not made my mind up yet on the UV, still thinking about it.

Marketing gimmick. Water flows too fast past UV tube to do any good.
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumUVSterilization.html

Ian I read that article, some very useful information there thanks for posting it.

Keep the comments coming, we'll all learn from it.

Finally, why has drodgers post got a bug crawling round and round on it, I thought it was inside my screen!!

 

[Zak Rafik]

Hi
I have a Eheim reeflex 800 UV system ( 11 Watts) for my 255 lt planted tank. Its on a timer to run from 6pm to 6am so as not to mess up any EI fertz.

Currently my tank is going through a bad episode of algae attack. I have BBA, GSA, BGA ( sounds very geeky right?) and god knows what else.

So is the UV doing anything now? I don't know and I dare not experiment by switching the UV off.
When I first set the tank up, I even had brown algae all over the tank.
The main drawback with installing a UV system is the reduced flow in the tank and that will bring about its own set of problems.
I think a UV might be useful in a tank where you have big fish or messy eaters. It may help in the reduction of the nasty "stuffs" from the waste produced.

 

[Zak Rafik]

Finally, why has drodgers post got a bug crawling round and round on it, I thought it was inside my screen!!

At least you thought only. I actually tried to brush it off the screen yesterday thinking it was a real bug.

 

[Bhu]

One huge fat oto somewhere in that tank now ha ha ha

 

[ian_m]

And why do you guys say UV's eradicate green water algae only?

Because the algae has to be in the water column before the UV will touch it. Any algae growing on glass, rock, wood, plants etc isn't exposed to the UV, therefore won't be affected. For UV to affect any algae spores in the water, the UV exposure time & UV power has to be much greater than the in filter UV lamps provide.

 

[Edvet]

ecause the two drop checkers are edging towards lemon yellow as it is

which fluid and reagent are you using?

 

[Mr. Teapot]

For UV to affect any algae spores in the water, the UV exposure time & UV power has to be much greater than the in filter UV lamps provide.

I would also have thought the spores, unlike the full grown version, would have been quite well adapted to withstand unfavourable environments including exposure to high levels of ultraviolet.

 

[ceg4048]

UV radiation attacks both the spores as well as the germinated cells, damaging their DNA.
In GWA the germinated cells are suspended in the water column. That's why the water is green.
The spores typically are not suspended as they settle to the bottom and rest on leaves, tank walls and hardscape. The bulb therefore can only be effective against what is pulled in from the filter intake. The majority of spores escape but the suspended green cells are pulled in and are exposed to the radiation.

Cheers,

 

[ian_m]

I would also have thought the spores, unlike the full grown version, would have been quite well adapted to withstand unfavourable environments including exposure to high levels of ultraviolet

The UV light will be much stronger than the spores will meet in nature. But it does require sufficient "dwell time" for the UV to work, which the cheap UV units do not provide.

The best way to avoid the spores, obviously, is not to let spore generating algae appear in the first place, and even better than UV is a water change.