Uv sterilizer yay or nay?

[billaweed]

So this could very well be partly the fact that my tank is only a few months old and the fact i just added a sump, but i have a bacteria bloom clouding my tank. It's happened before when my tank was just through its cycle. I have plenty of surface agitation (2 700gph powerheads and my sump return) and filter floss in my sump, but its still cloudy. All my parameters are perfect. Would a uv sterilizer help?

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[billaweed]

Originally Posted by billaweed

So this could very well be partly the fact that my tank is only a few months old and the fact i just added a sump, but i have a bacteria bloom clouding my tank. It's happened before when my tank was just through its cycle. I have plenty of surface agitation (2 700gph powerheads and my sump return) and filter floss in my sump, but its still cloudy. All my parameters are perfect. Would a uv sterilizer help?

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Heres a pic

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[Breadman03]

It might. The water in my 150 looked like that for 3 years until I added a UV. It was a continual haze that didn't seem to be there when my lights first turned on, but was clearly visible 15 minutes later.

[Bent]

Are you dosing any carbon?

[Dmorty217]

Yes it will help

[billaweed]

Originally Posted by Bent

Are you dosing any carbon?

Yes. Running active carbon

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[2_zoa]

Originally Posted by billaweed

Yes. Running active carbon

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Bent, was referring to a carbon source. Ie....dosing vinegar, sugar, vodka, either singular, or any combination of the three.

Dosing a carbon source drives bacteria. Which, could have been one of the reasons you have cloudy water.

[billaweed]

Originally Posted by 2_zoa

Bent, was referring to a carbon source. Ie....dosing vinegar, sugar, vodka, either singular, or any combination of the three.

Dosing a carbon source drives bacteria. Which, could have been one of the reasons you have cloudy water.

Ohh.. i have never "dosed" anything. I usually dose myself with vodka tho..

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[billaweed]

I was reading through some forum posts and seeing a 50/50 on whether or not UV Sterilizers are good for prolonged use. Based on the assumption that they kill all bacteria good and bad. So if i get one should i use it to clear up the bacteria bloom then turn it off or ?

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[FirstContact]

I run ozone. I would think a UV sterilizer would result in the same thing - clear water. With ozone you recharge the silica beads every week or so depending on how many cartridges you have. With UV you usually replace the bulb once a year. An ozone generator can be turned up or down depending on the size of your system. A UV sterilizer has to purchased at the appropriate size and flow for your system.

[2_zoa]

Originally Posted by billaweed

I was reading through some forum posts and seeing a 50/50 on whether or not UV Sterilizers are good for prolonged use. Based on the assumption that they kill all bacteria good and bad. So if i get one should i use it to clear up the bacteria bloom then turn it off or ?

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If you get one, get a good one. Don’t go cheap. Unless it’s a good one for cheap.

I run one and I run the flow rate as such that I get a polished water look from it. So, flow rate really determines what they kill. The bacteria we want colonize surfaces and not so much in the water column. So a uv really wont kill the good bacteria in an established tank.

It really depends on what’s truly causing the cloudy water. Stirred up sand, after water changes, age.....what is your alk, cal, mag numbers out of curiosity.

[MGP]

Run one for a few days and clear up your tank, after that decide if you want to keep running it. I bet you will

[billaweed]

Originally Posted by 2_zoa

If you get one, get a good one. Don’t go cheap. Unless it’s a good one for cheap.

I run one and I run the flow rate as such that I get a polished water look from it. So, flow rate really determines what they kill. The bacteria we want colonize surfaces and not so much in the water column. So a uv really wont kill the good bacteria in an established tank.

It really depends on what’s truly causing the cloudy water. Stirred up sand, after water changes, age.....what is your alk, cal, mag numbers out of curiosity.

Havent tested ka or mag, but calcium is 450'ish as of yesterday. In the morning my water is clear, but later in the day it geys cloudy. I also added a couple pieces of rock yesterday that that was cured but not live. And like i said i added a sump yesterday as well. This all started after adding my sump.

I did have a bacteria bloom a month ago that went away after a week, but kinda weird to have another one unless its just common for newr tanks..

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[billaweed]

I meant to say alk and calcium.

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[billaweed]

Originally Posted by billaweed

I meant to say alk and calcium.

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Lol... alk and mag!

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[billaweed]

Originally Posted by MGP

Run one for a few days and clear up your tank, after that decide if you want to keep running it. I bet you will

Ill order one.. any suggestions? I would like a solid inexpensive one.

Whats odd is that my buddy has the same setup and he has crystal clear water with no sump. Although his tank is 3 years old

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[JenkinsThePole]

I just had a weird snowball effect of dead snails that left my tank like that for a few weeks. Have you noticed any increase in algae in the tank? If so they may be using up all of the nutrients you're testing before hence the good parameters. My other question for you is what all is in that sump? If you have any rubble or sand in it then maybe the particles are just getting kicked up. My problem still isn't 100% resolved but it got a lot better after I found all the dead snails and got them out. If the problem doesn't get better then I would try one but i'd give it a few more days. I lost about $40 in livestock (no corals thankfully) from what I assume was the oxygen getting stripped from the tank from bloom. Which for $60 I could've got a sterilizer and maybe saved that livestock. But from what i've read yay or nay on it seems to be pretty polarized. I'd at least rule out precipitation though. I read somewhere that getting a glass of tank water and letting it sit overnight should show you if its bacteria or something like really fine suspended sand. Good Luck.

[2_zoa]

So, it might be precipitation. Adding the sump would mean an addition of water. As I mentioned, water changes can cause cloudy water.

[Bent]

Originally Posted by 2_zoa

If you get one, get a good one. Don’t go cheap. Unless it’s a good one for cheap.

I run one and I run the flow rate as such that I get a polished water look from it. So, flow rate really determines what they kill. The bacteria we want colonize surfaces and not so much in the water column. So a uv really wont kill the good bacteria in an established tank.

It really depends on what’s truly causing the cloudy water. Stirred up sand, after water changes, age.....what is your alk, cal, mag numbers out of curiosity.

I’m running a cheapo 75 watt sunsun. It’s doing great. Had some issues getting intact quartz sleeves from the seller but eventually got a pair. So far so good but it’s only been a week.

110 bucks for 75 Watts is hard to pass up.

[2_zoa]

Originally Posted by JenkinsThePole

I just had a weird snowball effect of dead snails that left my tank like that for a few weeks. Have you noticed any increase in algae in the tank? If so they may be using up all of the nutrients you're testing before hence the good parameters. My other question for you is what all is in that sump? If you have any rubble or sand in it then maybe the particles are just getting kicked up. My problem still isn't 100% resolved but it got a lot better after I found all the dead snails and got them out. If the problem doesn't get better then I would try one but i'd give it a few more days. I lost about $40 in livestock (no corals thankfully) from what I assume was the oxygen getting stripped from the tank from bloom. Which for $60 I could've got a sterilizer and maybe saved that livestock. But from what i've read yay or nay on it seems to be pretty polarized. I'd at least rule out precipitation though. I read somewhere that getting a glass of tank water and letting it sit overnight should show you if its bacteria or something like really fine suspended sand. Good Luck.

Depends on what the water parameters are, that aren’t being measured. Even the brand of salt.

[billaweed]

Originally Posted by JenkinsThePole

I just had a weird snowball effect of dead snails that left my tank like that for a few weeks. Have you noticed any increase in algae in the tank? If so they may be using up all of the nutrients you're testing before hence the good parameters. My other question for you is what all is in that sump? If you have any rubble or sand in it then maybe the particles are just getting kicked up. My problem still isn't 100% resolved but it got a lot better after I found all the dead snails and got them out. If the problem doesn't get better then I would try one but i'd give it a few more days. I lost about $40 in livestock (no corals thankfully) from what I assume was the oxygen getting stripped from the tank from bloom. Which for $60 I could've got a sterilizer and maybe saved that livestock. But from what i've read yay or nay on it seems to be pretty polarized. I'd at least rule out precipitation though. I read somewhere that getting a glass of tank water and letting it sit overnight should show you if its bacteria or something like really fine suspended sand. Good Luck.

I have a huge increase in coralline algae. Literally purple spots all over my glass and rock. But no bad algae. All parameters are good too. And nothing has died in my tank. I wonder if its just particulates from changing my zeolite and active carbon. Although that doesnt explain why the cloudiness gets worse during the day.

Fish and coral seem to be not affected

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[billaweed]

I use IO for salt

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[Bent]

I’m not convinced that’s a bacterial bloom. Looks parcipitant to me...

[2_zoa]

Originally Posted by billaweed

I have a huge increase in coralline algae. Literally purple spots all over my glass and rock. But no bad algae. All parameters are good too. And nothing has died in my tank. I wonder if its just particulates from changing my zeolite and active carbon. Although that doesnt explain why the cloudiness gets worse during the day.

Fish and coral seem to be not affected

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Why do you have zeolite in your system? Did you rinse it well?

[billaweed]

Originally Posted by 2_zoa

Why do you have zeolite in your system? Did you rinse it well?

I rinsed it as good as i could. I put it in as preventative measures for ammonia tho i don't really need it i guess. For whatever reason i thought it was a good idea and have been replacing it once a month since i started Rinsing it till its clean.

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