Need Advice On Uv Sterilizer

[squeakytoy]

I gots troubles.

I have the tank up and running, and as I was bringing over a lot of plants (surface area) from the previous tank, and I thought I was bringing a fair load of bio along with them. Guess not. To top it off, I just got through an algae bloom, (ordered a sterilizer then to deal with future blooms and diseases) and now I am having issues with the tank cycle. 2 days ago, my nitrites were through the roof and I did three 50% water changes. The last 2 days have been 50% as well, but I am showing ammonia (maybe about 0.5), as well as nitrites of at least 2ppm. I live in Northern Virginia, with very high levels of chlorine as well as other goodies in the tap water, so I am treating with prime, but I have no way to store and pre-treat 35 gallons of water each day. So, every time I change the water, I am bound to be killing off some good bacteria in addition to removing built up toxins.

So I am in a bit of a pickle here. My big question here is do I install the sterilizer, as stressed fish are more succeptible to waterborne pathogens, and risk the destruction of the nitrifying bacteria; or do I wait (hope?) for the tank to stabilize and then install it?

Any advice is welcome on treating the entire scope of the problem. Thanks in advance,

 

[raptorrex]

I gots troubles.

I have the tank up and running, and as I was bringing over a lot of plants (surface area) from the previous tank, and I thought I was bringing a fair load of bio along with them. Guess not. To top it off, I just got through an algae bloom, (ordered a sterilizer then to deal with future blooms and diseases) and now I am having issues with the tank cycle. 2 days ago, my nitrites were through the roof and I did three 50% water changes. The last 2 days have been 50% as well, but I am showing ammonia (maybe about 0.5), as well as nitrites of at least 2ppm. I live in Northern Virginia, with very high levels of chlorine as well as other goodies in the tap water, so I am treating with prime, but I have no way to store and pre-treat 35 gallons of water each day. So, every time I change the water, I am bound to be killing off some good bacteria in addition to removing built up toxins.

So I am in a bit of a pickle here. My big question here is do I install the sterilizer, as stressed fish are more succeptible to waterborne pathogens, and risk the destruction of the nitrifying bacteria; or do I wait (hope?) for the tank to stabilize and then install it?

Any advice is welcome on treating the entire scope of the problem. Thanks in advance,

usually, only a very small amount of the bacteria needed for nitrification, are free in the water. my guess would be that it would have little or no effect on them. others however may have a different opinion.