Sterilizers?

[gourami_fan]

Ok, I have been thinking about getting a internal sterilizer, but I just need a little more knowledge on this subject.

Doesn't the UV ray from the light damage all living things and does it have to be run all day long or can I just turn it on once every other day, or just days when algae blooms or diseases occur?

 

[alessasavoca]

it kills all the nasties in the water, but the UV lamp is within a plasic covering so the only thing that is exposed to the UV is the water itself, not the fish. They make the water crystal clear and they seem to do a good job of clearing up any disease. It's up to you when you want to run it but if you left it on all the time it wouldn't hurt the fish.

 

[SuperColey1]

To answer the question correctly it wont kill algae and it wont clear up disease.

What a UV does is it kills parasites and algae spores that are in the water and therefore pass over the UV light.

If you have algae on a plant then it is attached and will not pass through the UV

If you already have disease then the parasite has already found its host and therefore will not pass through the UV.


I have had an internal and currently have an external and it is true that they can prevent disease as long as the parasite has not found a host yet and they do keep a crystal clear tank but it is wrong to suggest that they clear up disease because they won't.

Andy

 

[gourami_fan]

Oh thanks, that clears things up quite well. I guess the UV does have to be on constantly or atleast most of the time in order to keep the spores and parasites at its lowest.

 

[SkiFletch]

Oh thanks, that clears things up quite well. I guess the UV does have to be on constantly or atleast most of the time in order to keep the spores and parasites at its lowest.

Correct. UV's best uses are preventative and cleaning up water-borne algae commonly called "green water"

 

[alessasavoca]

To answer the question correctly it wont kill algae and it wont clear up disease.

What a UV does is it kills parasites and algae spores that are in the water and therefore pass over the UV light.

If you have algae on a plant then it is attached and will not pass through the UV

If you already have disease then the parasite has already found its host and therefore will not pass through the UV.


I have had an internal and currently have an external and it is true that they can prevent disease as long as the parasite has not found a host yet and they do keep a crystal clear tank but it is wrong to suggest that they clear up disease because they won't.

Andy

Oops sorry my bad - I meant that it clears up the parasites that cause disease-that's what you get for typing at work and not thinking straight!!