how long should i run uv light and phosban reactor

[arnaldolex]

ive been in the hobbie for about 12 years and never used a uv or a phosban reactor or a protien skimmer and my tanks where always good but i caught ick for the first time and wanted to get into sps so am changing my ways my question is how long should i run the uv light or should i just turn it off and run it only when i get new fish i never had a qt tank and i did good until recently, the ick is all gone left the tank fishless for 2 months and the phosban reactor my phosphates at 0 should i still keep running and how often should i change the media all my levels are good and i wanna keep them that way and i got a protien skimmer but dont like using it i feel it takes out all the nutrients you want in your water i rather do water changes whats ya opinion and if i put a carbon reactor will that pull nutrients out from my water

 

[Josh]

I don't know why you think that a protein skimmer will pull nutrients out of your water.

Anyhow, your phosphates are NOT 0. What test kit are you using? Measuring phosphate is very tricky and it is almost impossible to get to 0.

To answer your question, you should be using the phosban reactor 100% of the time.

I have never used a UV sterilizer so I can't comment on that.

 

[Silverni2]

I use a phosban reactor 24/7 change the media every 6 weeks. Same with carbon and uv sterilizer. I have a mixed reef. There's a lot of different ways to run a reef!

 

[shmibly]

The uv is meant to run 24/7 I believe. The bulbs can get expensive though.

 

[JimmyR1rider]

Theres no need to run a UV sterilizer unless there is a parasitic disease outbreak in your tank.

Each type of bacteria/parasite that a UV will kill require different flow rates because different pests need different amounts of exposure to the light to kill them. You'll never kill everything that a UV will with one flow rate.

Phos ban ran 24/7 and changed monthly