Uv sterilizer in or out?

[Silverni2]

After a year in this hobby I've noticed there's very little talk about uv sterilizers. I purchased my system used and just kept the uv sterilizer hooked up to the existing plumbing. I guess my question is should I turn the bulb off or leave it on?
Thanks

 

[Og Drogon]

After a year in this hobby I've noticed there's very little talk about uv sterilizers. I purchased my system used and just kept the uv sterilizer hooked up to the existing plumbing. I guess my question is should I turn the bulb off or leave it on?
Thanks

My tank looks much better when I use it.
But since I've heard it also kills pods, I don't use it all the time.
I'm starting to use it during the day and off at night when the pods are more active....... But I'm just winging it cause I don't know either if it's good to use:-/


I'm Nemo's mother!

 

[masterswimmer]

Without offering any opinion on the efficacy of a UV sterilizer, I will say yours isn't doing any good on your system if you've been using it for over a year without changing the bulb. The bulbs on a UV sterilizer are only good for 8-12 months depending upon how many hours you run it per day. So even running it for 8-10 hrs/day it would still be spent after a year.

Russ

 

[Wesley]

UV sterilizer kills everything in the water column. Both good and bad. I had it running for 8 months when my system got ich from some new fish. Ich was gone, along with all the pods. No algae in the water neither. Crystal clear water all the time.

Basically you'll get some completely sterilized water. It would be good for business setting. I also resurrected my UV and put into my grow out system for my baby fish. A good way to keep the water sterile in such overcrowded condition.