Is it possible to 'overdose' UV?

[arcanehacker]

I am currently using UV to control ich. Its integrated in my skimmer. Question is, how long should I be using my UV per day? Is it possible there is an over does of UV and kill my LSs? I've tried many hours and my LS (esp my inverts) are all ok. Is there any long term effect on my LSs?

I heard for some UV, they advised few hours per day.

[blueheaven]

what skimmer u using? how come can integrade UV?

[DeepBlue]

I dun thing it will kill your LS. My UV is on 24/7 for 1 year plus...dun have any problem...but you got to be prepared it will knocked out some of your good bacterias and bad ones as well.

some reefers switched it on for a few hours a day....I dun think it is useful to combat against ich if you have a big tank....

[arcanehacker]

Ah.. thanks.. then I probably leave it turned on longer.. For the bacterial part I wouldn't worry coz I dose bacterial stuff frequently..

BTW blueheaven, I'm usin gthe ViaAqua skimmer. Integrated with surface skimmer, UV & media compartment. $90...

[blueheaven]

cool :lol:

[dravan]

dun tink uv got any use if u having a huge tank.... they require a really slow flow rate to be effective against ich....

[DeepBlue]

perhaps can try ozonizers

[AlfaRomeo]

Ozonizers? way risky in my opinion..

[DeepBlue]

care to enlighten us?? it would be good to hear another exp

[ghost]

hi juz sharing my experience, i agree wif dravan... one of the uncles i know who is a spplier of those aquarium equipments told me tat actually those UV is not even enough for a large tank n also u cant switch on for quite long cos it will spoilt the bulbs inside, advise to onli switch on for 2 - 4 hr per day.. mine onli use for a month den nv use liao cos didnt reali see any effect in my tank

[AlfaRomeo]

No experience lah, just read stuff from this board and RC etc etc, it sounds like a disaster waiting to happen if you are not careful with ozonizers.There is a very real possibility of overdosing and wiping out your tank..

[roidan]

if you use ozoniser, u must get an orp controller to shut off the ozoniser when the orp readings get too high...

minimum you can do is to get an orp meter, it doesnt switch off the ozonizer for you..you gotta do it manually when the reading is high...

just like dosing additives, never add it without being able to test for it...

same for ozone, never add it without being able to read and know the orp readings...

and as you monitor your orp readings, you will know of a certain benchmark in your tank and when it falls drastically, it means there probably is a death somewhere substantial enough to cause a drop and you can try to get the dead stuff out before more damage to your tank...

and ozoniser can improve the perfomance of your skimmer by about 30% according to some websites coz it will break down organics much faster for your skimmer to skim out

[DeepBlue]

AlfaRomeo, Roidan bro . thanks....

for the UVs, My tank and my wife's tank has been using one for a long time(approx. a year plus), never been switched off...till today, still going strong...maybe its the brand and quality of stock in that batch...hmmm.........

anyway, I recently took it out to cut down electricity consumption from the pump and the UV light...

[roidan]

and you gotta change the uv tube inside after a few months each time because of the deterioration of the tube...one year is too long lah...but probably the system was also good enough not to have effective uv clarification/sterilization..

in fact, if you notice, most units are marketed as uv clarifiers....they clear the water but do not possess enough penetrative power to provide a sterilization effect....unless you use the highest wattage UV clarifier and use the lowest possible flowrate indicated on the box, then maybe there would be some sterilization..

other than that, mainly the aquarium uv units do is to clear up the water and in a way, improve water quality slightly...

[dravan]

mainly the uv tubes in the market is not effective... unless u use a super big tube.... with a super slow pump n increase the exposure time of the water to the uv rays.......

[arcanehacker]

perhaps can try ozonizers

tried the cheap one.. got smell leh.. then agian I got no sump so can't use it without having any risk... the good one cannot afford..

[weileong]

Also me clown and sailfin tang stop scratching itself on the sand bed... or maybe it because i added some 8CS to me tank... kekekeke....

8 CS? where did you buy the CS?