UV Lighting OK?

[yippy]

Hi guys, I recently bought a reflector light and got a Blue UV tube as well as the normal one. I have taken the UV light out temporarily as i was told that they can make fish sterile. Im not interested in breeding but I was also told that fish dont grow as well with UV lights. I have 4 mature discus and 3 juveniles in that particular tank so its the juveniles im concerned about. I have 2 other juveniles in another tank with no UV but havent had the UV long enough to see if theres any difference. Ive been told 3 different things from three different people - does anyone know if this is true? One local shop has a UV on every display tank in the shop - so im confused!
Hope someone can advise me! ??? ??? ???
Yippy

[korbi_doc]

Hi Yippy, UV is a controversial subject. I don't believe that it is necessary in a well maintained tank with lotsa w/c. That said I do use it & have it in my 90g tank & definitely in a QT tank. Have one sitting there for my 125, but haven't set it up yet. Maybe I'll get to that today, since I have it I feel I should use it. There is no evidence that it slows growth or makes fish infertile & if it did I may be induced to put it everywhere since I'm not wanting all that extra work, hahahahahahahahaha! J/K. It does help with algae & that shows in my tanks. The 125g has a diatom algae problem for which it should help, especially after I have scrubbed down all the walls. There is none in the 90g, same water & same treatment, so go for it, It will not adversely affect the good bacteria in the filters, it only treats the am't water exposed to it thru the unit, no miracles, lol, Dottie ;D ;D

One of the other theories is that using a sterilizer keeps the water TOOO clean...with zero pathogens in the water column, the fish's immune system has nothing to keep it "in shape"
Basically...it weakens(supossedly) the fish's immune system, so if/when there are ever pathogens introduced...ie. You stop using the UV...you get sick fish because thier immune system isnt capable of handling the "bombardment" of new pathogens.

Do I buy it?....Dunno...Ive never used, or had the need for one. Large water changes have always kept my tanks clean and my fish healthy.

Tony

[korbi_doc]

NAAAAAAAHHHHHH! Hi Tony, don't buy it--- another in a long line of fallacies or is it "old wives' tales" !!!!! JMO hahahahahaha!! Dottie ;D ;D

Hey Dottie

I pretty much dont buy it either....
I can MAYBE see it happening if a particular strain was developed and constantly kept with UV generation after generation....but thats about it.

Tony

[yippy]

Hmmm thanks guys, the only reason i bought the reflector light was because the guy at the shop said the uv used with with white light brings the colours out more - id rather have healthy fish than making them look prettier in the tank - i do 2 x 50% water changes per week and also a quick vac every other day for uneaten food. I have a sacem marathon 1000 external filter and also a "shark" 800 sponge filter in the tank so my water is always up to scratch anyway. So now im more confused than ever! I only had the uv light in for a few a days so i dont know whether to leave it out or put it back in. The tube cost me $60 so maybe the guy at the shop saw me coming!
Yippy ???

[Steve_Warner]

Hi all,
Guys, I think Yippy is referring to a light bulb, not a UV filter. Yippy, does the bulb say Actinic or something like that? It must be a heavy blue spectrum bulb such as is used in salt setups. I don't know if it affects sterility, but can't see a reason why it would. Anyone?


Steve

[yippy]

Hi Steve, yeah it is just the bulb and its an "Actinic" 03. Where i bought it the guy has those lights on every tank in the shop and hes won heaps of awards and stuff so i dont think he wouldve sold it to me if was harmful. Theres also another type of bulb that alot of people are buying here and its 50% white and 50% actinic so i guess they dont do any harm or they wouldnt sell them (or would they)!!! Anyway, thanks heaps for your help. I did ask a discus breeder about a UV filter ages ago and she advised me against it.
Yippy

[Bass]

I'm amazed they actually make high kelvin globes with the UV protector removed!?
Actinic skin diseases in humans are quite common. I'd Imagine a fish, especially a Discus, which has evolved in brackish water with a light spectrum around 3.0k, would be extremely susceptible to UV.
More worrying than whether or not they start shooting blanks after you put in an overhead UV lamp, might be the eventual skin problems.

Don't take that as gospel, I hardly ever know what I'm talking about

[korbi_doc]

Hi guys, wouldn't you know, I did misinterpret 'bout UV. Forgot 'bout the reef use of it, I use the double helix UV sterilizers. Thanks, Steve for straightening that out! Anyway, either way, for the most part it's pretty safe & I have been inclined to use the 50% actinic bulbs for color & good lite, haven't yet. However, Bass raises a good point 'bout skin being exposed to too much irradiation with non-covered bulbs. I'm bowing to experienced ppl on this forum in planted sections, since I have no experience here. So, Yippy, try that & get to those who may know what you're dealing with. & it sounds like a really cool lite to me, but you need to be safe. lol, Dottie

[yippy]

hi Guys, i just remembered about this guy i know here where i live who is like a fish vet, he used to work for the australian government quarantiniing fish and knows everything about everything. he now runs his own business setting up display tanks for aquarium shops and has even been to my house to look at a sick betta i had. so i will call him today and ask him what he thinks. I'll let you know what he says and hopefully we will get to the bottom of this mystery! But youve all been very helpful so i reaaly appreciate appreciate your replies.
Thanks again guys, Yippy