Just wanted to share my experience of using a UV steriliser over the last week or so.

A load of spawning activity and a poorly executed clean of one of my two canister filters led to serious green water problems for about a month (since the start of April) in my 250l tank.

I tried everything, reduced the lighting way down, drew all the blinds, reduced the feeding. I nearly broke my back doing 50l water changed and gravel hoovers every other day but I just couldn't get the floating algae to say goodbye.

Now I know that its generally a sign of a healthy tank but I couldn't see my four beautiful ranchus and pearlscales if they left the front of the tank.

As a last ditch I bought a Vecttron UV unit, split one of the outflows of one of my canisters so that about 250lph is flowing through it and ran it all weekend.

I kept the lighst low and after 3 days did a water change.

The water is absolutely crystal clear. I was sceptical about the technology before I started but this is seriously good.

I wish I'd taken before photos so that I could show you all the transformation.

Anyway, this is my first thread and I'm only posting it as I did so much research here and felt that I should give something back. If any UK goldfish fans want info on where I got it and how I set it up then just let me know.

Thanks all

Ben

Welcome! I think it is wonderful that you are sharing. Yes - it is always good to hear when technology actually does what it is supposed to do. Those UV's are great, are they not? I loooooove mine. I use it for parasite control as well, and, as near as I can determine is a great help in that area also.

Hi chongochingi,
I had the same experience recently and did take photos. The water was pea soup and then I installed a Coral Life Turbo Twist 3X. In a few days it was clear and now it is crystal clear!

Here is before:


And after:

yup, that's pretty much my story too. Pea soup to crystal clear.

One of my lovely ranchus recently lost an eye during a particularly amorous spawning chase and I'm really hoping that the UV will also help keep nasty infections to a minimum too.

And the cost - about 70 quid including connectors etc - is a fraction of the chiropractors' bills that would have been coming my way if I had had to continue my 3 times a week water changes. Those buckets of water aren't light!

Wynkin--> How much was your UV sterilizer? I'm looking to get one, but they're all expensive. And where did you get it?

Thanks!

Wow, it's amazing they cleared the water up like that!
Do they happen to help brown algae? My tank is close to a big window and I notice more brown algae build up in the sunny months.

Wow Wynkin!! That is quite a change in the before and after photos.

A UV sterilizer will not eliminate the algae that is attached on the walls and decorations of the tank - it only will clear the free floating algae - the type that makes your water than extraordinary radiation green! It will help kill off any free floating parasites when they are in the stage of swimmers, but cannot kill anything that is on a fish.

They can only sterilize what is actually suspended in the water that passes through the tube and is exposed to the UV light.

Hi,
I bought it from Big Al's online, it was around $70. I have heard that it is a very good one and that is a good price.

Ok that's good to know...thanks daryl!