UV Sterilizers

Question
What is your opinion of UV sterilizers for both saltwater
and freshwater?

Answer
Hi Debbie. In my opinion in a properly maintained saltwater or freshwater tank and with using good quarantine practices before adding new fish, UV sterilizers are not necessary. They can be costly and inefficient if not properly set up. The UV rays coming off the bulbs are dangerous to your health if you are exposed to them. UV sterilizers may be helpful in controlling some algae outbreaks and some parasitic outbreaks but they do not completely eradicate them from the system. A UV sterilizer will only kill parasites in the free swimming stage and only the ones that pass through the unit. This same holds true for algal control; it will not kill the algae in a tank only the algal spores that pass through the chamber. Do I think in freshwater or saltwater that this is a necessary piece of equipment? Absolutely not! All algae and disease can be controlled and even eradicated with  good husbandry practices, testing and maintaining proper water chemistry and well set up aquarium. Relying on a piece of equipment to keep your tank from disease or algae blooms may turn out to be very disappointing.

The only application I feel it may be necessary to use a UV sterilizer is in an out door pond. In this sort of environment you have little control of parasites and bacteria that may enter your water. Some amphibians and birds can be intermediate hosts of some nasty fish diseases and trying to control weather or not an infected bird flies over your pond and poops is not possible!