Back to Back Issues Page |
The Goldfish Gazette, Issue #004 -- Choosing The Right Goldfish Pond UV Sterilizer April 30, 2014 |
Goldfish Care Tips and GuidelinesA Free Monthly Resource For Goldfish Enthusiasts In this issue Like filters there are many different options available, all guaranteed to work perfectly by the manufacturer. However, unlike filters, a UV sterilizer is a bit more technical. Choosing The Right Pond UV SterilizerLet's first start by sorting out some confusion. The difference between the two is this...UV clarifiers only remove algae that cause green water. To remove green water from a pond a UV clarifier will do the job. For Level 1 sterilization which kills bacteria, some viruses and removes green water, you need a sterilizer.
This level of sterilization is usually limited to aquariums. Sterilizers come in four variations: 1. Inline, fitted after the filter What style you choose doesn't really matter, it's how effective it is that matters. Before purchasing any UV sterilizer this is a good time to discuss what sterilizers can and can’t do as there seems to be some mis-information circulating around the Net. 1. Sterilizers will not remove algae growing on pond or tank surfaces. These types of algae don’t live in the water column so cannot be removed by passing through a UV sterilizer. The sterilizer may kill free floating spores, but any control of the algae would be very limited. 2. A sterilizer will kill beneficial nitrifying bacteria. This is partly correct. If a pond or aquarium has an established filter, the beneficial bacteria live in the filter. Any bacteria (good or bad) circulating in the water can be killed if the sterilizer is strong enough. Before a filter becomes established which takes about two weeks, it would pay not to run a sterilizer. 3. UV sterilization does not remove minerals from the water. 4. A sterilizer won’t cure fish with a bacterial, fungal or parasitical disease. If the disease detaches from the fish into the water, and the sterilizer is strong enough, the sterilizer can help control the spread of the disease. 5. Sterilizers and clarifiers don’t lower fish immunity; they probably improve it by destroying oxidizers in the water. 6. Clarifiers are only used for water clarification. Sterilizers can sterilize ponds and aquariums of bacteria, parasites and viruses but the water flow has to be much lower per lamp watt. 7. Sterilizers do not harm freshwater planted aquariums. 8. UV sterilizers don’t remove the need for partial water changes and other routine maintenance. Clear water does not automatically mean the water is in good condition. In summary then, a UV sterilizer isn’t absolutely necessary, but it certainly cuts down on maintenance, and the benefits of having one are certainly great, especially when expensive or hard to replace goldfish are involved. What's New On The WebsiteGoldfish Pond UV SterilizersTo fill in some of the gaps in the article above and keep the E-zine to a reasonable length, I've added a page on sterilizers. Here is the link…Goldfish Pond UV Sterilizers.
Comments? Ideas? Feedback? I'd love to hear from you. Just reply to this e-zine and tell me what you think, or what topics you want covered. Next Month’s Topic Aquarium Filters - choosing the right one. |
Back to Back Issues Page |