would a uv filter be beneficial for my octo tank or will it negate everything my refugium is doing?

It might help keep any hair algae from growing but that's about it.

not a bad thing,a friend gave me one so i figured i would use it.aslong as it didnt negate what my refugium was doing.thanks.

UV's sterilize the water pretty well if the bulb is still good and it is an appropriate size. Sometimes they can be bad if they are over spec or on too long and the will take out too many beneficial organisms as well as the bad ones.

maybe ill put it on a timer and only run it a few hours a day.

I know Jean has recommended against the use of UV because of problems in a local fishery. I did not have much luck finding the post though.

UV filters are good if used properly. You just have to install them in the right place, have the correct amount of water flow through them and make sure you change the bulbs every 9-12 months. There is no need to have a timer on it.

should it be on the intake or the return side?

I would place it after any other filteration. Allow sponges, carbon, etc. to hit the water before the sterilizer does.

thanks again.

should it be on the intake or the return side?

It should be on the return side. The water that goes through the UV filter should be as clean as possible. Dirty water will inhibit the UV light from passing through. If you know the Wattage of the UV filter and the size of your tank you can calculate the water flow you need for it to work properly.

its a 75g tank and the bulb is 9 watts

its a 75g tank and the bulb is 9 watts

That UV filter is a little small for that tank. The flow rate throught the filter should be ~4gpm which is hard to do. Usually for a 75g tank a 25 watt or higher UV filter is used. But since it is not really needed for keeping a ceph you can have a high flow rate through it, but if you double the flow rate than it cuts how effective the filter is by half.

There have been some issues with UV if you want to breed, there seems to be some mutation occurring in mollusc and crustacean larvae even if they don't pass through the UV (deformed shell, foot, damaged internal organs, increased moult death syndrome in the crustys) the problems all vanished when the UV was removed. So I'm hesitant about it even if you're not planning on breeding. course I could just be prejudiced!


J

i realy dont think i need it, like i said a friend gave it to me.i was just wondering if it would be benifical.i appreciate your help,it doesnt sound like it would accomplish much at all.thanks again.