Kessil

UV filter vs Media Reactor

Reefdad

Reefdad

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I am trying to find the differences or advantages of using either a UV filter or a media reactor with a phosban type media for overall algae control. I know the UV will help prevent disease but is that its only advantage. Not looking at cost can someone tell me which is more effective. My overall goal is to cut down on overall algae. I under stand the feeding and extensive lighting schedules contribute. but once that is at its lowest reasonable level, what would be the next step?
 
UV will not do much to cut down algae, a phosphate reactor will be much better if algae control is your goal.
 
I'm currently battling hair algae. My approach is basically this:

1) light feeding and heavy skimming to reduce nutrients
2) macro algae to compete for nutrients
3) manual removal to reduce the overall amount
4) snails to clean up what's left

Seems to be getting there, slowly but surely.

I don't want to use phosban because I want good macro algae growth. I'm not sure that a UV filter would really have any benefit.
 
IME UVs seem to help with diatoms and other micro algae, but not with hair algae. I believe that when you wipe down your tank the diatoms can settle out, but if you have a UV it kills much of the algae off before it can settle a least that's what I think happens, I dunno on the tank I service with UVs I tend to have less diatom growth.

That said, I prefer to use reactors with GFO as they are less prone to breaking and are more effective at overall algae control.
 
what Ian and Jeremy said, UV filters are primarily used for the micro-plankton type matter, so if your water is a little greenish/yellow, if you get too many brown dots on your glass (which IMO isn't that big of an issue), and maybe to a lesser extent it'll help with bubble algae as their spores are in the water when they pop, however hair algae is all a nutrient issue that's keeping that alive, if they can't reproduce, no problem they'll just live like crab grass and smile at you all day long.

The downside is if you kill the microscopic algae you'll also remove one more competitor for nutrients for the algae you want to get rid of. Plus the whole food chain thing by killing off the smallest of "food" items.
 
Hey, if you get some GFO, you can just toss it in your sump in a mesh bag, that's what I'm doing at the moment. If it doesn't help, then I'll stick it in my old cannister filter. I know that a mesh bag sitting in a sump barely gets any real flow through it...but it's the easiest option!

V
 
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