# UV sterlizer or no?



## Tony1983 (Feb 19, 2010)

I have a 60 gallon African tank, starting to get a brownish algae will this help solve my problem and would it be a good thing to have anyways? Can't really find much on them on here. I'm running a fluval 405 and also have t-5 lighting with 50/50 bulb and acentic, not sure of the spelling, so any suggestions would be helpful on if I should use uv or not and which ones are better or best for my application(s)

I do my water changes every week and clean the filter every month... I don't wanna add chemicals if I don't have to. Thanks in advance, Tony


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## Heyguy74 (Aug 11, 2005)

A UV sterilizer will only kill bacteria/ algae that actually pass through it. It wont kill any algae on the glass/ rocks etc. Brown algea is actually diatoms. This is normal on a new tank. It can appear in the tank for the first 6 months or so. You can add a pleco to eat the algea. A bushynose pleco will eat the algae. It will eventually turn to green algae. The pleco will also handle that algae as well. If the pleco eats all the algae you will eventually have to feed the pleco.


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## toledo guy (Jun 23, 2010)

I also run a 405 on my 75g. Been running a uv sterilizer since July when tank started up. Well within the last month I have brown algae all over my rocks. The fish seem to like it and I am getting used to the look. Something I did try was adding a phosphate remover in the filter. This was Seachem Phos-ban. Removes phosphates and silicates. I let this run about a week and could see the algae was dying off! But after seeing my africans still nibbling on rocks I removed the stuff and am letting algae do its thing awhile. So the uv filter never prevented the algae.


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## ezrk (Aug 22, 2010)

I added one recently and found it helped clear up the water.


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## morfeus077 (May 9, 2009)

possible that you run the lights too long or that it gets too much ambient daylight from a window or even a reflection from a wall?


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## Tony1983 (Feb 19, 2010)

I'm gonna try even more less light. The lights are only ony for no more then a total of 9 hrs a day. And the natural sunlight isn't a factor due to the blinds being closed in my bedroom.


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## Tony1983 (Feb 19, 2010)

Oh forgot to add I have a pleco that I purchased when I started my first tank abour. Yrs and half ago. He-s now about 7 inches long so idk if he's not eating it all or what but the plants and rocks get this brown colored algae looking stuff and I just don't want it to harm the fish. I also feed them only once a day as well


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## Heyguy74 (Aug 11, 2005)

If its a common pleco, they aren't the best algae eaters. Especially when the get larger. don't worry about it harming the fish its harmless to them.


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## Tony1983 (Feb 19, 2010)

So its wise to introduce another pleco? What kind should I get? I've been noticing that the one I have now is also eating the cichlid food. Like its swimming to it as it falls... Suggestions plz


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## Stellaluna (May 8, 2006)

I'd check nitrates. Often the brown algae thrives with higher levels of nitrate.

The source of the problem could indeed be the pleco, with its high waste production, as well as possible overfeeding you may be doing to be sure the cichlids get enough (I'm guessing).

I'm generally not a fan of plecos as "cleaner" fish, since the waste most species produce just adds more nutrients to the water, feeding the algae. If you just like plecos, that's a whole nother situation, of course - but many people feel tanks ought to have them to make algae problems go away, when the opposite can be true in many cases.

Excess nutrients in the water (all forms of organic waste) + ample light = algae. Algae species have an amazing ability to thrive on even the slightest excess of either light or nutrients, and you don't necessarily have to have both to get algae, as long as there is enough of one of them. For brown algae, it is very frequently excess nutrients to blame.

As for UV sterilizers, I think everyone ought to have one in their tool kit. I've lost battles with green water using blackouts and major PWCs, but the UV sterilizer took care of it promptly. Once the problem went away I took off the sterilizer - the bulbs are expensive. They can also do a great job on parasites like ich.


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## Tony1983 (Feb 19, 2010)

Hey stell thanks for the info! in your opinion what would you use as a cleaner fish then? imo I don't over feed them but that's just me maybe you would think so. I do my h20 changes once a week and clean the filter one every 2 weeks. the tank is at a constant 80 degrees. Like I said b4 I just don't want this stuff to harm my lil guys. What's the best cleaner fish. I don't have green water probs at all... Its actually crystal clear even looking through the side. Clueless on where it came from and how it started thanks again everyone its a big help


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## Stellaluna (May 8, 2006)

I don't think you need a cleaner fish at all, pleco or not.

If you like catfish, keep catfish. If there is a mess to be cleaned up, then you are overfeeding, so cut back. More fish = more waste on the bottom and in the water column, so there is no real "cleaning" going on.

This is just my own personal philosophy after so many years in the hobby. I do think there are cleaner fish required in SW setups, but IMO not necessary in FW.


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## morfeus077 (May 9, 2009)

+1

besides... alge does not harm the fish and most cichlids will graze on it, especially mbuna. I's say try skipping 2 days on feeding during the week (not back to back days) and cut the light down to 8 hours or less... I bet you see improvement in 2 weeks.


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