Fishy tales from the Aquarium

An Ultra Violet Sterilizer is a device that filters water filtration using an ultraviolet light bulb to kill microscopic organisms. I always knew it more in the context of the home water purifier, but it given that it helps cleanse the water from known bacteria and stuff, it would also be pretty useful for an aquarium.
The aquarium UV Filter, is typically a fairly long and generally cylindrical device made of plastic with inlet and outlet at opposite ends. The plastic is the outer casing – inside is a glass envelope and inside this is the bulb. The bulb would need to be replaced every six months or so, so be sure to keep one handy. Between the glass and the bulb is a thin gap through which the seawater flows. Ordinary glass cannot be used as it absorbs the UV light, therefore it is quartz glass, which needs regular cleaning.

Water is pumped through the device and returned directly to the aquarium or sump. In the process, the algae in the water column is damaged or destroyed, along with any parasites.
For maximum efficiency, the UV unit should be placed last in the filtration line – this way, the mechanical filter would remove all the solids first.
Now, if you have a filtered and maintained indoor aquarium, you will not really need a UV sanitizer, but if you have expensive fish, it may help towards ensuring that parasites in the water are reduced – they may not completely vanish, since the parasites need to make their trip by the UV bulb to ensure their doom. A reduction in the parasites, would in any case help to reduce the impact of any parasites which remain.
While buying a UV sanitizer pay attention to the size of your tank, the strength of the UV bulb, the flow rate of the water and the length of the cylinder. Since they are rather expensive, make sure you check out the various models, and confer with an aquarium supply guy before you go ahead and buy one.

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