RE: [Killietalk] UV irradiation ... WAS ... Flow thru systems

[Chris <cgraseck at optonline_net>]

Thanks for the input Robert,

At the moment all of my stonys (with the exception of and Acropora
fragment) are doing just fine without UV.  The Acropora is most likely
stressed from inadequate light as a soft coral has grown large enough to
shade it. 

I'm moving the reef from the current 30 gallon to a 75 with more light.
If the Acro continues to recede or I decide to add a Tang I will
probably try a UV unit.  

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: killietalk-bounces at aka_org [mailto:killietalk-bounces at aka_org] On
Behalf Of Rjga at aol_com
Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 11:27 AM
To: killietalk at aka_org
Subject: Re: [Killietalk] UV irradiation ... WAS ... Flow thru systems

Chris -

Stony corals don't need planktonic bacteria, but probably could benefit
from 
UV by lowering their exposure to planktonic microbes they don't need. On
the 
other hand, many sponges thrive on bacteria.  UV is especially valuable
in a 
reef tank that has fishes, and there aren't any better ways to interfere
with 
fish disease transmission without damaging the inverts. Finally, UV
won't change 
the total bacterial count, but merely lower planktonic microbes while
use of 
the same nutrients are now shifted to the non-planktonic microbes
(mostly on 
surfaces) that don't pass through the UV unit. Foods have to be used by 
something, somewhere; they cannot just sit there and not decompose.
Bacteria or fungi 
(and others) will use and degrade the wastes with or without UV.   

Robert J. Goldstein, Ph.D.
Robert J. Goldstein & Associates, Inc.
Environmental Consultants
8480 Garvey Drive
Raleigh, NC 27616 USA
tel (919) 872-1174
fax (919) 872-9214
URL www.rjgaCarolina.com
e-mail rgoldstein at rjgaCarolina_com

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