Home aquariums can be consumed by algae at times, leaving the tank to have a green coating around it. However, many aquarium owners find this coating to look disgusting and unappealing. Algae may not be devastating at first, and after a while, they take a lot away from the livestock in your aquarium. When algae cover your aquarium, it assistants with making your fish and plants sick. This is because the algae take away a ton of the nutrients that are needed by your aquarium.
You probably have a full-time job or school to attend to every day. Therefore, you don’t have the time to clean your aquarium algae daily. To defeat this issue there is a device and filter called a UV Sterilizer! The only downside of a UV Sterilizer is the high price tag that is associated with it. This may leave you wondering if is aquarium UV filters are worth all the money that you would be paying for it. Many aquarium hobbyists debate if these UV filters are necessary for an aquarium to be healthy and thriving.
What is an Aquarium UV Sterilizer?
A UV Sterilizer is a device that is used to keep your aquarium free of algae. The UV filter keeps your aquarium happy and healthy by removing any dirty elements in a home aquarium. In a dirty aquarium, bad bacteria and pollutants build-up, which causes your aquarium fish and livestock to die.
The traditional filter sucks up water and passes it through layers of filtration and carbon to clean the water and remove particles. However, UV Filters (Sterilizers) work by killing floating particles in the water with radiation! However, just a regular filter doesn’t eliminate the small organisms. It released the particles back into the water. That is why an aquarium UV Filter does the trick! The UV Filter works by pumping water through a crystal checkpoint. The ultraviolet light then shoots radiation. The trick here is that the light only reaches those particles and doesn’t occur in the rest of your aquarium.
The aquarium UV Filter can be placed in a freshwater aquarium, as well as a saltwater aquarium. Both work very well in killing excessive microorganisms. UV Filters come in a bunch of different models, shapes, and sizes. However, they all generally are placed on the side of your aquarium. Just about any sized aquarium can be used for a UV Filter. I have seen even 5-gallon aquariums with no filter and the UV Filter. That is how well this device works in destroying floating organisms.
What Happens?
After destroying the microorganisms, a lot of the algae and dead bacteria may be floating in your aquarium. That is why it is crucial to have frequent water changes in your aquarium. Water changes are necessary for any aquarium. If you don’t perform water changes often, your fish and aquarium will become unhealthy! Algae and microorganisms can be challenging for a beginner and an experienced aquarium hobbyist. That is why we recommend the UV Filter for just about any aquarium size and type. We have seen it work wonders for 100+ gallon saltwater aquariums, as well as 5 gallon planted freshwater aquariums. The goal is to have your aquarium look shiny and beautiful. The UV Filter is 100% worth it.
How to Choose The Best UV Filter
When choosing your UV Filter, keep in mind that each sterilizer may be best suited for a unique aquarium. For example, a 150-gallon reef tank may have a special UV filter that works better than a 10 gallon planted aquarium. All aquariums are different with parameters and layouts, so special UV Filters are needed. Thankfully there are hundreds of UV Filters to choose from, which gives you opportunities for research on which ones work best for an aquarium-like yours.
The massive factor when choosing a UV Filter is the actual size of your tank. You don’t want to choose a UV Filter that only works for a 10-gallon aquarium if you have a 100+ gallon aquarium. That would result in wasted money and a bad day! When looking for a UV Filter, the packaging will usually indicate which size the product is meant for. A typical rule of thumb is that the larger the aquarium, the more expensive the UV Filter. This massive price tag is the reason why so many hobbyists debate on getting one or not.
The next factor to look for is the power of the bulb for the aquarium. If you were to select a powerful bulb, the UV Filter would most likely destroy all of the dangerous microorganisms in your aquarium. However, as the bulb gets massive, this usually indicates a massive price tag as well. Make sure to look up reviews on websites, watch a couple of Youtube videos, and do your research on Google. If you purchase something without doing research, you may end up with an unsuccessful UV Filter and a dirty aquarium.
Best Alternative to UV Filter
When choosing an alternative method to the UV Filter, think about what the situation is for the aquarium. For example, if you are on a budget, you might be deciding between various equipment. For saltwater aquariums, people debate about getting a protein skimmer vs a UV Filter. However, the answer is to purchase both of them! Over time, you should get EVERYTHING for your aquarium. But, if you need to make a quick decision based on your budget, a UV Filter can wait.
In Conclusion
In conclusion, we believe that UV Filters are 100% worth it. They will save you a lot of time and energy with the quality of your aquarium. However, make sure to do a ton of research before just purchasing one. While you are out, go to your local fish store and talk to them about it too! You don’t want to end up wasting money for no results, so starting looking now!
If you are on a budget, we recommend searching on Facebook groups to purchase a used one. Facebook groups tend to act like a community. The community is much more trustworthy compared to purchasing a random one on Craigslist. UV Filters are known to be delicate, so if you are buying one used, ask to see the filter working. If not, you may get scammed in the process!
