How to maintain your UV Sterilizer

Keeping your UltraViolet Sterilizer in good working condition is a fairly simple matter. You should ensure that the bulb is replaced on a regular basis and also clean both the quartz sleeve (if possible) and the powerhead or water pump that you use to move water through the UV Sterilizer. If you over sized your UV Sterilizer, your bulb should be good for approximately 10 months under continual use. If you didn't oversize your Sterilizer and it is only rated for the volume of water that you have, you should consider changing it more often since the quality of the UV light being emitting declines during the lifetime of the bulb. In these circumstances some manufacturers recommend replacing the bulb every six months. The bulb will usually light well past these time frames but the quality of the UV being produced is of little use.

Why test for Ammonia?

As mentioned in our blog post on What is the Nitrogen Cycle? ammonia is a toxic waste that is excreted by fish or caused by decomposing plant matter and uneaten fish food.  At low levels, ammonia is stressful for most fish and other inhabitants -- at higher levels, it is deadly. Fortunately, naturally occurring bacteria are present in most established systems that converts this ammonia to nitrite and in turn, to the less toxic nitrate.

What is the Nitrogen Cycle?

The Nitrogen Cycle is a fairly basic concept that everyone who maintains an aquarium should understand. It is the biological process that converts toxic substances (ammonia) in our aquariums to something (nitrates) that is less harmful to the inhabitants. This process involves the establishment of beneficial bacterial which break down fish and other wastes into less harmful compounds.

Why should you use test kits?

Why should you test your aquarium water?  The answer is simple.  Being an aquarist means that fish, and perhaps invertebrates, are in your care.  They depend on you to feed them and otherwise provide them with the best possible environment to ensure they are both happy and healthy.

Aquarium Fish Foods

Choosing the right aquarium fish food is a key element in maintaining happy and healthy tropical fish. With the variety of aquarium fish foods available this is often a daunting and complicated task. Here are some factors to keep in mind when deciding on what types of tropical fish foods to purchase.

Ultraviolet Sterilizers

Ultraviolet [UV] Sterilizers are useful in helping to control bacteria, algae, and parasites in both aquariums and ponds. They use a special fluorescent lamp that emits light in the UV wavelength and as aquarium or pond water is pumped through the UV housing it is exposed to this UV light. The DNA of any free-floating micro-organisms (bacteria, algae, and parasites) that are passed by the UV light is altered by the light and they are no longer able to multiply.

Solid Carbon Dosing - Bio-Pellets vs Bio-Cubes

More and more people are beginning to use carbon dosing to reduce nitrate and phosphate in both freshwater and marine aquariums. Carbon dosing involves adding an organic source of carbon to encourage the growth of bacteria that consumes nitrate and phosphate along with the carbon source.

The benefits of reducing nitrate and phosphate includes the reduction or elimination of nuisance algae, better coral growth, more vibrant colours and with the increased population of bacterioplankton, it can also provide a food source for many corals and invertebrates.

While there are liquid forms of carbon dosing, solid carbon dosing has gained a reputation for being the easiest method to use. Popular Solid Carbon Dosing products include NPX bio-pellets and Nitra-Guard bio-cubes.

Bio-pellets have been around the longest and therefore tend to be the most popular. They are designed to be placed in a chemical reactor so they can be tumbled vigorously. This is achieved using a power head or water pump. The flow rate will require some adjustment as the bacteria accumulates in the reactor and as the pellets are consumed. As a result the reactor tends to require regular attention.

The Nitra-Guard Bio-cubes are more effective and offer a simpler approach. They are designed to be added to a filter media bag with air bubbled through an air stone located at the bottom of the media bag. The air is provided by a small air pump and the bag can be simply placed in your sump. They are perfect for those who don't want the hassle of dealing with a chemical reactor.

While both products work well, for those who are new to Solid Carbon dosing, we recommend using the Nitra-Guard Bio-cubes because of their ease of use.