Algae, parasites, and bacterial diseases are a nuisance in any aquarium. There is nothing more disheartening than watching hours of meticulous aquarium maintenance come undone. If green water, algae blooms, or persistent diseases plague your aquarium, consider combating the problem with a UV sterilizer.     A Little Light Goes a Long Way Even the best cleaned aquariums can be a haven to aggressive algae. Normal feeding, biological filtration, and inhabitant activity can easily contribute to excessive algal nutrient levels. Also, our aquariums are exposed to light on a daily basis. Both nutrients and light encourage algae growth. After all, algae are in essence plants, and all plants thrive on nutrients and light. Similarly, any aquarium - new or established - is susceptible to parasitic and bacterial infections. Whether existing populations reach disease-causing numbers or hitchhike on a new addition, parasites and bacteria can wreak havoc on your aquarium. Further complicating the dilemma is that oftentimes, the juvenile stages of parasites, such as ich, are hidden from sight. This means your aquarium inhabitants only exhibit symptoms when their immune system is weakened, and they are unable to ward off the infection. The main issue with algae, parasites, and bacteria is that each develop unseen. Hobbyists are only aware of their presence after the nuisance has gotten a strong lead. Excellent cleaning, ESSENTIALS: MAKE IT SIMPLE Combine UV sterilization with awesome filtration in the UniMax Pro. Large-volume canister filter boosts water clarity by incorporating a UV sterilizer into the space-saving design. Economically priced, the Dual-Mount Gamma UV Sterilizer easily plumbs in-line or hang-on for versatile UV cleaning in aquariums. RELATED INFORMATION UV Sterilizers 101 UV Sterilization Selection Guide Plumbing your UV Sterilizer filter maintenance, and the quick quarantine of any infected aquatic species are still the best ways to prevent problems. Medications are also effective; however, they must be administered carefully or else other aspects of your aquarium's health are put to risk. This is where UV light can be an effective addition to almost any aquarium. UV light targets the smallest of microorganisms, without harm to your other aquarium inhabitants. It works by altering the invader's genetic material. This ultimately shortens the organism's life cycle, thereby limiting its reproduction. Thus, that one single, tiny cell has less chance to blossom into an algae bloom or rapid-spreading disease.   Choosing the Right UV Sterilizer Adding a UV sterilizer to your aquarium is like insurance for your home or apartment. Proper use is reliant upon proper aquarium care, such as regular water changes and filter maintenance. UV only targets free-floating microorganisms, not nuisances attached to your fish, substrate, plants, decorations, or corals. For optimum performance, UV sterilizers should be placed after I have a recurring problem with green water. Every time I get rid of it, back it comes - more aggressive than before. What can I do? Maintain good water quality with regular partial water changes, filter maintenance, and proper nutrient control. In addition, consider adding an EPA-registered UV sterilizer to your aquarium for extra algae control. your biological or mechanical filtration. Also, the flow rate through the sterilizer should be controlled, based on the manufacturer's recommendations. This ensures the UV sterilizer is targeting microorganisms - not debris - and has the correct amount of exposure time to eradicate (kill) the nuisance. Your chosen UV sterilizer will have easy-to-follow guidelines for both setup and use. UV sterilizers can be set up in a variety of configurations, be it stand-alone or housed inside a canister filter, hung on your aquarium walls or tucked inside your aquarium stand. They are available in a variety of models, each designed to target aquatic nuisances, not your budget. A UV sterilizer in addition to good aquarium husbandry and effective filtration can easily boost the cleanliness, clarity, and health of your prized aquarium. The chart provides guidelines for determining the bulb size and flow rate required for UV sterilization. To use this chart, identify the maximum GPH rating in either column that most closely matches the number of gallons in your aquarium. The maximum flow rate should be greater than the number of gallons in the system (tank & sump). UV Rating Watts Bacteria/Algae Kill Dose 30,000 units Parasites Kill Dose 90,000 units Max Flow Rate Max Flow Rate 8 120 GPH N/A 15 230 GPH 75 GPH 18 300 GPH 100 GPH 25 475 GPH 150 GPH 30 525 GPH 175 GPH 40 940 GPH 300 GPH 65 1700 GPH 570 GPH 80 1885 GPH 625 GPH 120 3200 GPH 900 GPH 130 3400 GPH 1140 GPH For example, if you have a 100 gallon tank and want to control parasites, you would need a minimum 18 W UV with a maximum flow rate of 100 GPH. A 25 W UV at a flow rate of 150 GPH would be preferable. With UV sterilizers, bigger is better.