Having an aquarium always adds a different aesthetic to your place. Therefore, it has become so popular worldwide with people of taste. But with an aquarium, there are some concerning facts. If you’re having an aquarium for a long time, you may have already noticed that it gets intruded on by unwanted algae, bacteria, parasites, etc.
To get rid of such pests, most aquarium owners apply UV sterilizers in their aquariums, which is basically UV light tube that kills most microorganisms by altering their DNA and preventing them from growing and reproducing.
But does the UV light do the same to the beneficial bacteria? The simplest answer is no (unless they flow through the water).
Does UV Light Eliminate Beneficial Bacteria in Aquarium?
As you may know, beneficial bacteria play an important role in breaking down tank waste, keeping it clean, and ensuring a sound environment for the aquarium. But unfortunately, with beneficial bacteria, the harmful bacteria also merge into the system, making things difficult for the fish. Even harmful parasites and excessive algae also have adverse effects.
A little number of algae are beneficial as they provide oxygen and balance the environment. But when the number grows, it consumes the necessary nutrients, and as a result, fish and plants suffer from malnutrition. Also, harmful bacteria and parasites attack fish and plants as if they could confirm parasitism, which ultimately makes them sick. To remove these unwanted pests from your aquarium, applying a UV sterilizer is undoubtedly a great option.
It’s highly capable of doing so and making sure the water stays purified. But in some cases, it has been found that the UV sterilizer also kills the beneficial bacteria. But why does this happen? The fact is that the UV light of the sterilizer only kills the algae and other microorganisms that flow throughout the water and encounter the UV light.
Even though most beneficial bacteria live on wood, gravel, rock, etc that stay at the bottom of the aquarium, some of them often tend to flow into the water. And when they flow and come to the UV light, the UV light simply does its job.
In short, UV light generally doesn’t kill beneficial bacteria. It only affects them when they circulate through it while floating.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Is UV light harmful to aquarium fish?
No, it isn’t. The UV light doesn’t affect fish by their health or lifecycle, or in any way. Not only the healthy fish but also the fish that already have parasites on their skin are out of UV light’s effect.
How long do I leave UV light on in the aquarium?
You can turn the UV light on and leave it for the entire day. The fact is a UV sterilizer is designed in a way that it can operate for 24 hours continuously. You can turn them off while applying medic or adding beneficial bacteria.
How long does an aquarium UV bulb last?
Typically, an average UV bulb for an aquarium can last for more or less 9000 hours. That means the bulb can support for around 375 days without needing any replacement. Therefore, it’s better to replace the bulb once every year.
Conclusion
To conclude, it can be said that the UV light of the UV sterilizer is definitely capable of killing the aquarium’s beneficial bacteria. But this case is pretty rare because they usually don’t circulate through the light as they stay below, the aquarium’s bottom. They only could get themselves killed if they start floating in the water.
