Humm... I'd be prepared to concede a place for UV steralisers attached to isolation/treatment tanks... to aid pathogen removal.... although not completely convinced as to their effectiveness...
There's no discussion of water temperature... IMO... an essential element of pathogen control/treatment...
It's probably just as easy to water change and dump "infected" water... but could be of use...
I'm still reading through and trying to make sense of things.... much of what he quotes come from other articles he himself has posted on the site...
And some statements are IMO wrong...
Quote:
Here are a few oxidizers: ozone (O3), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), chlorine (Cl2) and chloramines (NH2Cl).
Not correct… chloromines are formed by the oxidisation of ammonia
... or have been extrapolated from studies related to "humans".... and particularly focus on aquaria keeping and associated water changes...
Interestingly, he does make reference to natural systems, plant "filters"... and the inherent "natural" balancing..... sounds a lot like aquaponics to me...
Quote:
Also the growth of plants, especially with strong roots in a sandy substrate allows for de-nitrification/Redox reduction. This is an area where Veggie Filters in Ponds shine in their ability to maintain excellent bio parameters.
Quote:
A UV Sterilizer is one more predictable and proven tool here (when properly installed), but also not a cure all to otherwise poor conditions. UVs work two ways in my research; [1] they morph oxygen (O2) molecules into Ozone (O3), the O3 quickly degrades, the UV then [2] transfers electrons to substances, thus reducing.
.... so by using a UV Sterilizer (which has safely contained UVC radiation), you break down radicals such as Ozone in your aquarium.
Don't get it... use a UV steraliser to morph oxygen into Ozone (which breaks down quickly anyway... as noted)... so that you can break down the ozone radicals you've created....
And the UV doesn't transfer electrons to substances.... abundant free oxide ions interact with other positively charged ions (usually metals) to achieve recombination of molecules..
Production of ozone will enhance the availability of free oxide ions... and a UV unit will provide Ozone... but so will an ozone generator.... which is more effective...
Quote:
The basics of Redox are really not that hard to understand and are easily applied; that is knowing that a high bio load can have a downward effect on a good Redox while water changes, additional mineralization, UV Sterilization and more can have positive effect on Redox. Simply put, knowing that Redox naturally will often balance itself, you must realize that these electrons necessary for balancing Redox are often used up and the assumptions often made about GH, UV Sterilization simply do not fit the evidence!
Quote:
Simply put four areas of aquarium or pond keeping have a noticeable effect on a healthy reducing Redox (as well a fifth albeit temporary aspect):
(A) Regular and effective water changes
(B) Proper ONGOING mineralization, especially of calcium and magnesium.
(C) UV Sterilization
(D) Good de-nitrification, plant filtration.
(E) Keeping the production of nitric acid to a minimum and balancing this out with adequate KH levels. This also (as well as water changes) lowers DOC which lead to poor Redox levels
(F) Use of water conditioners (for use in chlorine/chloramine removal) such as Prime which are mostly all Reducers. However these products only temporarily reduce Redox and are not a long term solution. It also should be noted that aquarium water conditioners will often cause temporary cloudiness of aquariums do to their strong reducing abilities, however this cloudiness is short lived in healthy aquariums.
Well I'm struggling to understand the link between UV sterilasrs and "redox"... or more particularly... why a balanced aquaponics system doesn't provide the same result...
He also makes constant reference to "nitric acid" ... not IMO a normally quoted reaction...
Carbonic acid and even hydrochloric acid interactions are often cited and widely researched... to my knowledge the breakdown of "nitrates" is usually reported to produce nitric oxide... readily off gassed....
From a cursory read... it appears that a well oxygenated system maintained with a slightly acidic pH and filtered by plants... would seem to be an optimum situation he would recommend... possibly with the supplementation of some mineral compounds such as calcium and magnesium... (which we get from the fish feed)
Sounds pretty much like a naturally balanced aquaponics system to me...
With those parameters in place.... I'm still unconvinced as to the "benefits" of a UV steraliser, other than as an adjunct to an isolation tank....
And pathogens are ever present and essentially impossible to exclude from a system... (keeping people from dipping their "infected" fingernails into the tank... obviously..
)...
Pathogens are opportunistic.... and disease in fish stock is always attributable to stress factors of (primarily) environmental and handling factors... i.e primarily water quality and climatic factors such as water temperature....
I remain open to be convinced....
Backyard Aquaponics
