Mobile Bay Reef Keepers

I am looking to get a UV Steralizer to keep down the alge build up and help destroy the free floating Ich to prevent Breakouts with my PBT. I am looking for personal opioions on the Submarine 9w UV steralizer. Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

UV sterilizers aren't as good at controlling ich as you'd like them to be--not unless they are heavily oversized. At that strength, you'd also start killing a lot of invertebrate larvae, etc. Sterilizers are much better at breaking down organics (especially ones that color the water), killing bacteria, and unicellular planktonic algal cells. They aren't great at controlling in-tank algae so much, either. IMHO, the greatest perk for having one is the clear water they produce.

Ozone will go a lot further, and is pretty close in price when you compare quality products.

BTW, most of us have beaten ich by just keeping a stable healthy tank.

I know this is a really old message but I had to share my experience with a submariner. The bulb fitting broke and water went into it. Could have zapped the whole tank . Several fish died (though it might have been from the ich that I got the UV to treat). Very poor quality..I would go with a plumbed UV but they aren't that great anyway IMHO.