Effects of fish and UV light?

Spike762

Greetings everyone, first post here. Well, there's no easy way to put this, but I am a turtlekeeper and my fish share aquariums with my turtles. Turtles need UV light for proper development, and there are UV rays hitting the water for at least 12 hours a day. I like my fish too, and try to take care of them, and I am wondering the effects of daily UV light on their bodies and/or eyes. I was once told that it helps eliminate the ich parasite, but haven't read a reputable source for this. Mostly I'm asking because my 20gallon tank will become a fish-only tank, and I want to know if I should take the UV tube bulb out and replace it with a fluorescent bulb, or if the UV causes no harm or is even beneficial.

Anyone have info on this?

Thanks!
-Spike

Angel079

For one, it won't cause you issues helps prevent certain sicknesses that's right. If you do wanna convert the tank to fully fish only thou and maybe even think about live plants then I'd take it out personally. It wouldn't harm anything but why use something that has no direct benefit - Keep it natural.

On a side note: Keeping it OPSEC I ain't gonna ask details....but man thinks sure must have changed a LOT since '04 if ya'll can have fish tanks down there now....back in those days food & water was a issue, leave alone pets (others then the usual stray in the desert)!
Sending my respects your way and common home soon!!!!

iamntbatman

Personally, I don't think it's worth the risk. UV is an ionizing radiation, so just as with people, there may be health risks associated with exposing your fish to UV light on a long term basis. I'd swap it out for a regular fluorescent tube.

Spike762

Thanks, when I set the tank up for fish only, I'll take out the UV bulb. For now it has to stay, hopefully it won't cause eye irritation or anything; so far I have not noticed any effects one way or the other, but I have not had an ich problem if that counts for anything.

To Angel079, thank you for the kind words, and I've been home now for 7 months (I can't believe it's been that long already), I put my location as "downrange" for the sake of my own personal OPSEC. My FOB was maybe 300mx500m so our only "pets" were gecko's and each other, but you know how that is.

-Spike

Angel079

Welcome home soldier, welcome home! Gecko's only...heck you lucky one lol Thou 7 mos back sounds like you're gonna have your orders cut again soon

What are you gonna do with the turtle thou when you convert it all to fish??? You're not gonna wind up 'setting it free' are you?!

Spike762

Well, gecko's and the occasional camel spider..



I lucked out as far as creepy-crawlies go. This was the only camel spider I saw all deployment and of course it would be 4 feet from my sleeping area. I only saw two scorpions too, like I said, I lucked out! I've got at least one or two deployments left in me, I'm a 13B (artillery) so I'm feeling A-stan next. I haven't even been in the Army 3 years yet, and have another 4 before I re-up, so we'll see where the world is at then!

I've got a wee little Red Eared Slider in my 20gallon tank, his shell is barely 2 inches across. When he reaches about a year old, and is nearing 4 inches in diameter, he'll be moved to my 40 gallon tank. The turtles I've got in there are rescues but were wild caught in summer '09, so they will be returned to the wild come spring. 7 - 8 months in captivity won't hurt them too much, they have a lot of life in them.

And welcome home yourself! 2004 was a long time ago, but I bet it sometimes feels like yesterday. It's good to have you back.

-Spike

Angel079

Yup sharing beds with the too

Hey let's stay positive...at least they're giving more then only the 90 days stabilization now; so that's awesome on your end

Cool, so you're running some kinda turtle rescue in your hometown? Sounds interesting...I never really got into turtles, others then the snapper's out on the property

Spike762

Kind of a rescue, more like a reluctant-rescue. Someone I knew had 6 turtles but was keeping them in dismal conditions and had to move back in with their parents, and was looking to rid themselves of the turtles. Unfortunatly, 1 was "mercy killed" because the 40g tank was over populated. It was nearing winter, and even this person didn't want to release them. I've always loved turtles and since I had my slider, I offered to take his turtles and equipment and care for them until spring, so that no more were killed (this is the kind of person I was dealing with). Since I took them in, 2 more have died of respitory infection they caught from living without air or water temperature regulation and improper living conditions (severly under-filtrated water, lots of tiny substrate to capture poop). What he was doing was capturing whatever turtle he could and just keeping them at home in a single tank. I've become attached to the turtles since then, but this spring they'll be going back where they belong. And it'll be nice to have just my little slider again haha!

-Spike