I like to come home from work every day and carefully take care of the various small fish I raise. Watching the fish swim happily and freely in the aquarium feels both comfortable and stressed. Many fish enthusiasts have heard of a magical artifact - the ultraviolet sterilization lamp, which some people refer to as a UV lamp. It can kill bacteria, parasites, and even effectively prevent and eliminate algae. Today I will talk to you about this lamp.

Firstly, we need to clarify the concept: what is a UV sterilization lamp and why it can kill bacteria, viruses, parasites, and algae in water.。

When it comes to ultraviolet light, the first thing we think of in our minds is the ultraviolet light contained in the sunlight emitted by the sun.There is still a difference between the ultraviolet light of the ultraviolet germicidal lamp used in the aquarium and the ultraviolet light in the sun.The ultraviolet rays in the sun's rays contain a variety of wavelengths. UVC is a short wave and cannot penetrate the atmosphere. Among them, UVA and UVB can penetrate the atmosphere and reach the surface of the earth. Ultraviolet germicidal lamps emit UVC band, which belongs to short waves. The main function of ultraviolet light in the UVC band is sterilization.

Aquarium ultraviolet germicidal lamps emit ultraviolet light with a wavelength of 253.7nm, which instantly destroys the DNA and RNA of organisms or microorganisms, thereby achieving the effect of sterilization and disinfection.Whether it is bacteria, parasites, algae or viruses, as long as there are cells, DNA or RNA, then ultraviolet germicidal lamps can play a role. These are traditional filter cotton, filter materials, etc., to remove large particles, fish feces and other materials can not achieve the effect.

Secondly, how to install ultraviolet sterilization lamps?

Due to the fact that UV sterilization lamps damage biological DNA and RNA through irradiation, when installing UV sterilization lamps, we should avoid placing them directly in the fish tank and not allowing fish or other organisms to directly leak under UVC light. Instead, we should install the lamp tube in the filter tank. As long as the sterilization lamp is placed in the correct position and installed correctly, there is no need to worry about fish safety.

Again, the advantages and disadvantages of UV sterilization lamps for fish tanks：

Advantages:

1. Ultraviolet sterilizing lamp only plays an important role in bacteria, parasites, algae and so on in the water passing through UV lamp, but has little effect on the beneficial bacteria on the filter material.

2. It can effectively prevent and eliminate algae in some water bodies.

3. It also has a certain effect on fish lice and melon insects.

4. Some regular manufacturers of aquarium sterilizing lamp waterproof grade can achieve IP68.

Disadvantages:

1. It must be used strictly according to the instructions;

2. Its role is primarily prevention rather than treatment;

3. Regular manufacturers with better quality have a lifespan of about one year for UV lamps, while regular UV lamps have a lifespan of about six months and require regular replacement.

Finally: Do we really need aquarium ultraviolet sterilization lamps?

I personally suggest that fish enthusiasts who enjoy fish farming can prepare a set of ultraviolet sterilization lamps, which can be used immediately when needed. If fish friends have the following situations, I suggest installing a sterilization lamp directly.

1: The position of the fish tank is not exposed to sunlight for a long time, and it is easy to produce some bacteria;

2: Fish tank water turns green after a period of time, often turning green or having a foul odor;

3: There are many plants in the fish tank.

The above is some popular science knowledge I want to share with fish friends about using ultraviolet sterilization lamps for aquariums. I hope it can help everyone!