The table does not list ick specifically, though it lists protozoa, which is
what (I think) ick would be. (Anyone know for sure?) Zap doses are
measured in microwatt-sec/cm^2. For protozoa, the dose is 200,000, bacteria
zap doses are typically 10 % of that, or around 20,000, depending on the
type of bacteria. Some types of Mold are the hardest to kill, requiring
more than 330,000 microwatts-sec/cm^2.

FYI, Escobal describes methods for calculating zap dose as a function of how
long the sterilizer has been running in your tank. (I.e., size of your
tank, size of your sterilizer, etc, all figure in.) I am still reading..

Since I do not have a hospital tank set up, and do not really want to get
one going, I thought this might be an alternative to quarantining. Sounds
like you have not had an ick outbreak since installing yours.. That is
hopeful.

BTW, how much maintenance is involved? Maybe it would just be easier for me
to set up a hospital tank..

-Bruce Geist


"LeighMo" wrote in message
...
Thanks. I know you had indicated that you use one. Do you have it
running
still ?

Yes. Mainly because I'm too lazy to remove it. :-)

I am thinking about taking it out, since it's one more thing to
clean/maintain.
And I'm reaching the end of the recommended life of the bulb.

Have you seen the book by P.R. Escobal, called Aquatic Systems
Engineering?
It has a couple of chapters on the use of UV sterilizers, and the
required
"zap" doses for different organisms.

Haven't read the book, but I've heard that ich is one of the most
difficult
organisms to kill. OTOH, they don't breed as fast as bacteria, so maybe
flow
rate counts more than dose, in some cases?






Leigh

http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/