The issue of whether or not a UV light can be effectively used with biological products is an excellent question. An important point to start with is that a UV light sterilizer can be a compliment to biological products.

UV lights will kill most of the microorganisms in a pond. That includes the bacteria in the UltraClear products. A problem with the UV light is that the pond needs a healthy population of bacteria in it for proper balance.

For example, without notrosomas and a nitrobactor population, there is no means of removing undesirable NH3 and NO2 for the system. These two bacteria in particular are sensitive to UV light. There is significant danger of NH3 and NO2 accumulation in the pond when using UV light sterilization. The result may be concomitant fish stress.

However, some ponds may require UV treatment because of the extreme condition associated with excessive algae. In these cases, where the UV light is utilized, we suggest alternating the use of the UV light with biological treatment using UltraClear products. In these cases, the recommended dose should be doubled. This is generally sufficient for minimizing the NH3 and NO2 levels.

When using UV light as a compliment to UltraClear, it helps to turn off the UV light for 24 hours after dosing. During this time, the UltraClear bacteria will have a chance to become more established and effective. Some will become part of protected areas that do not receive UV light, such as biofilter media, or attached to the pond sides or bottom where nitrifying bacteria often preferentially reside. When the UV light is turned back on, the UltraClear dose will be much more effective than if the UV light is run continuously.

The combination of UV sterilization with standard UltraClear dosing can be a particularly efficient means of clarifying and beautifying problem ponds.