OK Bob, I am going to try it.

[wade2185]

1. Gross water volume of your complete system (incl. sump etc.)
240 Gallons
2. Net water volume (incl. sump etc.)
Estimated to be 200 Gallons
3. Are you using a CaCO2 reactor or other technique
Yes I run a Calcium Reactor
4. Are you using a PO4 reactor (how long, how long ago, etc.)
No
5. Are you using Ozone
Not anymore I just sold it last night.
6. Are you using UV
Not anymore I just sold it last night.
7. What skimmer are you using (type, rated water volume)
Turbofloater 1000 rated for 250 gallons
8. What are your actual PO4 and NO3 levels
Undetectable with Salifert test kits
9. What are your actual Ca, Alk and Mg levels
Calcium - 420, Alk - 8.3, Magnesium - 1275
10. What filtration method do you use (refugium, DSB, Miracle Mud, etc.)
BB with filter socks
11. Type of light (Watt, color temp, how old, etc.)
Phoenix 14K DE 250, AB 10K DE 150, VHO Actinics
12. What corals do you keep
Mainly acros and SPS with a few LPS
13. Tissue color (light or dark)
I already have very light looking corals. Almost washed out looking colors
14. How long has the tank been running
I have a 120 and 90 that are plumbed together. Been running for 9 months
15. Why do you want to use the ZEOvit system
I want better colors, growth, health in my SPS
16. Any supplemental dosing (type, amount, why, etc.)
Lugols Iodine (1 drop per day), Kent Iron (2ML per day), ZEOvit Amino Acids (15 drops 3 times per week)
17. Live rock (how much, how old, etc.)
Dont know how much - Alot. 1-2 years old
18. Any present problems
Every now and then I have a few acros that start to receed around the base. I also have alot of bubble algae
19. Problem description (tissue loss tips, tissue loss base, diatom bloom, algae, etc.)
See 18
20. What test kit do you use (how old, recently switched, etc.)
All New Salifert kits
21. Present dosing, amounts and intervals (ZEOvit, ZEObak, ZEOfood, ZEOstart, ZEOspur2, etc.)
N/A
22. Other water parameters and water stability (salinity, temp, etc.)
Salinity - 1.024, Temp - 77.2 to 78.0

Thanks in advance for the help.

Wade

[Aged Salt]

Hi Wade, congrats, your corals will love you for it Your parameters are fine. You will not use any or the following for now: Iodine,Kent iron, or Spur2. For your system, I recommend dosing 2 Cups carbon, passively in your sump, kneading this every other day & exchanging every 4wks. Dose 1 3/4ltrs; zeolites in a zeo-filter at 175gph. Cycle the stones on & off at 3hr. intervals. Clean them 2x's/day. With the 1st zeolite cycle, these are changed in 4wks., thereafter, the interval extends to every 6wks. Dose bak/food---5drops/5drops, every day for the 1st 2wks., then 2x's/day. Dose these near the zeo-filter intake pump with the skimmer off for 1hr. Dose Start .5ml 2x's/day daily throughout the 1st cycle. It is not necessary to turn off the skimmer when just dosing Start. BTW, be sure to know the ZEOvit guide thoroughly, as your doses will need to be adjusted as one uses ZEOvit method over time. As the nutrients decrease, so does the zeo-dosing quantities[although with the 1st cycle, this probably will not occur, unless you notice diatom accumulation, slime on your LR, or tissue-tip thinning] Plz. ask any questions, Bob

[wade2185]

Thanks Bob. Just curious. Why no Iodine, Iron or Spur2? Will I eventually use these again in the future?

[Aged Salt]

Wade, allow the basic four to begin working on your reserved-nutrient pool[usually 2-3mos]. This will also allow your corals the adjustment needed without the effects of I, Fe or Spur2. Using these now, will also confuse your ability to discern the effects of the basic 4. Your elements will be supplied by the wkly 5-10% WC's. With the ZEOvit method, we wish all parameters & elements as near NSW as possible for the best color & growth. Spur2 is tough on our corals, causing expulsion of zoox. which are also being depleted by lowering your nutrients. After ~ 3mos. Spur2, PIF, K-Z's Fe will be more effective in coral coloration & growth. Bob

[Tom Berry]

Wade,

Welcome aboard

I would run the system without start, just bak and food, until start2 is available. The current version of start can cause problems, if not dosed very carefully. I would guess that your nutrients are already fairly low. The bak and food should work well for you, until you can get start2.

Also, make sure you don't exceed the recommended flow rate through the zeolite filter. In this case, more flow is not better.

Are you already dosing AAs? They can be used right from the beginning.

Tom

[wade2185]

Wade,

Welcome aboard

I would run the system without start, just bak and food, until start2 is available. The current version of start can cause problems, if not dosed very carefully. I would guess that your nutrients are already fairly low. The bak and food should work well for you, until you can get start2.

Also, make sure you don't exceed the recommended flow rate through the zeolite filter. In this case, more flow is not better.

Are you already dosing AAs? They can be used right from the beginning.

Tom

Thanks for the advice Tom and for the welcome. I am currently using the ZEOvit AAs. What is wrong with the Start? Why would I be able to run without it? I thought that you had to use all of the stuff together?

[nyfireman3097]

Welsome aboard bro nothing is wrong with it its just that part 2 is a new better version it also is harder to OD 2 which in return could cause RTN and what not
Nick

[Tom Berry]

What is wrong with the Start? Why would I be able to run without it? I thought that you had to use all of the stuff together?

Start is not absolutely essential to the system, it just accelerates nutrient reduction. You can get the results with bak and food, it'll just take longer.

IME, the current start can cause excessive lightening of sps. Start2 should be available in a month or so. A bottle of start will last you a long time, so I think it makes sense to wait for the improved version.

Tom

[Diesel3443]

Yep, I dont even use start anymore in my tank, I am well into phase 3 though. That stuff is so powerful, if I add one drop to my tank now my coral tissue becomes to thin and I get tip loss. Ill have to see if start 2 will be worth it for me but I doubt I will use it either

[Aged Salt]

The ZEOvit method orginally did not include ZeoStart, just zeolites, bak, & food. As Sean & Tom mentioned, the method can be used w/o Start. I have found though, better intense coral color & the ability to retain wild colony's color with the use of Start. Tom, Sean, I suggest if one is only going to use the basic three, a trial for a time, using Start but deleting Food7. Bob

[Aged Salt]

Wade, I'm sorry if this discussion is confusing, but for the new zeo-user, the basic 4 as I oulined above, will serve you well Bob

[Aged Salt]

Wade, I'm sorry if this is all confusing to a new zeo-user. For your situation, it's best to use the basuc 4 as I outlined above. Bob

[wade2185]

Thank for the clarification Bob. This hobby has many opinions and many diff things that work for many diff people. I have found that you have to learn to listen to one person whom you trust knows what they are doing. For right now I will follow your suggestions completley. Once I become more experienced and understand the products better like Tom and Sean do then I will begin to experiment, etc.

[wade2185]

Bob,

I knew this ZEOvit thing was going to get expensive. I noticed that you just recommended that Nick upgrade from his Turbofloater 1000 skimmer to one that is rated for 3 X his volume. Well unfortunatley that is the skimmer I run and I have 200 gallons total volume. Can you recommend a good skimmer for me that will not cost me an arm and a leg? The Deltec and Bubble Kings are out of my range right now.

[Aged Salt]

Wade, The Turbo-1000 is a good skimmer, & Nick has had great success with his reef, as evidenced by his coral pix's. His Zeo-doses are inline & he has limited his nutrient import. Therefore, increasing his Start may be all his needs to eradicate those algae patches & lower the P's, & a bigger skimmer may not be necessary. IMO, it never hurts to oversize one's skimmer. Prior to using my Deltec, on my old reef[250g], I used a MTC HSA-250 venturi skimmer powered by a Iwaki-55 for seven yrs. with good results. Bob