Help me Decide on Zeovit :)

[Juvv]

Hi,
Im from Australia, and i am considering going to the dark side ( ) and using zeovit. i have done alot of reading, and wanted to just verify a few things before i dive right in.

I have a 3ft x 14" wide x 20" high display, with a 2ft x 12" x 12" sump, and was wondering how much zeolite would i need? im guessing just one bag (1 litre) ?

inhabitants are: 2 percula clowns, 1 orchid dottyback and 2 coral gobys.
at the moment they are only getting fed flake food.

the tank was setup for over a year, sumpless and skimmerless. Yesterday i just installed my new tank which is the same size as the old one, but with a sump and a JEBO hang-on skimmer (currently breaking it in). Im also running filterwool to quieten the water as my tank is in my room. i have a tunze stream 6060 (600lph) in there for circulation. its lps / sps / soft tank. (only got one piece of lps, an ancora.

I was wondering if it was possible for anyone to give me soem reccomended guidelines as how much of zeo media , bacteria and food to use?

sorry for the newbieness, i jsut like to have a strict guideline to follow when i start out delicate things like this
i also would liek to know if my skimmer is good enough? it was a fairly cheap model, but i have seen these guys pull out massive amounts of stuff on other tanks, so i was quite impressed.

Cheers ,

Jacob

[wasp]

Jacob you probably don't want to hear this but that Jebo skimmer will be the weak link in your system. I have used them myself and they do pull crud, but the zeovit system uses the skimmer to export nutrients by skimming bacteria and bi-products the zeovit helps create. Zeovit will perform best with strong skimming. Having said that, provided you can get your Jebo producing, zeovit will still improve your tank, but will not be as effective as if you had a better skimmer.
As to dosing, you really need to read up this link to get a handle on it http://www.captiveoceans.com/ZEOvit%20Guide1.pdf

[Orion76]

I'm with wasp on this one, Jebo is a very cheap skimmer and since strong efficient skimming is a vital part of the Zeo system....

Also if you use filterwool you will need to replace it daily without exceptions!

[Juvv]

why would i need to change filterwool daily? so it doesnt clogup and produce nitrates etc?

[kiwireefer]

I hate to say this guys but i am using just a aquamedic skimmer with airstone. Still zero PO4 and NO3
Regards

Brendan Zeovit New Zealand/ Aussie

[Orion76]

why would i need to change filterwool daily? so it doesnt clogup and produce nitrates etc?

Because it traps waste materials that decay in the filter wool and release DOC into the water, instead of being skimmed out. In addition the surface slick not getting to your skimmer will reduce skimmer performance so using filter wool is really not a good idea IMO.

[Orion76]

I hate to say this guys but i am using just a aquamedic skimmer with airstone. Still zero PO4 and NO3

Are you saying strong skimming is not an essential part of the Zeovit system?

[Juvv]

im gonna try take out the filterwool and see if its still nice n quiet
i think the jebo is alright for a tank my size.
i may look at getting something else for a skimmer later on, but i think that if kiwi reefer is goin alright with this crappy skimmer ill be fine lol.

[Aged Salt]

Are you saying strong skimming is not an essential part of the Zeovit system?

Hi Timon, actually, if the airstones are changed out when the air-bubbles begin to enlarge, these skimmers are very effective. I used a MTC "Berliner" for years & as long as I didn't fail to change the air-stones when they began to clog, it performed beautifully. Now changing out 4 air-stones on a 5 ft. tall skimmer doesn't lend itself though to timely exchanges & I'd invariably delay this exercise. Bob

[Juvv]

hey aged salt, want to reccomend anything for me to do / change?

[Aged Salt]

Hi Jacob, plz. give me your NET water volume[that is the vol. minus LR/LS/% in sump] & I'll be happy to give you recommendations for zeo-dosing.
BTW, Jacob, Brendan[Kiwireefer] & Alastair[Wasp] are from your area & are extremely knowledgeable in the ZEOvit method Bob

[Juvv]

god i woudlnt know .
id say about 150 - 170L ?

[Orion76]

Bob, I agree, I actually feel that especially for smaller skimmers airstones work really well, but I think Brendan was saying he has a crappy skimmer and his NO3 and PO4 are still zero so it's not important to have a good skimmer with which I respectfully disagree

Having said that I use an AquaMedic Midiflotor with an airstone on my fish quarantine tank and actually think it's not a bad skimmer for what it is

[Orion76]

Jacob, total system water minus 20% is a typical actual water volume for the average tank.

[Aged Salt]

Hi Jacob, for a system ~40g[160l], I'll base the recommendatios around that vol. Be sure to read & thoroughly understand the ZEOvit guide, expertly written & revised by Alexander ****. This guide is the keystone for the ZEOvit method[sticky near the top of this forum]. Dose 1/3ltr. of zeolites for the first 4wks. on the method. This will increase to 1/2ltr. with the zeolite exchange in 4wks. Use a zeo-filter at a flow rate of 160l/h. A little more or less is fine. Pump clean the stones 2x's/day. Dose 1/2 Cup carbon in a mesh-bag, passively, placed in your sump. Knead the bag every other day to prevent channeling. Replace the carbon every 4wks. Your zeo-doses are based on the use of the new ZeoStart2, plz. let me know if you will be using ZeoStart1 as the ZeoFood quantity will change Dose ZeoBak 2 drops daily for the first two wks, then 2 drops 2x's/wk. Dose ZeoFood 1 drop daily for the first two wks, then 1 drop 2x's/wk. Dose these in front of the zeo-filter with your skimmer off for 60min. Dose ZeoStart2 .5ml 2x's/day daily. It is not necessary to turn off your skimmer when just dosing Start2. Excess Zeo-dosing will manifest itself by the copious production of a srong, brown film on your panes or LR, or slimey thick film accumulation, or extreme darkening of your corals. You should be fine with the doses given per your estimated water vol. Plz. ask any questions from your ZEOvit dealer or post-up hereBob