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I have a 100 gallon reef tank employing a Zeovit System – I am dosing the primary Zeovit supplements exactly as specified – the tank has been running successfully for several months – all water parameters are within acceptable range – I had initial problems with both nitrates and phosphates – recently the phosphates have dropped to a current reading of about .18ppm but the nitrates remain around 30. ppm – I have LPS and soft corals – I have no algae problems – substrate is clean – I read an article by Yulia Ivanova (Zeovit Method Guide) – she stated that if you saw that the nitrate (or phosphate) parameters were not dropping that you might be adding too much ZEOstart7 – Question: do you think that might be my (nitrate) problem or is there some other explanation???
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https://forum.zeovit.com/forum/gener...bout-your-tank
It would also be interesting to know if PO4 and NO3 was as high as now before you have started to use ZeoVit.
Please also tell us how much ZeoVit you use and measure the flow through your ZeoVit reactor by collecting the water from the reactor outlet for 30 seconds with a smaller container. Multiply the volume of water with 120 and you will get the exact output.
How deep is your sanbed ?
G.Alexander
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1) PO4 was higher, about 4. -- nitrates were always high, 30ppm or higher - I have been doing large water changes (a couple of weeks ago, several changes)
2) I use a liter in a Vibe Zeovit reactor -- water flow is somewhat low, around 60 gallons/hour
3) Sand bed is not too deep, about two inches - have a lot of live rock for bacteria - good skimmer (Red Sea) that produces a cup or so of skimmate/day -- two filter socks - I run zeovit carbon change once a month
4) I posted a message or so on this forum late last year - I was having high nutrients, algae and dinos - got that straightened out -- it was a very old tank - I redid the whole system - new substrate (the old sand not 100% removed) - new rock -- with the zeovit system the bacteria population stayed stable - water crystal clear - new coral doing very well -- no algae - good population of copepods - don't over feed - no larger fish - LED lighting -
5) I'd like to get a better balance of Nitrates/Phosphates -- I now have mostly LPS and soft corals -- I want to get a few SPS corals, but am concerned about the water quality --
6) I'll send a picture of the tank later today
7) Question: Did they discontinue the Amino acid concentrate, LPS -- if so what is a substitute -- I could not find a source for it - everyone says "Sold Out"
Thanks for your help!!, Harold BeckComment
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Please also post the answers to the questions I have linked when you post the pictures.
G.Alexander
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Tell us about your tank.
Please give us answers to the following questions in order to get more accurate dosing recommendations.
1. Gross water volume of your complete system (incl. sump etc.) - US gallons / UK gallons / liter
130. gallons
2. Net water volume (incl. sump etc.) - US gallons / UK gallons / liter
100. gallons
3. Are you using a CaCO2 reactor or other technique?
No
4. Are you using a PO4 reactor (how long, how long ago, etc.?)
No
5. Are you using Ozone?
No
6. Are you using UV?
No
7. What skimmer are you using (type, rated water volume)
Red Sea Reefer – rated at 180. gallons
8. What are your actual PO4 and NO3 levels?
NO3, 40ppm (perhaps greater, but less than 80ppm); PO4, about .18ppm --- NO3 has been very high for many months
9. What are your actual Ca, Alk and Mg levels?
Ca, 460; Alk 7.degrees; Mg, 1250
10. What filtration method do you use (refugium, DSB, Miracle Mud, etc.)
No refugium; sump w/two filter socks; skimmer; Zeovit vibration reactor
11. Type of light (Watt, color temp, how old, etc.)
LED, mixed color temp, low percentage white light
12. What corals do you keep?
Mostly LPS with some soft – also have a few montis --
13. Tissue color (light or dark)
Good color, nice and opened
14. How long has the tank been running
It was running for about 15 years – in early January (2020) I tore it down, replaced the rock and substrate because of the high nutrient levels – I had bad algae problems, a siege of dinoflagellates and diatom blooms – the glass had to be constantly cleaned – I spent a fortune in corals that did not do well – tried everything and no improvement – after the change-out the water stabilized – that’s when I (again, for the second period) set up the ZEOvit system – algae went away – substrate clean – crystal clear water – BUT high NO3 - -- corals look good though
15. Why do you want to use the ZEOvit system?
I want to get a good balance between nitrates and phosphates – and get them down to an acceptable level – I would like to get a pristine setup that I can confidently add new coral specimens – I’d like to get back into a few SPS pieces – I ran the gamut with other systems (NoPox, bio balls, Brightwell additives, Nitrate Reactor, etc.) – very frustrating – I have been impressed with the Zeovit system – good technical literature, etc. – I think the fact now is that with Zeovit I’m having less algae and water quality problems, etc. – The high nitrates are not causing serious issues, but I know that it should be corrected for a good system in the long run --- don’t want to be in the business of replacing rare corals!!! $$$$$$
16. Any supplemental dosing (type, amount, why, etc.)
No added supplements
17. Live rock (how much, how old, etc.)
Replaced very old live rock with new about 3 months ago
18. Any present problems
Only the problems with high nutrients – minor green algae on the rocks – substrate clean
19. Problem description (tissue loss tips, tissue loss base, diatom bloom, algae, etc.)
A few new pieces problems – A Duncan in particular
20. What test kit do you use (how old, recently switched, etc.)
New test kits – Red Sea, API and Sera
21. Present dosing, amounts and intervals (ZEOvit, ZEObak, ZEOfood, ZEOstart, ZEOspur2, etc.)
- Zeovit: 1 liter changed out at 6 week intervals – use a VIBE Zeovit Reactor – waterflow about 60 gal/hr – 3hrs on, 3hrs off (water flow may be a bit low??)
- Zeobak: 4 drops daily for two weeks after zeovit changeout – then a couple of times/week
- Zeomate: 4 drops daily for two weeks after zeovit changeout – then a couple of times/week
- Zeofood Plus: one week/month, 6 drops/25 gal per day – then two or three times a week
- Zeostart 3: little less than one ml/day
Note: I keep only the Zeobak and Zeomate in the refrigerator – the others at room temp
22. Other water parameters and water stability (salinity, temp, etc.)
Salinity 34ppt, temp 78 degrees F
23. Which salt brand do you use?
Instant Ocean
Here are two pictures of the tank – the lighting is such that the coral colors are not showing up – I reduced the blue lighting for better photography – but did not fine tune it – you can see a bit of green algae on the rocks – but not much – the glass occasionally gets a bit or biofilm on it but wipes easily – Yesterday I did a large water change and slightly reduced the Nitrate reading – but that in my opinion is not an effective way to get the nitrates down – I was thinking that if I could get the nitrate down to a more manageable level the Zeovit System could more easily kick in --- Your help is greatly appreciated – Harold Beck
I'll post the pictures separately
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如果我的理解是正確的，淨水= 400升，Zeovit材料= 1包裝，並且反應器的連續流量為每小時400升。
如果珊瑚健康，則反應器將切換為連續流量，並逐漸且每週增加，例如：至每小時85美加侖，下周至每小時100美加侖
保持新南威爾士州附近的水基參數盡可能穩定，包括向380 mg
Zeo Bac 4滴鉀，每週3次
Zeo Start 0.4ml x2，每天（早晨和晚上）
Zeo的海綿電源4隔日下降
8滴BioMate隔日
The raw water part uses resin material as the last channel of the filter device, which is good. I don't know if the raw water part is good?Comment
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Thank you for the additional information, really helpful.
If I understand you correct you have used some of the old rocks which where used in your system before with a age of 15 years and added some pieces fresh material ? Have you cleaned and / or soaked the old rocks before using it again ?
The reactor flow is indeed very low, can you please tell when you have exactly stated using ZeoVit on this system ?
G.Alexander
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Sorry - no, I did not use any of the old rock or sand --
1) The first time I employed the Zeovit system was on November 3, 2019 -- in the following weeks, I had numerous problems - slimy brown algae, dinos, etc. -- the nitrates were off the chart - very high - late in the year (2019) I decided that the 15 year old rocks and substrate were the primary problem - tank maintenance was impossible and new corals did not do well (or sometimes did not survive) - I decided to do a complete teardown -- On January 10, 2020 I did a complete tank teardown -- managed to save a few corals (and the fish) --- removed and replaced all the old rock and substrate (new rock, new sand) -- I decided to rely on the Zeovit System totally - in the following weeks, there was some algae on the rocks but not bad -- within 6 weeks, the algae disappeared and the substrate was clean (white for a change) -- and the new pieces of coral did well --BUT.. the Nitrates remained high (somewhere around 40 ppm) --- and now as you can see from the (poor) photo -- the algae is minimum, water clear as air, and the coral is doing well
2) I thought the water flow was pretty low - if I remember correctly, the pump for the reactor came with the reactor (??) -- I can easily change that out and up the flow to around 100 gal/hr
3) Question: would it be advisable to augment the Zeobak (for a short while) with an occasional addition of a good denitrifying bacteria -- or would that be detrimental? --- I have a feeling that the high level of nitrates may need a little kick to get them down to a manageable level??
4) When I do my water changes I test the new salt water for nitrates and phosphates to make sure that's not a source for nutrients -- the tests are always negative
Harold BeckComment
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Also, I forgot to edit a previous post -- it's probably evident, but with the Vibe Reactor, it's scheduled to come on and off in 3 hr intervals -- and what I failed to mention, it's set to vibrate for one minute twice a day.
HaroldComment
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Hello Harold,
lets first increase the water flow through the reactor to ~ 100 US gallons per hour. If you use the 3 hour on / off interval at the moment switch the reactor to continuous flow about 4 weeks later. Please measure the flow by collecting the water from the reactor outlet for 30 seconds with a small container, multiply the volume by 120 and you will get the exact output per hour. This should have a positive impact slowly reduce NO3.
I would recommend to stay with the ZeoVit products, mixing different systems does usually cause more harm than good.
G.Alexander
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Thanks, I'll do that -- I ordered a new pump for the reactor -- I can now control the flow to around 100 gal/hr -- and I'll run the reactor continuously rather than on/off
hbComment
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When giving Zeo Bac and Zeo Start doses, you can also consider performing a dose addition before the entrance of the zeolite reactor, which I think is also good
Adjust the skimmer to wet. Use Zeo brand activated carbon (0.4 liters), use net bag method, passive flight, change every 30 daysComment
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