Tank conversation to Zeovit

[reeftank2008]

Hi All

after running zeovit for a while I came off it but have decided to go back after enjoying the coral colouration the system achieves.

can you look through the below and tell me if any problems are likely.


1. Gross water volume of your complete system (incl. sump etc.) - UK Litre - 500
2. Net water volume (incl. sump etc.) - 450/500 litre
3. Are you using a CaCO2 reactor or other technique - ATI Essential PRO
4. Are you using a PO4 reactor (how long, how long ago, etc.) No, removed due to low phosphate (0.008 Elos test kit)
5. Are you using Ozone no
6. Are you using UV no
7. What skimmer are you using (type, rated water volume) - Royal EXclusive double cone 150.
8. What are your actual PO4 and NO3 levels. - Nitrate 25 phosphate 0.015 (recently dosed seachem phosphorus to lift)
9. What are your actual Ca, Alk and Mg levels - Alk 7.7, mag 1305, cal 425.
10. What filtration method do you use (refugium, DSB, Miracle Mud, etc.) - currently using DVH bio pearls and 1 block of maxspect bio block. Rock was man-made ceramic rock.
11. Type of light (Watt, color temp, how old, etc.) 2 xOrphek Atlantik v4, 2x OR 120 bars v2
12. What corals do you keep mostly sps a few lps
13. Tissue color (light or dark) - abit of both
14. How long has the tank been running - since June 2020
15. Why do you want to use the ZEOvit system - colors and growth with proven results
16. Any supplemental dosing (type, amount, why, etc.) - none
17. Live rock (how much, how old, etc.) - none tank started with man made ceramic structure
18. Any present problems - very high tin in last ICP. Uploaded results. Currently running cuprisorb (been in two weeks) and poly filter.
19. Problem description (tissue loss tips, tissue loss base, diatom bloom, algae, etc.) - had slow stn on some acros but seems to have corrected. Found rusty mp40 now replaced, staple from the clarisea filter roll change and rusty jubilee clip all have been removed abs replaced.
20. What test kit do you use (how old, recently switched, etc.) - salifert for most abs Elos for phosphate. I’ve started monthly ATI ICP testing.
21. Present dosing, amounts and intervals (ZEOvit, ZEObak, ZEOfood, ZEOstart, ZEOspur2, etc.) - NA
22. Other water parameters and water stability (salinity, temp, etc.) - 26 degrees. Salinity 33PSU. GHL profilux 4 controlled. KH Guardian tests alk every 90 minutes with auto dosage correction. Topping up from ATI essential pro 1.
23. Which salt brand do you use? Natural Seawater which is set up on the GhL maxi doser for AWC every day doing 6 Litres


zeo equipment

vertex 1.5litre reactor

how should I proceed to swap over?

[reeftank2008]

[reeftank2008]

And finally my Last ICP results which corrective actions have been dealt with....hopefully!

Tank
//lab.atiaquaristik.com/share/79b0a127fd46741d6ee4

RO water

//lab.atiaquaristik.com/share/909409568639be480358

[G.Alexander]

First start with the basics products to decrease nutrients:

1. Place 1 liter zeovit in a Zeo Reactor. Water flow around 400 liters per hour. Connect the reactor pump to a clock timer and run the reactor pump with a 3 hour on / 3 hour off / 3 hour on interval. Please make sure the zeolite is not exposed to air while the pump is switched off. Clean the material daily. Leave the zeolite 4 weeks in the filter until you do the first change out. This is the first changing interval, others could be lengthen to 6 – 8 weeks.

2. Place 0.45 liters activated carbon in a filter sock and keep it in a passive water flow in your sump, changed every 30 days. Knead the carbon daily to keep the surface clean. Most users get perfect results with korallenzucht carbon.

3. Dose 5 drops ZeoBac daily for the first 2 weeks, flowed by a 2 – 3 x weekly dosage of 4 drops. Dose 0.45ml ZeoStart 2 x daily (morning & evening). Dose those in front of the Zeo reactor pump while it is switched on.

Later on you could use the additional products for coral colouation. Adjust your skimmer to skim wet, keeping it clean to export as much as possible. Do a weekly water change of 5 – 10 % with a good salt.

I would recommend to remove 1/3 of the BioPearls if you start with zeovit, than reduce the rest over the next 6 – 8 weeks step by step to zero. If this is done keep a eye on the PO4 level which should not increase. Once the system is converted to ZeoVit you can additional remove the BioBlock.

I have no experience with the Essentials pro you use to supplement the main elements but the product description says it does contain additional trace elements. This might have a negative impact to coral coloration if to much elements are added especially when the system is running nutrient poor.

Basic water parameters looking good, try to keep them as stabile as possible close the NSW in the following ranges:

KH 6.5 – 7.5
Ca 400 – 420 mg
Mg 1250 – 1300 mg
K+ ~ 380 mg

For a nutrient poor environment K+ (potassium) seems to be a important element. I would recommend you to get a test kit for this element also, posting your results.

This is a start-up dosage which might have to be adjusted later.

G.Alexander

[reeftank2008]

Hi G.Alexander

thanks for your reply.

I have kz carbon coming along with the basic 4 ,zeobac,zeostart 3,zeo food 7,stones. In addition I have sponge power.

I have a potassium test kit (salifert) so no issue here.

My only query is if I come off ATI essential pro what would you recommend? Also what brand of salt? I’m currently using natural seawater or should this be ok?

thanks

[G.Alexander]

As you already have SpongePower you can dose 5 drops every other day additional as the product has a positive side effect to the biology. ZeoFood can be used later @ 5 drops 2 – 3 x weekly when the system is running nutrient poor solid.

My experience with such supplements is limited but basically using a Ca and a KH supplement which does not contain additional trace elements is what I would recommend. You might find some additional information over here:

http://www.mathgame.de/Aqua/Balling_StepByStep_Eng.pdf

Most people use Tropic Marin, RedSea or Korallenzucht salt with good results. I have no experience with natural seawater however some of your members use it with success.

G.Alexander

[reeftank2008]

Hi G. Alexander

Thanks for reply....

ive tested my tanks no3 today and phosphate and my results were no3 - 0.2 and phosphate - 0.008.

with my reActor arriving tomorrow should I change my dosing amount as you first stated?

also i placed the 1 litre of stones in a bag in my sump just to seed whilst waiting for the reactor and zeobac etc to come. Is this ok?

Thanks

[G.Alexander]

I would recommend you to start dosing as described in post # 4, additional dose SpongePower as recommended. Move the ZeoVit material to the reactor if it does arrive and run it with a 3 hour on / off interval for the first couple of weeks. Make sure to use the right flow through the reactor.

G.Alexander

[reeftank2008]

Hi G.Alexander

zeo reactor added to the sump. I measured the flow 6/7 seconds to fill 1 litre jug equating to 400 L/hr.

5 drop of zeobac added
0.45ml of start 3
5 drops of cynoclean
5 drops of sponge power

I have removed the bio pearls as I actually didn’t have that many in the reactor (see pic). I have left the block in the sump.

hopefully this is ok....

[G.Alexander]

Sounds good, lets keep a close eye on the PO4 level in the next couple of weeks, it should not increase.

G.Alexander

[reeftank2008]

Hi G.Alexander

so I’ve done zeo now for two weeks. Tanks doing ok but I’ve still algae that hasn’t gone and still struggling with abit of cyno on the sand.

my parameters tonight are

calcium 430
magnesium 1215
kh 7.15
potassium 420
nitrate 5

what do you recommend for me to do? I’ve also just removed the maxspect block also so I only have the zeo reactor now.

I have noticed better polyp extension and colours coming back on the sps also....

thanks

[G.Alexander]

It will take more time until the system does work well as the biology needs time to be improved so you can not expect to much after 2 weeks however the improvement of your corals is basically a good sign.

If you like to you can try to dose a mixture of 5 ml CoralSnow mixed with 5 drops ZeoBac once daily for one week to treat the cyanos, might help to prevent them from spreading to additional areas. If just the sand is affected vacuum those areas while each water change to remove the for some time. While doing the “treatment” no additional ZeoBac dosage is necessary.

G.Alexander

[reeftank2008]

Thanks G.Alexander

Do I need to amend my dosing regime? If so what to? Or do I continue with daily dosing of zeobac?

thanks

[G.Alexander]

Lets adjust ZeoBac, ZeoStart and SpongePower as follows:

ZeoBac – 5 drops 2 – 3 x weekly
ZeoStart – 0.45 ml 2 x daily
Sponge Power – 5 drops every other day

First ZeoVit exchange will be if the first 4 weeks have passed, replace 90% of the material at this time and dose ZeoBac daily @ 5 drops for 10 days, continue with 2 – 3 x weekly. Next ZeoVit exchange will be 6 weeks later.

G.Alexander

[reeftank2008]

Hi G.Alexander

i have just replaced my zeostones as I had the stones in the tank for approx 1 week prior to getting the zeovit reactor and now it’s being 3 weeks.

I removed 90% of the stones and replaced with another 1 litre of zeostones and i dosed 5 drops of zeobac.

I presume I continue as you mentioned above but dose zeobac daily for the next 10 days?

thanks