New to ZeoVit and questions about reactors

[iMemphis]

So a friend of mine convinced me to start using the Zeovit program and looking through the Zeovit media. My question would be, is this really needed? My tank has strong filtration (Protein skimmer + Clarisea Filter roller mat) so it takes out a lot already. Is there benefits on running a skimmer, Filter roller, and a zeovit media reactor?

To start off, I planned on buying the following:

Zeostart
Zeofood plus
Zeobak
ZeoSpur
Flatworm stop
Sponge power

Also, my tank is a Red Sea Reefer 525 XL (139g -- prob about 110g with rock in there). Any help to a noob like me, would be great. Thanks!!

[G.Alexander]

Welcome to ZeoVit.com !

The ZeoVit material is a important part of the system which makes the nutrient processing much more effective compared to just dosing the basic components of the system. Basically you can dose those products without the material also, they will also process nutrients after some time and strengthen the biology but the nutrient processing will be much lower compared to use the complete system with the material.

Please post some more details about your system:

https://forum.zeovit.com/forum/gener...r-tank#post138

G.Alexander

[iMemphis]

Welcome to ZeoVit.com !

The ZeoVit material is a important part of the system which makes the nutrient processing much more effective compared to just dosing the basic components of the system. Basically you can dose those products without the material also, they will also process nutrients after some time and strengthen the biology but the nutrient processing will be much lower compared to use the complete system with the material.

Please post some more details about your system:

https://forum.zeovit.com/forum/gener...r-tank#post138

G.Alexander

Thank you for your response.

[iMemphis]

1. Gross water volume of your complete system (incl. sump etc.) - US gallons / UK gallons / liter - 110g (total volume)
2. Net water volume (incl. sump etc.) - US gallons / UK gallons / liter - 139g
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 - Yes
7. What skimmer are you using (type, rated water volume) - Deltec 600i (rated for 150g)
8. What are your actual PO4 and NO3 levels - 10ppm Nitrate / 0.04 P04
9. What are your actual Ca, Alk and Mg levels - 8.2 Alk, 430 Calcium, 1260 Mag
10. What filtration method do you use (refugium, DSB, Miracle Mud, etc.) - Filter Roller, Protein Skimmer, and lots of Marine Pure Blocks
11. Type of light (Watt, color temp, how old, etc.) - 2 Radion XR30 Gen 5s + 4 bulb Aquatic Life T5 fixture
12. What corals do you keep - Small SPS frags, Zoas, Torches, and blastos
13. Tissue color (light or dark) - N/A
14. How long has the tank been running - Exactly 1 year
15. Why do you want to use the ZEOvit system - Heard it does great for SPS, and this tank will be primarily SPS one day
16. Any supplemental dosing (type, amount, why, etc.) - ESV 2 Part, AB+ Red Sea amino
17. Live rock (how much, how old, etc.) - Man made rock, from west mariculture
18. Any present problems - Not so far
19. Problem description (tissue loss tips, tissue loss base, diatom bloom, algae, etc.) - Some brown algae, but subsiding
20. What test kit do you use (how old, recently switched, etc.) - Salifert Nitrate, ALK, Calcium, Trident as well
21. Present dosing, amounts and intervals (ZEOvit, ZEObak, ZEOfood, ZEOstart, ZEOspur2, etc.) - None Yet. Plan to order everything soon
22. Other water parameters and water stability (salinity, temp, etc.) - 78.5 degrees, water stable
23. Which salt brand do you use - Real ocean water, filtered from LSF (Plan on switching to Tropic Marine Pro soon)

[G.Alexander]

Thank you for the additional information.

First start with the basics products to decrease nutrients:

1. Place 1 liter zeovit in a Zeo Reactor. Water flow around 100 US gallons 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 0.4 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 4 drops ZeoBac daily for the first 2 weeks, flowed by a 2 – 3 x weekly dosage of 4 drops. Dose 0.4 ml 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 coloration. 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 or NSW. TM salt is used by many with success.

UV is not compatible to the system, switch it off when you start to use ZeoVit.

Basic water parameters looking good, try to keep them as ssolid 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.

If you like to not use the ZeoVit material additional just leave it out but as mention before you might need a additional method to keep nutrients under control. My recommendation is to use the material also.

If nutrient concentrations stay sold low you can also begin to slowly remove the bio blocks step by step if some time has passed.

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

G.Alexander

[iMemphis]

It seems that I won't be able to get the Skimz reactor, since they might be out of business. Is there any other reactors that would work? In the mean time, if I put the Zeolite in a bag, can i place it directly in my sump, until I can get a reactor?

[G.Alexander]

You can place the material in a mash bag in the sump temporary but move the material in the mash gab daily. My recommendation is to get a reactor as soon as possible as this will massive improve the processes for the transfer. I am not very familiar with the different reactors, you might find some additional information in the reactor forum:

https://forum.zeovit.com/forum/equip...orums/reactors

G.Alexander

[iMemphis]

Thanks for the update. G.Alexander What's the rationale for using the reactor for 3 hours on, and 3 hours off? During this time frame, I assume I would still flush / pump the unit each day correct?

[G.Alexander]

The interval will “speed down” things a little bit to give your corals more time to adopt, this is really helpful if a system which does already contain corals is converted to ZeoVit. Usually about 2 weeks after the first ZeoVit exchange you can switch the reactor to continuous flow if your corals are dosing fine.

G.Alexander

[iMemphis]

i was also reading the zeo guide, and anotehr option they proposed was to do 200g (of the 1000g) for the first week, then add 200 more, etc until it hits the 4-6 mark. Is that another option? Or is using 1000g all at once, and staggering 3 on 3 off, the better option?

Also, I just got my zeovit bottles in.

Of the bottles listed, which ones needs to be put in the fridge?

Zeobak (I believe this needs to be refrigerated)
Sponge power (I believe this needs to be refrigerated)
Zeostart
Zeofood plus
Flatworm stop

[G.Alexander]

My recommendation is to use 1 liter (one bag) of the material with the 3 hour on/off interval for the first 6 weeks. If the material is exposed to air, while the reactor pump is switched off you can alternatively start with a lower quantity and flow which is increased slowly step by step.

Just store ZeoBac in the fridge, the rest of the products in your list can be stored at normal temperature at a dry dark place.

G.Alexander

[iMemphis]

Thanks Alexander. You've been extremely helpful.

[iMemphis]

Hello G.Alexander

I've been doing zeovit for about a week now with the following parameters:

7.2-7.4 Alk
Calcium 420
Mag 1260
Nitrate 5ppm
Phosphate 0.01

Here is my following dosage:

Description:ZeoBak - 4 Drops daily
Sponge Power - 4 Drops Monday wed Friday
ZeoFood - 8 drops monday wed Friday
Zeo Start 1M Daily
Flatworm Stop 2M Daily

I plan on adding Pohl’s Xtra Concentrate when it comes in tomorrow.

I know that Zeovit program is suppose to be ULNS, is 5 ppm / Phosphate at 0.01 in the range I should be aiming for or should phosphate be a little higher? I've never ran phosphate so low before, so I just wanted to make sure I am good.

Thanks

[G.Alexander]

Dosing additional elements / products is not really necessary at this stage but if you like to you can add 2 ml XTra 2 x weekly to your dosing regimen. I would also recommend you to reduce ZeoFood to 4 drops 2 x weekly and Flatworm Stop to 4 ml 1 x weekly if you like to use them.

Potassium is important also, should be ~ 380 mg.

G.Alexander

[iMemphis]

is running so closely to 0.01 phosphate worrisome?