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Old 07-28-2008, 04:03 PM
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kwirky kwirky is offline
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starting a tank fresh on a probiotic product is different from converting an existing one to a zero nutrient system. the problem is there'll be a longer time (and of course $$) investment before results happen.

Like albert said, throttle back your reactor and dose a little less than recommended. Running the reactor at a trickle works wonders. It's very hard to have too little flow through the reactor but very easy to have too much. Zeostart's the most likely of the basic 3 to cause algae and it may take up to 3 months for proper results to surface.

I don't recommend running phosphate media while using the zeovit because it'll interfere with the bacterial chain. There are about 40 common (and many more uncommon) nitrifying/denitrifying bacterial strains and these probiotic products rely on various strains working in a chain. Think assembly line. If one of those workers isn't present then the rest of the job doesn't get done. Running phosphate media will only hinder the performance of the system.

I agree that probiotic products are the key to getting impossible colours and good tank husbandry is required along with these systems. They aren't crutches. Everyone has their once a year "disaster" and maybe your tank's having it's disaster at the same time you decided to start zeovit. I think it's just coincidence.

Hang in there man! Things'll turn out! At least we're not in a hobby like breeding frontosa where you'll have to raise your fish for 4 years to HOPEFULLY have a breeding family
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Last edited by kwirky; 07-28-2008 at 04:05 PM.
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