Just thought I’d chime in here with my own experience and observations on both systems.
First, a quick debriefing on the one issue that seems to have kept most people out of Probiotic methodologies for so long:
Cost comparisons between Zeovit System from Korallen-Zucht and Ultralith from Fauna-Marin
Zeovit Basic 4:
Zeovit Media 1L: $14.45 (J&L)
Zeofood 50 mL: $15.95 (J&L)
Zeobak 10 mL: $15.95 (J&L)
Zeostart 250mL: $35.95(J&L)
We’ll make the calculation for a 120 gallon tank, assuming 100 gallon is the net water volume. Dosing would be as follows:
Media Exchange: 1 L every 6 to 8 weeks.
Zeofood7: 4 drops per day
Zeostart2: 0.8mL per day
Zeobak: 4 drops once a week
Each mL approximately contains 20 drops
Zeofood7: 0.2 mL per day
Zeobak: 0.2 mL per week
At this rate:
Zeofood 50 mL: $15.95 (J&L) 250 doses /30 = $1.91 per month
Zeobak 10 mL: $15.95 (J&l) 50 doses /5 doses per month= $1.60 per month
Zeostart 250mL: $35.95(J&l) 312 doses = $3.46 per month
Zeovit Media 1 L: $14.45 for 6 week = $10.32 per month
Total costs for 100 gallon net water volume: $17.29 per month
This is the Stage 1 & 2 the system, once established and at Stage 3, you will reduce dosing and, subsequently, the cost to pretty damn near only 70% of this figure.
Ultralith Basic 4:
UltraBio 50 ml: $56.03 (Progressive Reef)
Ultralith 1l: $19.07 (Progressive Reef)
Ultramin S 100ml: $26.28 (Progressive Reef)
Ultrabak 100ml: $26.28 (Progressive Reef)
Again, we’ll make the calculation for that same 120gallon tank, assuming 100 gallon is the net water volume:
Media Exchange: 1 liter every 6 to 8 weeks.
UltraBio: 8 drops twice a week
Ultramin S: .8ml per day
Ultrabak: 1.6ml once a day
Each CC approximately contains 20 drops
UltraBio 50 ml: $56.03 (Progressive Reef) 125 doses / 17= $7.62 per month
Ultralith 1l: $19.07 (Progressive Reef) for 6 weeks = $13.62 per month
Ultramin S 100ml: $26.28 (Progressive Reef) 125 doses= $6.31 per month
Ultrabak 100ml: $26.28 (Progressive Reef) 62 doses = $12.72 per month
Total costs for 100 gallon net water volume: $40.27 per month.
So basically, Ultralith, for the same size tank, cost almost 233% more. Actually, while doing the calculations, this was a shocker to me since I was told that Ultralith is a cheaper system.
In addition, as per the Ultralith manual, you have to soak the media one week in advance while changing the water several times to rinse it. With Zeovit you just rinse and it’s ready to go.
Overall, I find the Zeovit system easier to apply.
Here’s another costs differential –
Startup kits (no reactor):
Zeovit: $82.30 J&L
Ultralith: $127.66 Progressive Reef
With both systems, you’ll want a reactor and you can get a complete Zeovit system for $199.95 from J&L including a Reactor (
http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s...t_ID=zv-00p151).
If you buy the same reactor from J&L (
http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/s...uct_ID=vt-zr15) then tack on the Ultralith, you’re looking at $267.61.
Finally, where a review really counts, my own personal experience:
As stated earlier, my first foray into Probiotic systems was with Ultralith, purchased by merit of hearsay on the forums claiming that the costs would be significantly lower than Zeovit. I ran the system for over three months with little result other than slightly reduced nutrient levels. This wasn’t really at par with my expectations. But before throwing the towel, I figured I’d double back and try the Zeovit system (I had really good experiences with KZ’s Coral Vitalizer and Coral Snow), which I have now been running for a little over six months.
Here’s what I can say; after only four weeks of switching out the Ultralith media with Zeovit media and running the new additives (basic 4 only), I began to see amazing results. My algae started to rapidly die off, my corals both exhibited noticeably increased color and polyp extension.
I believe that Zeovit has a lot more going for it as a Probiotic system. It’s been around longer, it’s tried and proven across many reef tanks across many countries and more readily available.
I personally prefer the Zeovit system, as I have a mixed reef and don’t like the pale look of corals people get from other probiotic systems. With Zeovit, I have been getting amazing colors & polyp extension beyond what I expected from the system initially.
I hope this helps. All calculations based off manufacturer’s guides and observations are IME.