These systems use the same basic steps:
1. Create a home for bacteria - zeo media and filter
2. Seed the home with the right bacteria - microbial additives (different brands)
3. Feed the bacteria with a carbon source - (I use vodka, but there are lots of others out there)
4. bacteria are happy and use the carbon source along with nutrients in the water column to fix nitrogen and phosporus that can either be skimmed out or used as a more complex food source for aquarium inhabitants.
Once you get the point where your nutrients are low, you will also have removed a lot of the complex amino acids and trace elements that corals take up. This is where the dosing of all those pricey additives comes in.
So...
If you think you can maintain a low nutrient environment without zeo (it is possible) then yes, go ahead and dose without that system, but be aware that most of those additives are designed to put back in a controlled way, what the zeo system is removing. Hope that makes some sense.
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