280g Inwall

Delphinus · #1 10-09-2010, 05:34 AM

I don't know. I might on a supplemental basis because I think the mulm is good coral food (well, if the overabundance of feather dusters at my reactors output is any indication). As far as the bleaching goes though .. I can throw my name into the hat that it has happened to me too. On the big cube, the fish load is enormous and the pellets seem to keep the nutrients at bay. On the small semi-cube though, the nutrient load was always light on account of an overabundance of caulerpa that aggressively strips the water of NO3 and probably PO4. I had hoped that the pellets would starve it out because I've been fighting the caulerpa for months and it's a total losing proposition. The pellets starved out my chaeto on the big tank but the caulerpa's mojo is stronger apparently. Anyhow long story short I got bleaching in that tank. All my Acan's, my two carpets (my purple carpet is now a white carpet - pure white

), and a green bubble all showed signs of bleaching and have there's been no recovery of colour in the 3 or so months since it started. I should take the pellets offline on that tank to see if it changes anything but I'm a little afraid to just take them off cold turkey. At this point I'm hoping that I can just move everyone into the big tank soon and it will be a turning point.

I suspect the problem is running pellets on a system where the nutrient load is already somewhat low. In my big tank it's pretty high so it's got something to do, in the small tank I guess the pellets get bored and start looking for trouble or something. Just my uneducated theory. Stupid caulerpa. I have to prune it every 2-3 days. I'd move rock into the big tank and let the tangs and rabbit go at it but the butterflies might pick at the other things I don't want to lose.

I did keep all the equipment from Zeo when I ran it before. I'm contemplating doing so again with this tank, especially after seeing John and Dez's tanks on it.

Haven't really though much more of it for now. Any thoughts on this yourself? Would love to hear. Unfortunately I have not a lot of time these days so I only go onto RC every so often to check up on some of my favourite threads there, and as such I miss a lot of good info.

andestang · #2 10-09-2010, 06:14 AM

I was running Zeo for a couple of years with moderate success and then I decided to try the pellets. After just under 2 months I had a large Digi and a couple Acro's bleach out and have a few others thats are showing signs of trouble. Like you I don't want to just disconnect it all of sudden. I also cannot say or prove it is the reason for the bleaching, but up to that point I've had no issues. Be interesting to here results from a newly started tank, but to be discussed in another thread. Have you read up on the Zeo 14 day start up cycle ?

Delphinus · #3 10-09-2010, 06:22 AM

I think so but it was a couple years ago so I don't remember much of it, I should look for it again (got a link handy? I'll look for it too though). I remember Albert was a fairly strong proponent of Zeo and I remember him saying you could add livestock to a tank at 2 weeks on a zeo system. I'd be a little concerned that the bacterial cultures would be all in the zeolites and not the rock especially when starting from dry rock (or at least a 50/50 mixture of dry rock) although I imagine over time a bacterial film should develop over the substrate anyhow..

lastlight · #4 10-09-2010, 06:26 AM

ZEOVIT SUCKS.

Just fishing for dao. Any minute now...

lastlight · #5 10-09-2010, 06:27 AM

Hmmm didn't work.

HALO REACH > STARCRAFT

muck · #6 10-09-2010, 06:34 AM

Anyone up for badminton or Karaoke?

andestang · #7 10-09-2010, 06:53 AM

playing online poker

lobsterboy · #8 10-09-2010, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

I think so but it was a couple years ago so I don't remember much of it, I should look for it again (got a link handy? I'll look for it too though). I remember Albert was a fairly strong proponent of Zeo and I remember him saying you could add livestock to a tank at 2 weeks on a zeo system. I'd be a little concerned that the bacterial cultures would be all in the zeolites and not the rock especially when starting from dry rock (or at least a 50/50 mixture of dry rock) although I imagine over time a bacterial film should develop over the substrate anyhow..

Tony I used the 14 day cycle for my system, and even had the slimers in after that. I think at the start of my thread you can see the alage outbreak, but then that was it.
I dunno, now a days there are many different ways to run a tank. just sayin.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lastlight

ZEOVIT SUCKS.

I thought that all this was behind us, E.T. ouch

Rbacchiega · #9 10-09-2010, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobsterboy

I dunno, now a days there are many different ways to run a tank. just sayin.

mwaaaaahahahahahahaha

I've done the 14 day start when I ran zeo briefly....liked it. Then got lazy. We're starting a good old fashioned cycle on the tank today with a hunk of scallop.