Zeovit in a Nano (detailed update dec 5th)

[kwirky]

So the other night I was considering the feasability of zeovit in a nano-sized tank. Namely in my 24 gallon tank. I thought about bringing up a discussion on the subject.

zeovit guide here: http://captiveoceans.com/pdfs/ZEOgui...%20English.pdf

It states that you need the following:

• efficient strong skimming
• sufficient lighting
• optimization of nutrient addition
• addition of elements at low levels
• optimum water parameters (ca, mg, k+, KH, salinity)
• regular weekly water changes
• sufficient water flow
• use of live rock etc

In a nano tank, most people already do weekly water changes however skimming is rarely used because of the larger 25% weekly water changes.

I've read through the zeovit guide and found it recommends efficient strong skimming:

"...the basis of this method relies on export of harmful substances through skimming" (zeovit guide p16).

The larger than normal water changes in a nano tank performs this function.

Now another requirement of zeovit is the reaction chamber. After calculating the requirements of a 24 gallon tank I found I would need 240mL of zeovit. A very small ammount which doesn't justify spending the $$ on a large reactor. So I thought about a HOB filter. Now one requirement of the zeolite is making sure the zeolite does not make contact with air. Thus, care would have to be taken to ensure the zeolite is at the very bottom of the HOB filter so if the power goes out the micro-organisms in the zeolite aren't damaged.

Another requirement is the addition of trace elements due to adsorption by the zeovit system. I'm thinking the larger than normal water changes will accomplish this just fine.

I'd like to hear about people's personal experiences and how they think it could be applied to the nano aquarium.

[albert_dao]

Phosban reactor.

You need to call me Sean

[michika]

I like your idea a lot! While I run a 24g nano, and i have all the reactors, and a skimmer, I think that you could definitely do zeovit on the system as well. Phosban reactors work well, particularly the two little fishes ones.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

I've been contemplating this, too! Kicking my phosban to the curb and going with Zeovit in my Two Little Fishies reactor.

[christyf5]

Wouldn't the large water changes sort of negate the use of zeovit? Every water change you do not only greatly dilutes the zeovit additive concentration, but also disrupts the system unless you're really careful to make sure the levels of various zeovit additives "match" the water you removed.

Just wondering.

[Joe Reefer]

If your going to use a phosban reactor for the zeolith. How do you stir it daily?

[kwirky]

ok update on zeovit and my nano. I've done a lot more research on zeovit and sps corals in general and I'm going to make it an SPS tank. I finally was able to get some zeovit stones today so this is the day I start it all.

I'm going to test the hype that zeovit can bring a new tank stable and ready for SPS in record time. I'm going to see if the system can meet those expectations. It will also require diligence on my part that I've never exercised on one of my own tanks so I also see this as an opportunity to bump my reefkeeping up a knotch.

Here are the specifications of my tank:
24 gallon bowfront (24" long, 12" wide, 16" tall)
aprox 30 pounds liverock (15 pounds fresh, 15 pounds cooked)
82F (stealth heater)
400gph koralia 1 water pump on full time.
two maxijet 1200's alternating on 15 minute timer. One runs across open water at back of tank, the other directly into the liverock.
aqua-c Remora protein skimmer. Started break in period Nov 12th.
automatic top off.
RO/DI water
150W HQI Aquaconnect 14k (6 hours a day)
2x65W Actinic PC (10 hours a day)

I have 200mL of zeovit in a home made reactor flowing aprox 15 gph.
Dosing according to latest zeovit guide.
Will be dosing Coral Vitalizer and amino concentrate once there are corals.
Weekly water changes of 5%.

So this thread will be used to track my progress with zeovit through nitrate testing (weekly) and photographs (weekly). There won't be any corals for a few weeks so the photographs will be sparse initially.

[kwirky]

update: I swapped out 13 pounds of my "cooked" rock for 13 pounds of fresh rock last friday to try to follow the zeovit guidelines. I tested my nitrates on monday the 19th and they were 5ppm. I did a 10% water change which should have dropped the nitrates down to 4.5ppm.

I tested the water today, 2 days later, and nitrates are 2.5ppm. That's a 1ppm drop in 2 days if you don't account for the water change! At the beginning of the zeovit run I turned the lights on for 2 days and a bunch of fiber like algae about 1/8" in length showed up in the upper regions of the tank. Almost overnight tonight the algae's dissapeared! I'm running the lights full bore ahead now hoping to get some nice coraline growth.

There's something to this zeovit!

[Slick Fork]

What's the thinking behind swapping out the rock?

[kwirky]

Originally Posted by Slick Fork

What's the thinking behind swapping out the rock?

biodiversity. The rock I had before sat at my mom's for a few months without a water change. Very high in nitrates (probably around 100ppm when I finally was able to bring the rock from her house) and most everything died off it. No algae but not much for anything else either. Only a few clams and a lot of white coraline. I figured it would be a good idea to freshen up the tank with some new rock.