A Response to Zeovit "Pastels"

[batt600]

nice thank you. I'll check it out now.

Batt do you find the zeo system more convenient to use? what test do you do?

Its like doing regular dosing in the moring dose esv 1 & 2 and pump my zoe reactor 15 reps then does my zoe bak zoe foods and zoe start2 and AA then just before the lights go out i feed my fish and pump my zoe reactor 1 last time and dose start2 again thats it .Doesnt take that much time from my less than 1m thats it. The good thing is the zoe reactor feeds the sps so no need to feed your tank any more with osterfeast and stuff.

 

[anthony27]

what exact levels do you test in this system

 

[batt600]

what exact levels do you test in this system

Opps forgot Just your basics and your k Levels thats Potassium
Your levels in the tank have to been to natural sea levels this is what your looking for
Ca 400-420
Mg 1200-1350
dKH 6.5-7.5
K+ 380-400ppm
salinty 33-35ppt

 

[sharkbait69]

Ok, so after reading the users guild, What?s with the replacement of t5 bulbs after 6-8 weeks? that?s going to get expensive after a while. Do you use t-5s or MH?
Is the zeo rocks relatively inexpensive? I have to admit. I would be crapping my pants hoping I got the water flow right thru the reactor on my already stocked sps tank.
Nothing like RTN to tell you it?s to much.
Dosing does seem relatively like any other element one would dose in a regular reef tank, if one was dosing a tank.
Also looking at the OEM reactor, I thought you had a plunger to pump the mulm? Can you do that with the OEM reactor, or is that an upgraded reactor?
I really appreciate the users guild link

 

[batt600]

Ok, so after reading the users guild, What’s with the replacement of t5 bulbs after 6-8 weeks? that’s going to get expensive after a while. Do you use t-5s or MH?
Is the zeo rocks relatively inexpensive? I have to admit. I would be crapping my pants hoping I got the water flow right thru the reactor on my already stocked sps tank.
Nothing like RTN to tell you it’s to much.
Dosing does seem relatively like any other element one would dose in a regular reef tank, if one was dosing a tank.
Also looking at the OEM reactor, I thought you had a plunger to pump the mulm? Can you do that with the OEM reactor, or is that an upgraded reactor?
I really appreciate the users guild link

That a typo it 6 to 8m not weeks and i use t5. And the voevita are cheap $15 a bag I have a vertex zoe reactor heres the link were you can get it http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=86_154_479
and join the zoe forums and put a post that you are starting zoes and need help put your tank size sump size and what you use and you equipment you have and they will tell you eveything you need to now to get the zoe reactor going. That what i did .

 

[sharkbait69]

That a typo it 6 to 8m not weeks and i use t5. And the voevita are cheap $15 a bag I have a vertex zoe reactor heres the link were you can get it http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=86_154_479
and join the zoe forums and put a post that you are starting zoes and need help put your tank size sump size and what you use and you equipment you have and they will tell you eveything you need to now to get the zoe reactor going. That what i did .

lol phew ok. i was like 6 8 weeks wow, this could get expenisve. I will take your advise and jump over the zeo board. What type of t5 are you running? I run t5 in a 18k range? no good? should i go more toward the 10-15k?
i run 4 blue plus, 1 fiji purple and 1 75/25 is that to deep for the zeo system?

 

[batt600]

lol phew ok. i was like 6 8 weeks wow, this could get expenisve. I will take your advise and jump over the zeo board. What type of t5 are you running? I run t5 in a 18k range? no good? should i go more toward the 10-15k?
i run 4 blue plus, 1 fiji purple and 1 75/25 is that to deep for the zeo system?

I have a 8 bulb tek light .This is what i use and have great color and par
4 Ati Blue Plus
1 UVl 75/25 14000k
1 Fiji Purple
2 Ati Aquablue Specials 12000K

 

[anthony27]

That a typo it 6 to 8m not weeks and i use t5. And the voevita are cheap $15 a bag I have a vertex zoe reactor heres the link were you can get it http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/cat...ath=86_154_479
and join the zoe forums and put a post that you are starting zoes and need help put your tank size sump size and what you use and you equipment you have and they will tell you eveything you need to now to get the zoe reactor going. That what i did .


In regards to the changing out of the bulbs I am def going to do that every 6 months. I changed all my bulbs in december. Now I am due to change them in may. It is about 10$ a bulbe for me so 6 bulbs are about 60$ which is not bad and I always can give away my old ones.

I would like to know is it important in a neo zeo system to replace the bulbs

 

[batt600]

That a typo it 6 to 8m not weeks and i use t5. And the voevita are cheap $15 a bag I have a vertex zoe reactor heres the link were you can get it http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/cat...ath=86_154_479
and join the zoe forums and put a post that you are starting zoes and need help put your tank size sump size and what you use and you equipment you have and they will tell you eveything you need to now to get the zoe reactor going. That what i did .


In regards to the changing out of the bulbs I am def going to do that every 6 months. I changed all my bulbs in december. Now I am due to change them in may. It is about 10$ a bulbe for me so 6 bulbs are about 60$ which is not bad and I always can give away my old ones.

I would like to know is it important in a neo zeo system to replace the bulbs

I dont know about neo zeo system but you should

 

[anthony27]

I dident know that uvi put out a 14k bulb I am def going to check this out. I have the 10k and 12k now from reef wave so if I add a 14k that will be good for the color spectrum

 

[E.intheC]

Do you use the zeo system? do you like it ? what types of test are you doing besides the basic reef test?

I completely understand what you were saying about not wanting to crash your system. That's one of the reasons why I am holding off. I don't run zeo yet, but plan on doing some form of carbon dosing/bacteria soon.

If you look, lots and lots of people out there are running incredible tanks with some form of carbon dosing.

I like the Zeovit especially b/c it's very precise. I feel like the vodka/mb7 is a
less precise" version and requires more actual 'liquid'..

Also, simply because you can do something a different way, or the fact that there's risk involved doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. The way I see it, there's many paths to the top of the mountain with a lot of different people doing different things successfully. You have to find one way that works for you.

About the risk part.. as an example...tons of people have problems (including entire crashes) when using calcium reactors or even using an ATO system, but these are widely accepted mediums today.

 

[anthony27]

I have a 40 breeder and I would like to start vodka dosing how much woudl I have to dose for the inital dosing.

 

[sharkbait69]

QUOTE=E.intheC;769873]I completely understand what you were saying about not wanting to crash your system. That's one of the reasons why I am holding off. I don't run zeo yet, but plan on doing some form of carbon dosing/bacteria soon.
If you look, lots and lots of people out there are running incredible tanks with some form of carbon dosing.
I like the Zeovit especially b/c it's very precise. I feel like the vodka/mb7 is a
less precise" version and requires more actual 'liquid'..
Also, simply because you can do something a different way, or the fact that there's risk involved doesn't mean you shouldn't do it. The way I see it, there's many paths to the top of the mountain with a lot of different people doing different things successfully. You have to find one way that works for you.
About the risk part.. as an example...tons of people have problems (including entire crashes) when using calcium reactors or even using an ATO system, but these are widely accepted mediums today.[/QUOTE]
　
Ok, cool as long as you and everyone understand where I was meaning to come from.
I have been in this hobby since the 80?s with a small hiatus during my first year of college as nano?s were not even heard of and I would not dare trust a tank around the animals I dormed with let alone we were not allowed.
I have gone thru the ups and downs with all the latest and greatest gimmicks to come thru. I have suffered only one complete crash and I really don?t ever want to go thru that ever again and I really feel for the members and hobbyist who have to deal with a TSC. I have found what works and gives me great growth and awesome colors. It has worked for me for quite some time now. The problem is the better part of my ego is getting to me and seeing the colors, and glow. I can?t believe how much the corals look like they are plugged into an electrical outlet is leading me down the path of a zeo system. I?m starting to get on board with the zeo systems.
So, wait. I was dosing a mixture of vodka and mb7. As you put it, it?s a less precise version. So in a way is this dosing like a zeo setup? Now I?m lost a little. I thought the mixture was just a ?powerhouse mixture? of a liquid carbon and bacteria.
Absolutely, trust me. I fully agree with your path up the mountain analogy, I truly believe in experimenting with new concepts and ideas. Sorry, it wont be my tanks. I mean for god sake, I just jumped on the boat with t5 lights last year. I thought to my self no way is skinny ass bulb going to do what my Mh lights can do. And to a degree they can but still have the limitations.
****At this time I would like to take my hat off to all the members who are willing to try new ideas on there systems. I thank you and encourage you to try more**** I will be waiting in the ballpen with the news of success and the how to do it instruction.
I have tried a lot of the ideas some good, some bad and most just a pile of crap written on paper. No matter how you tweak or mod some ideas are just poor ideas.
Agree risk is all part of the hobby. At the same time, going along with the ATO and CA reactors. I think/feel its part of my responsibility to safe guard as much as I can to prevent a crash or total nuke of my system.
I think and feel I did everything in my powers to do mock damage control with my ATO and CA reactor.
I can not stress it enough, I just have not had the time to sit down with a zeo reactor and look for ways to set up safe guards to prevent a melt down that an I was not to sure of the idea.
Research is part of the hobby and im reading and looking info up. I just want to make sure im making the right decision for my system and not my ego.

 

[batt600]

Ok on the zoe reactor there is no way you can crash your tank with this its all up to you all the reactor does it turn on flow for the stones .Now if you dont dose it right you can crash your tank if you dont change the stones every 6 weeks your crash your tank. So pretty much it up to you to do the right things or it will crash your tank. Know ATO and calicium reactors all have thing that in place to control them that can fail. The only thing controlling the zoe reactor is you.

 

[sharkbait69]

Ok on the zoe reactor there is no way you can crash your tank with this its all up to you all the reactor does it turn on flow for the stones .Now if you dont dose it right you can crash your tank if you dont change the stones every 6 weeks your crash your tank. So pretty much it up to you to do the right things or it will crash your tank. Know ATO and calicium reactors all have thing that in place to control them that can fail. The only thing controlling the zoe reactor is you.

oh ok so that reactor seems pretty easy then. Asnwer me this and ill go about my biz researching it on my own and ask for help on the zeo MB. What can happen or would happen if one was to under dose? would you get results are would it be a waste of additives or would you starve or kill the coral?
Batt and the rest, i appreciate you taking the time to correct me and point me in the correct direction.

 

[AlohaTropics]

There are actually quite a few members here on MR that are using Zeovit. I think many of the exaggerations come from "chatter". The system is not going to crash from missing a dose or even 3 or 5. Think of Zeo as kind of an alternate way of nutrient control. In a traditional system, you are starting with high nutrients and then adding equipment such as phos reactor, etc... to eventually bring the nutrient levels down to a low level. In Zeo, you are starting off by stripping the water bare down to almost 0 levels of everything and then you are adding (dosing) back the nutrients at an amount as per needed for your bioload.

If you think about it, you are really replicating nature more closely this way. The natural reefs are actually extremely low in dissolved nutrients. Rich in foods but the water has virtually no dissolved nutrients as is much of the ocean.

 

[batt600]

There are actually quite a few members here on MR that are using Zeovit. I think many of the exaggerations come from "chatter". The system is not going to crash from missing a dose or even 3 or 5. Think of Zeo as kind of an alternate way of nutrient control. In a traditional system, you are starting with high nutrients and then adding equipment such as phos reactor, etc... to eventually bring the nutrient levels down to a low level. In Zeo, you are starting off by stripping the water bare down to almost 0 levels of everything and then you are adding (dosing) back the nutrients at an amount as per needed for your bioload.

If you think about it, you are really replicating nature more closely this way. The natural reefs are actually extremely low in dissolved nutrients. Rich in foods but the water has virtually no dissolved nutrients as is much of the ocean.

Yes this is what i was saying you cant crash the tank from the zoe system . If it crashes it because you did soming wrong thats what i ment up top only you can crash your tank not the zoe stuff. But I did read on the zoe forum that if you dont change the stone you will get hight phos and N03 and one person almost lot everthing in his tank from not change the zoelight stones.

 

[AlohaTropics]

Yes this is what i was saying you cant crash the tank from the zoe system . If it crashes it because you did soming wrong thats what i ment up top only you can crash your tank not the zoe stuff. But I did read on the zoe forum that if you dont change the stone you will get hight phos and N03 and one person almost lot everthing in his tank from not change the zoelight stones.

Yes, it is important to change the zeolite stones every 6-8 weeks. Zeolites are found in nature and there are many different kinds. They have different absorbtion qualities and although Thomas Pohl does not disclose exactly what kind of zeolites the Zeovit system uses (for obvious business reasons) we do know that they take a large part in the absorption of nutrients (PO4 and NO3). That is why zeobacteria will heavily colonize the zeolite rocks in the reactor. When the absorpotion quality begins to decline, your levels of PO4 and NO3 will begin to spike.

One big reason why people experience crashes is because of the transition from a regular system to the Zeo system. Most coral loss and tank issues occur during this period. It is well known that the transition from a fully established system into a zeosystem should be taken very cautiously and SLOWLY. This sudden change in Nutrient Levels and Water Clarity (light intensity) and basic water chemistry more better known as "THE REDFIELD RATIO" (please wiki) is what causes people to think Zeovit is dangerous. But people do not realize that small changes in the Redfield Ratio is drastic to corals. For example: a change in PO4 from .5ppm to .2ppm is not very harmful. From .2ppm to .1ppm it becomes a more drastic change. If your PO4 is at .1ppm, most traditional systems are very happy and it is considered to be low. In a Zeo system, .1 is considered on the high side and we are used to keeping levels from .01-.02. The drop of nutrient levels from what a traditional system deems to be "low" to what Zeovit systems deem to be "low" is very dramatic hence the term ULNS (Ultra Low Nutrient System) is used. The sudden change not only in the Redfield Ratio but ALSO the symbiotic relationship between zooxanthallae and Host is dramatic also. Symbiotic Zooxanthallae will begin to purge from the host when nutrient levels are not present to sustain them. This sudden purge causes a big change in the coral's nutrition cycle.

I mean, overall though, the corals should adjust. Its really a hit or miss with which corals might die through the transition. As long as you follow directions during the transition period, there shouldn't be any die off.

We could go on and on and I do not consider myself an "expert" but I do have the basic conception of the Zeo system. The best advice to give is, if you want a Zeo tank, Start from scratch using the 14 day cycle program. Then start adding corals.

 

[batt600]

All i can say is im happy with my zoe system .. And dont knock it if you dont try it .

 

[AlohaTropics]

+1. :spin: