So, between my available outlets and the physical space left in my sump, I have room for maybe one more piece of equipment for my tank. Trying to decide between adding a Zeovit reactor (and converting the tank over to a Zeovit system), or adding a good UV system. My reasoning for each:
Zeovit:
I'm drawn to the discipline and regimen of the Zeovit system. Sometimes I feel a little disconnected from my tank, and being forced to dose the little blue bottles would give my brain the excuse to spend time on the tank. I like that it takes an active approach to nutrient management and coral health, and I'm impressed with the coloration and results that many Zeovit tanks show. The expense is immaterial to me - it is expensive for what it is, but well within what I can spend on the tank.
However, I already have a very productive refugium in my tank, which does a fantastic job of keeping my nitrates under control (phosphates, not so much). Tons of microfauna in there as well. I know that the Zeovit system is supposed to be run without a refugium, and I don't really want to take it down. I'm also concerned about dinos in the Zeovit system; I do have recurring issues with dinos popping up (not plague-level by any means, but noticeable), and I know that low-nutrient environments (as Zeovit produces) can also encourage dinos to proliferate.
UV:
As I said, I've had recurring dino problems; the only time I was able to really eliminate them was when I was running a (smaller, underpowered) UV sterilizer that ended up failing in a way that could have been catastrophic. It also has seemed to help with cyano in the past - I don't have cyano issues right now, but that doesn't mean I won't in the future. The dinos seem indelibly attracted to my acro frags, usually appearing on the tips after no more than a day or so, so I'd be ecstatic if I could prevent that from happening. I also wouldn't mind clearer water.
The major problems I'm trying to address with whatever I add to the tank are poor SPS performance and the recurring dinos. The dinos are not plague level by any means, but I've seen how little time it takes for them to get to plague level once conditions are right. So I'd love to nip those in the bud before they can get established. That would seem to call for UV, but I don't know that adding UV would do much to help out my SPS corals. I suspect that the issue I'm having with my SPS corals is down to deficient microbial colonies (I started the tank with dry rock and bottled bacteria), so I think going Zeovit could help there... but Zeovit could also make the dino problem (which is currently fairly minor) worse.
So I'm at a bit of an impasse and not really sure which way to go. Both have their benefits, both have their drawbacks, neither really addresses what I'm worried about completely. What have been your experiences with Zeovit? Has the addition of UV had any impact, positive or negative, on the health of your SPS corals (esp. Acropora)?
Zeovit:
I'm drawn to the discipline and regimen of the Zeovit system. Sometimes I feel a little disconnected from my tank, and being forced to dose the little blue bottles would give my brain the excuse to spend time on the tank. I like that it takes an active approach to nutrient management and coral health, and I'm impressed with the coloration and results that many Zeovit tanks show. The expense is immaterial to me - it is expensive for what it is, but well within what I can spend on the tank.
However, I already have a very productive refugium in my tank, which does a fantastic job of keeping my nitrates under control (phosphates, not so much). Tons of microfauna in there as well. I know that the Zeovit system is supposed to be run without a refugium, and I don't really want to take it down. I'm also concerned about dinos in the Zeovit system; I do have recurring issues with dinos popping up (not plague-level by any means, but noticeable), and I know that low-nutrient environments (as Zeovit produces) can also encourage dinos to proliferate.
UV:
As I said, I've had recurring dino problems; the only time I was able to really eliminate them was when I was running a (smaller, underpowered) UV sterilizer that ended up failing in a way that could have been catastrophic. It also has seemed to help with cyano in the past - I don't have cyano issues right now, but that doesn't mean I won't in the future. The dinos seem indelibly attracted to my acro frags, usually appearing on the tips after no more than a day or so, so I'd be ecstatic if I could prevent that from happening. I also wouldn't mind clearer water.
The major problems I'm trying to address with whatever I add to the tank are poor SPS performance and the recurring dinos. The dinos are not plague level by any means, but I've seen how little time it takes for them to get to plague level once conditions are right. So I'd love to nip those in the bud before they can get established. That would seem to call for UV, but I don't know that adding UV would do much to help out my SPS corals. I suspect that the issue I'm having with my SPS corals is down to deficient microbial colonies (I started the tank with dry rock and bottled bacteria), so I think going Zeovit could help there... but Zeovit could also make the dino problem (which is currently fairly minor) worse.
So I'm at a bit of an impasse and not really sure which way to go. Both have their benefits, both have their drawbacks, neither really addresses what I'm worried about completely. What have been your experiences with Zeovit? Has the addition of UV had any impact, positive or negative, on the health of your SPS corals (esp. Acropora)?
