ZEOvit issues?

iemsparticus

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Howdy folks...

I am in a bit of a dilemma. I set my tank up using ZEOvit, and I am having trouble with it. My issue is that my Nitrates are zero - always have been, and seemingly always will be. My Phosphates, however, have never been. This is causing large cyano outbreaks. Now I'm willing to be as patient as necessary, but I'm not sure if this is going to get any better if I try and wait it out.

One issue is that I started the tank out with dry rock, for several reasons (coupled with the fact that there are several posts from people who used dry rock instead of ZEOvit's recommendation of life rock with no negative effects), so I'm pretty sure I am getting a lot of phosphate from that... which I suppose means that waiting it out might work just fine.

The other thing I am wondering is: as it seems the hobby is beginning to move away from ULNS, is ZEOvit perhaps something that is more trouble than it is worth? Would it be better if I discontinued using it, and moved to different nutrient export methods? My sump is not set up for a refugium, so that is off the table. Also, how difficult will it be on my corals to stop ZEOvit, if that is what I do?

Alternatively, how might I go about lowering phosphates? Perhaps I am feeding to much? I feed a mixture of LRS Fish Frenzy, Herbivore Frenzy, and Reef Chili once a day.

Change something? Stay pat? Thoughts?
 

Shawn Cybulski

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Howdy folks...

I am in a bit of a dilemma. I set my tank up using ZEOvit, and I am having trouble with it. My issue is that my Nitrates are zero - always have been, and seemingly always will be. My Phosphates, however, have never been. This is causing large cyano outbreaks. Now I'm willing to be as patient as necessary, but I'm not sure if this is going to get any better if I try and wait it out.

One issue is that I started the tank out with dry rock, for several reasons (coupled with the fact that there are several posts from people who used dry rock instead of ZEOvit's recommendation of life rock with no negative effects), so I'm pretty sure I am getting a lot of phosphate from that... which I suppose means that waiting it out might work just fine.

The other thing I am wondering is: as it seems the hobby is beginning to move away from ULNS, is ZEOvit perhaps something that is more trouble than it is worth? Would it be better if I discontinued using it, and moved to different nutrient export methods? My sump is not set up for a refugium, so that is off the table. Also, how difficult will it be on my corals to stop ZEOvit, if that is what I do?

Alternatively, how might I go about lowering phosphates? Perhaps I am feeding to much? I feed a mixture of LRS Fish Frenzy, Herbivore Frenzy, and Reef Chili once a day.

Change something? Stay pat? Thoughts?

Yeah been struggling with zeovit solution also. Always fighting hair algae. Getting to the point that I am questioning continuing the system...
 
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iemsparticus

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Making sure water quality, 25% weekly water changes, quality salt, installed zeovit, cleanup crew (emerald crabs, turbo snails, Halloween urchin, etc) control wife's feeding, etc etc
One thing I just started today was to alternate the ZEOvit reactor 3 hours on, 3 hours off. Not sure how I missed that before... evidently each switch increases the aspiration of PO4 by the microorganisms and bacteria in the Zeolites. Hopefully this brings the PO4 down and takes care of my cyano.
 

Shawn Cybulski

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One thing I just started today was to alternate the ZEOvit reactor 3 hours on, 3 hours off. Not sure how I missed that before... evidently each switch increases the aspiration of PO4 by the microorganisms and bacteria in the Zeolites. Hopefully this brings the PO4 down and takes care of my cyano.

Yeah I have that setup on the apex for the pump.... also have the automatic reactor for the stones and run that once a day...
 

Shawn Cybulski

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Honestly everything is checking out with the water. What tester do you use for phosphate?
 

mcarroll

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Add some liquid nitrate fertilizer and watch P get used up.

Welcome to nutrient limitation. ;)

If you want a low nutrient system you simply need a system where you systematically limit nutrients going in.

Usually that means limiting livestock.

Making sure all changes to the system are small in scale helps tremendously as well.

Keep it simple. :)
 

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If you really want to pull phosphates down, go with Lanthanum Chloride. I had phosphate issues for years, but once I had the guts to go through with dosing Lanthanum Chloride consistently, I was able to get the tank in balance, and pull the phosphate out the rock. I even used straight seaklear and never lost one fish from it. GFO never could put a dent in it and was prohibitively expensive.
 

Shawn Cybulski

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a4682e612874b5ae7675b1dfa3a5b6cc.jpg
 
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iemsparticus

iemsparticus

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Add some liquid nitrate fertilizer and watch P get used up.

Welcome to nutrient limitation. ;)

If you want a low nutrient system you simply need a system where you systematically limit nutrients going in.

Usually that means limiting livestock.

Making sure all changes to the system are small in scale helps tremendously as well.

Keep it simple. :)
Which begs the question... what factors would lead to me wanting an ULNS like ZEOvit as opposed to running a little dirtier using Carbon/GFO/Filter Socks/UV? Obviously this is a question that ultimately only I can answer... but I am interested in what y'all think are the pros and cons of each setup. I like fish, and am therefore not limiting my livestock... 15-16 fish in a 120gal is where I'm settling in at. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. :)

If you really want to pull phosphates down, go with Lanthanum Chloride. I had phosphate issues for years, but once I had the guts to go through with dosing Lanthanum Chloride consistently, I was able to get the tank in balance, and pull the phosphate out the rock. I even used straight seaklear and never lost one fish from it. GFO never could put a dent in it and was prohibitively expensive.
I've heard anecdotal findings that Lanthanum Chloride may be dangerous for Zebrasoma tangs - and I have a Yellow Tang in my QT right now. Any experience with this?
 
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iemsparticus

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See I don't mind the hair algae much, because I have a bunch of crabs and a Magnificant Foxface... they keep the GHA under control. The cyano is killing me, and my coral, however.

And I'm wondering what the point of my using ZEOvit is, if it is causing algae... I could cause algae without buying the blue bottles... haha
 

Reefer33

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I've heard anecdotal findings that Lanthanum Chloride may be dangerous for Zebrasoma tangs - and I have a Yellow Tang in my QT right now. Any experience with this?

I had a yellow tang, purple, sailfin, and two blue tangs that were all in the tank during treatments and never lost a single one. They would breath harder for a bit but that was all that I noticed during the treatment. Some people dose directly into filter socks to help catch the flock, but I never had any issues directly treating the water.
 
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iemsparticus

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I had a yellow tang, purple, sailfin, and two blue tangs that were all in the tank during treatments and never lost a single one. They would breath harder for a bit but that was all that I noticed during the treatment. Some people dose directly into filter socks to help catch the flock, but I never had any issues directly treating the water.
Good to know. :) Thanks!
 

mcarroll

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I like fish, and am therefore not limiting my livestock... 15-16 fish in a 120gal is where I'm settling in at. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. :)

If you like fish you should want what's best – which is fish that are healthy enough to breed and live long enough to die of old age.

And yes you are so limiting your livestock – before I even showed up. :) You're not planning on 20-30 fish or 40-50 fish, so you're already limiting the number. ;) 15-16 is an arbitrary range, so you can probably be just as happy at another arbitrary range....let the fish decide what that range is though. What you need is a prioritized list of what fish you want to add....start with those most important to you. I think it'll be hard to go wrong this way.

BTW, notice I'm not saying what the correct range is. Stock the tank slowly....1-2 fish at a time....with several weeks in between additions. You might only get to 5-10 and think it's great. Or maybe 10-20 or more. Who knows. Stop when it seems like the correct amount, based on the care required from you, based on how the tank itself responds over time, and above all – how well the fish do. :)
 

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I am at the one year point on my Zeovit tank I began with cured dry rock. I am sold on it. Nitrates and phosphates hover around 0.05. I am pretty much thru the nasty stages with algae. Just dealing with slime algae that grows on the glass. I have mostly soft corals and they are doing great. Of course I dose with the other Zeovit products for coral health but only at about half their recommended dosage. I think you just need to be patient and work thru all the growing pains of a new tank. Stability is key.
 
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