Zeovit reef tanks of the world

[Mr Cheezy]

Was running zeovit on all my old systems.

Did try to start my new tank on zeovit, but this system just dident want to go full Zeovit.

My old reefs ( by old I meen over 10 years )

 

[Greybeard]

Since we're discussing it... far from an impressive colony, but this little 3 arm frag came from the $5 rack at the LFS, 'Brown Acro', two weeks ago. Forgive the crappy cell phone camerawork, but the colors look pretty true.

Ain't brown no more

 

[Rick5]

Did try to start my new tank on zeovit, but this system just dident want to go full Zeovit.

In what ways did the tank resist the transition to full Zeovit? I'm also curious to hear about any major differences between your existing tank and your prior Zeovit tanks (that you think may have contributed to the resistance to Zeovit).

 

[Unstoppable algae!]

I'm about 2 months in... new system, full KZ system, just dosing zeobak, zeofood, and zeostart, with zeolite media in the same Skimz reactor mentioned (and photographed) above. Vertex 180i skimmer, fairly dry.

So far, so good, but I'm just starting to add corals. No growth to speak of, though coloring looks pretty good.

Currently measuring 3ppm Nitrate and .3ppm Phosphate.

I'm using a Trident to measure Alk/Calc/Mag, and a DOS to maintain Alk/Calc (BRS 2pt) and dosing ESV's Mag manually once a week, right after my weekly 10% water change. Rock solid numbers... Loving the Trident

Your setup looks great!!
When I start I am still going to run my balling method "tropic marin" which will dose ALK CAL MAG & amino acids and start with the basic 4 from Zeovit. Does anybody see any issues with this?
I have hydro LED's but wanted to try t5 with this setup, will be mix reed but geared a little more for SPS.

Unfortunately my last tank leaked from a bottom seal
But now I get to start over
I have been interested in zeovit for some time now but did not want to transition over due to some feedback from the fourms.

Thanks

 

[Abhishek]

I use the skimz zeovit reactor the pump has preset speed for how many liter of zeolite so u don't have to measure flow. It has a timer to shake 2x per day or every hour.

Hi Anthony ,

You used an Avast Vibe in the past right ? Why did you change ?
Secondly , how do you like the Skimz unit ? There have been quite a few negative reviews on the Skimz ZAR series .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[ycnibrc]

Hi Anthony ,

You used an Avast Vibe in the past right ? Why did you change ?
Secondly , how do you like the Skimz unit ? There have been quite a few negative reviews on the Skimz ZAR series .

Regards,
Abhishek

The Avast is a smaller unit 2L plus it's kind of loud and harder to change the zeolite. The skimz works pretty good it's just sit in the sump so no leak to worry. The speed is preset so u don't have to use flow meter to dial in the flow. It's a 4l model so 4 speed. The only thing is it has its own timer to shake the rock so u don't know exactly when it happened. The Avast u program through Apex. I don't know what negative review for the skimz but it just a reactor sit in the sump and water just flow through it all day.

 

[SeaDweller]

Anthony, are you noticing any effects, bad or good, since going all LED vs using your Radiums? Would you switch back to MH?

 

[Greybeard]

The Avast is a smaller unit 2L plus it's kind of loud and harder to change the zeolite. The skimz works pretty good it's just sit in the sump so no leak to worry. The speed is preset so u don't have to use flow meter to dial in the flow. It's a 4l model so 4 speed. The only thing is it has its own timer to shake the rock so u don't know exactly when it happened. The Avast u program through Apex. I don't know what negative review for the skimz but it just a reactor sit in the sump and water just flow through it all day.

I, too, was interested in the comment regarding negative reviews on the Skimz ZAR series. I've only been running mine for a couple of months, but it has been working great for me.

Changing media is a bit more of a pain than it should be... if they'd have put collared screws into the keyed holes in the bottom of the inside media container, you could do so without getting your hands wet. I may well change out those 6 nylon screws myself at some point. That's really my only complaint.

It's difficult to KNOW what the flow rate is. No exit pipe to catch... you'd have to put it in a bucket with a pipe running to the pump inlet. Too much trouble for me, I'm unlikely to ever do so. If the documentation is correct, no problem, but there's no simple way to verify.

Has a trickle flow sound... but from my sump closet, I can't hear it, unless I'm actually in there working.

As to not knowing when it's going to self clean... I think I've figured that out. Mine self cleaned 12 hours after I configured it to 'Mode 1' operation, and proceeded to do so every 12 hours thereafter. If you want to do it at a certain time of day, change to Mode 2, wait until the time you want it to run, and change back to Mode 1.

Worked for me, anyway.

 

[ycnibrc]

Anthony, are you noticing any effects, bad or good, since going all LED vs using your Radiums? Would you switch back to MH?

Metal halide is always good. I believe the spectrum is more important than intensity or par. Halide and T5 are proven with correct spectrum from the manefacture. LED is different radions give a setting and u are trying to dial in the colors. I don't know how accurate the spectrum will be. The rest of the led are pretty much set by your eyes only a few like orphek and kessil have a setting with preset spectrum. U can have high par with led but with a wrong spectrum then it's no use for the Corals.

 

[ycnibrc]

I, too, was interested in the comment regarding negative reviews on the Skimz ZAR series. I've only been running mine for a couple of months, but it has been working great for me.

Changing media is a bit more of a pain than it should be... if they'd have put collared screws into the keyed holes in the bottom of the inside media container, you could do so without getting your hands wet. I may well change out those 6 nylon screws myself at some point. That's really my only complaint.

It's difficult to KNOW what the flow rate is. No exit pipe to catch... you'd have to put it in a bucket with a pipe running to the pump inlet. Too much trouble for me, I'm unlikely to ever do so. If the documentation is correct, no problem, but there's no simple way to verify.

Has a trickle flow sound... but from my sump closet, I can't hear it, unless I'm actually in there working.

As to not knowing when it's going to self clean... I think I've figured that out. Mine self cleaned 12 hours after I configured it to 'Mode 1' operation, and proceeded to do so every 12 hours thereafter. If you want to do it at a certain time of day, change to Mode 2, wait until the time you want it to run, and change back to Mode 1.

Worked for me, anyway.

The skimz has the preset water flow I believe each setting is per Liter of zeolite. So 4x is for 4 liter

 

[Abhishek]

@ycnibrc @Greybeard - I read a few reviews over in zeovit.com and hence asked as you guys are using it. Particularly, 1 person tested the flow and found it to be crazy low .

Forums - zeovit.com

forum zeovit acropora bacteria korallenzucht zeolite sps coral nutrient uln montipora coloration tank additive supplement PO4 algae flatworm reactor skimmer

zeovit.com

If am doing zeovit, I would like to maintain the flow thats suggested by KZ.

I have seen the PRS reactors from japan in person and that thing just blows everything out of the water . But it would cost you around 1K$ to get them imported here

 

[ycnibrc]

@ycnibrc @Greybeard - I read a few reviews over in zeovit.com and hence asked as you guys are using it. Particularly, 1 person tested the flow and found it to be crazy low .

Forums - zeovit.com

forum zeovit acropora bacteria korallenzucht zeolite sps coral nutrient uln montipora coloration tank additive supplement PO4 algae flatworm reactor skimmer

zeovit.com

If am doing zeovit, I would like to maintain the flow thats suggested by KZ.

I have seen the PRS reactors from japan in person and that thing just blows everything out of the water . But it would cost you around 1K$ to get them imported here

Tell u the truth the zeolite rock is not important to me. It does reduce amonia therefore indirectly reduce nitrate but I run my system without it before and it's not much different. I guess when the volume of your system is big then it doesn't show the effect much. As far as water flow through it I guess if your volume is small then it can reduce nutrients fast if u run high volume through it then it can effect your tank but I have 600g so even the 4l is not enough so it doesn't matter what flow I run through it.

 

[Mr Cheezy]

In what ways did the tank resist the transition to full Zeovit? I'm also curious to hear about any major differences between your existing tank and your prior Zeovit tanks (that you think may have contributed to the resistance to Zeovit).

Dont really know. I did run zeovit in the same system Im running now ( same equipment etc ) 10 years ago before I took a 10 year long break from this hobby and It worked great. But this time the system was very inbalanced with alot of bacteria blooms etc. So I took the zeolites out.

But tonight I added a small amout of zeolites agine but passivly in a bag.

 

[fishface NJ]

@ycnibrc Which reactor are you using for the zeolites media? Any cons on the reactor?

thanks!

 

[ycnibrc]

@ycnibrc Which reactor are you using for the zeolites media? Any cons on the reactor?

thanks!

I use the skimz zeovit reactor and it's working fine. I like the skimz because they have preset flow so u don't have to measure flow. Before I was using the Avast vibe and I don't like it. It's loud and the design has flaw. It's hard to change the zeolite and the spring will rust even if you spray paint it.

 

[Greybeard]

Before I was using the Avast vibe and I don't like it. It's loud and the design has flaw. It's hard to change the zeolite and the spring will rust even if you spray paint it.

I had noted exposed spring steel on the Avast! zeo reactor. Can't imagine that working well in a high humidity, high splash risk environment.

I've got the Skimz 157. Works well for me, too.

 

[ycnibrc]

A lot of people shy away from zeovit because they think it's expensive so I'm going to post my tank for example. My total volume is 600g which consider more than average.
Zeobak 100ml cost 95$
Zeostart3 1000ml 90$
Sponge power 100ml 53$
I'm dosing 7 drops of zeobak , 4ml of zeostart3 and 10 drops of sponge power per day.
100ml is equal to 2000 drops so
Zeobak 100ml will last 9.5 months
Zeostart3 1000ml last 8.3 months
Sponge power 100ml last 6.6 months
So yearly cost will be approximately 125$ zeobak, 120$ zeostart3 and 100$ sponge power come to 345$ per year which is 28.75$ per month

So base on my volume the average 200g system cost 1/3 less which is 9.50$ per month to run zeovit. The myth of zeovit is expensive is way over exaggerated.

 

[Rick5]

A lot of people shy away from zeovit because they think it's expensive so I'm going to post my tank for example. My total volume is 600g which consider more than average.
Zeobak 100ml cost 95$
Zeostart3 1000ml 90$
Sponge power 100ml 53$
I'm dosing 7 drops of zeobak , 4ml of zeostart3 and 10 drops of sponge power per day.
100ml is equal to 2000 drops so
Zeobak 100ml will last 9.5 months
Zeostart3 1000ml last 8.3 months
Sponge power 100ml last 6.6 months
So yearly cost will be approximately 125$ zeobak, 120$ zeostart3 and 100$ sponge power come to 345$ per year which is 28.75$ per month

So base on my volume the average 200g system cost 1/3 less which is 9.50$ per month to run zeovit. The myth of zeovit is expensive is way over exaggerated.

You're forgoing one and a half (tiny) Disney-themed SPS frags a year by spending your money on Zeovit products. Just saying

I think the suggestion/complaint that anything in this hobby is "expensive" is ridiculous.

 

[SeaDweller]

A lot of people shy away from zeovit because they think it's expensive so I'm going to post my tank for example. My total volume is 600g which consider more than average.
Zeobak 100ml cost 95$
Zeostart3 1000ml 90$
Sponge power 100ml 53$
I'm dosing 7 drops of zeobak , 4ml of zeostart3 and 10 drops of sponge power per day.
100ml is equal to 2000 drops so
Zeobak 100ml will last 9.5 months
Zeostart3 1000ml last 8.3 months
Sponge power 100ml last 6.6 months
So yearly cost will be approximately 125$ zeobak, 120$ zeostart3 and 100$ sponge power come to 345$ per year which is 28.75$ per month

So base on my volume the average 200g system cost 1/3 less which is 9.50$ per month to run zeovit. The myth of zeovit is expensive is way over exaggerated.

if you say it like this, it's even less expensive: $1/day.

You're forgoing one and a half (tiny) Disney-themed SPS frags a year by spending your money on Zeovit products. Just saying

I think the suggestion/complaint that anything in this hobby is "expensive" is ridiculous.

yup, things may be expensive upfront, but if you know what you're doing, it all pays off.

 

[Greybeard]

I've been doing Zeovit for a couple of months... it's not the cheapest method, but it's not stupid expensive, either.

Your calculation on blue bottles is pretty good, but it leaves out a couple of things...

Rocks. My system uses 1.5l zeolite every 6 weeks. 15.99 (price per liter) * 1.5 (liters used) * 8.3 (6wk periods in a year) / 12 (months) = $16.58 per month in rocks.

Oh... and GAC. I use half a pound of large particle lignite in a bag, change it out monthly. 0.5x12=6lb/year, $30 for 3lb=$60/year, / 12m $5/month.

So, your $9 a month for blue bottles, plus $16 for rocks and $5 for Carbon, $30 a month. A bargain, really, if it gives you the kind of tank you're looking for.

KZ recommends 10% weekly water changes... so there's some cost there, but you're going to be doing water changes anyway, with most reef methods.

That doesn't include 2pt, Calc RX, Kalkwasser, or whatever you're running for Calc/Alk maintenance.

Compare it to Red Sea's recipe, NoPo4x, Reef Foundation, Red Sea's colors, etc...

Or to Triton... $50 test kits quarterly, Core7, plus all of their little bottles...

I'd say Zeovit is somewhere in the middle of the pack.