Buzz1329
05/07/2013, 04:28 PM
This afternoon, I bought a “closeout” Vertex ZF-30 Zeolith Reactor 3.0L (with pump) for $130 at Premium Aquatics, which I’ll be using on a new 180 gallon SPS DT with 40 gallon sump. :beer:
I’ve been keeping reefs off and on for about 20 years -- most recently a 75 gallon mixed reef which uses the kitchen sink school of maintenance. I do weekly 10 gallon water changes with RO/DI water and IO salt, run GFO and GAC in a reactor, dose vinegar, use 2 small Santa Monica ATSs, a filter sock, and an SRO 2000INT skimmer. I get what I consider to be OK growth (the tank is bursting with SPS frags) and color (on mainly “starter” SPS like monipora digita and M. capricornis). But I’m also battling bubble algae, diatom blooms on parts of the sand bed, and a reoccurring patch of red cyano. So I’ve decided to give Zeovit a try on my new tank.
With the money I save on a GFO reactor, ATS, live sand, live rock, reef rubble, Dr. Tim’s bacteria, etc., it seems like it will not be that much more expensive than the traditional route. The plan is to transfer the SPS from the 75 to the new tank and to focus on LPS in the 75.
Anyways, after reading through Zeovit materials on their site and posts on here, I had some questions:
1. The Zeovit brochure says to switch the reactor pump on and off in 3 hour cycles. I’m not thrilled about repeatedly starting and stopping a pump on a bio-reactor – seems like if the pump misses an on cycle there could be big trouble. Is this still the current practice?
2. Zeovit gives the recommended alk range as 6.5 to 7.5 dKH. Is that still the target? Seems kind of low to me, but if that's what works, I’ll certainly save on dosing.
3. The Zeovit 14 day cycle sticky says that “It is very important to use fresh and clear live rock, approx. 10% of the tank’s contents.” Having introduced a bubble algae plague with the last batch of live rock I bought, I was not planning on using ANY live rock in my new build. Should I rethink this? If I were to add live rock, would 20# (about 10% of the system volume) be sufficient?
4. The same sticky does not mention water changes. I take it none are done while tank is cycling, but I’m assuming that once the cycle is over, I can start my usual 10% weekly with Instant Ocean. Or is that something to reconsider also?
I will be posting photos and a tank log as the build progresses.
I’ve been keeping reefs off and on for about 20 years -- most recently a 75 gallon mixed reef which uses the kitchen sink school of maintenance. I do weekly 10 gallon water changes with RO/DI water and IO salt, run GFO and GAC in a reactor, dose vinegar, use 2 small Santa Monica ATSs, a filter sock, and an SRO 2000INT skimmer. I get what I consider to be OK growth (the tank is bursting with SPS frags) and color (on mainly “starter” SPS like monipora digita and M. capricornis). But I’m also battling bubble algae, diatom blooms on parts of the sand bed, and a reoccurring patch of red cyano. So I’ve decided to give Zeovit a try on my new tank.
With the money I save on a GFO reactor, ATS, live sand, live rock, reef rubble, Dr. Tim’s bacteria, etc., it seems like it will not be that much more expensive than the traditional route. The plan is to transfer the SPS from the 75 to the new tank and to focus on LPS in the 75.
Anyways, after reading through Zeovit materials on their site and posts on here, I had some questions:
1. The Zeovit brochure says to switch the reactor pump on and off in 3 hour cycles. I’m not thrilled about repeatedly starting and stopping a pump on a bio-reactor – seems like if the pump misses an on cycle there could be big trouble. Is this still the current practice?
2. Zeovit gives the recommended alk range as 6.5 to 7.5 dKH. Is that still the target? Seems kind of low to me, but if that's what works, I’ll certainly save on dosing.
3. The Zeovit 14 day cycle sticky says that “It is very important to use fresh and clear live rock, approx. 10% of the tank’s contents.” Having introduced a bubble algae plague with the last batch of live rock I bought, I was not planning on using ANY live rock in my new build. Should I rethink this? If I were to add live rock, would 20# (about 10% of the system volume) be sufficient?
4. The same sticky does not mention water changes. I take it none are done while tank is cycling, but I’m assuming that once the cycle is over, I can start my usual 10% weekly with Instant Ocean. Or is that something to reconsider also?
I will be posting photos and a tank log as the build progresses.