refugium or zeovit?

[cugly]

Hello everyone

Im gonna be starting a brand new tank..I dont know if this has been asked before but I would like to get opinions ..I like the of zeovit tanks but I will be going on alot of trips and I dont think I can keep up with the care..or is there a way to run it even if im gone for a week or so.
Or maybe inputs on refugiums with great success stocked with sps..thank you in advance for any input..

 

[Palting]

I have a remote dedicated 20 gallon refugium full of macroalgae for the 150 gallon SPS dominant reef tank. I trim the macroalage maybe once every 1-2 months, and that's it for refugium maintenance. "Great success"? I don't know about that, you'll have to judge for yourself with these pics.

Refugium forest:

FTS of an almost 3 year old SPS dominant mixed reef:

 

[zakstrong]

the zeovit systems have always scared me. thats probabely because i dont know alot about them. but ive read something like having to flush the system once a day. the refugium is tried and true. its simple and like said above very little maintenance. plus its like having multiple tanks. completely different critters in it.

 

[cugly]

I have a remote dedicated 20 gallon refugium full of macroalgae for the 150 gallon SPS dominant reef tank. I trim the macroalage maybe once every 1-2 months, and that's it for refugium maintenance. "Great success"? I don't know about that, you'll have to judge for yourself with these pics.

Refugium forest:

FTS of an almost 3 year old SPS dominant mixed reef:

Very nice display thank you for posting..is there sand in your refugium or is it all micro algae..can you please post a pic of your fuge and sump set thanx again

 

[cugly]

the zeovit systems have always scared me. thats probabely because i dont know alot about them. but ive read something like having to flush the system once a day. the refugium is tried and true. its simple and like said above very little maintenance. plus its like having multiple tanks. completely different critters in it.

It doesnt scare me I just want to know if theres a way to run the zeovit system without having to dose everyday or if anyone has been dosing some of the zeovit additives without actually running full zeo and have had great success..now with the fuge would you have to replace the sand in it becuz of the build up of bad stuff or does the critters take care of it..I appreciate the input..all the tanks ived had in the 3 years ived been doin this im succesfull keeping mostbsps and some I just cant get to survive .and also some lps I cant keep so I want to set a brand new tank with a brand new everything I want to do it right and do it one time and let it mature..I will be posting a build thread soon thanx again

 

[cugly]

Double post

 

[DHyslop]

Why not vinegar dosing? A timer and a BRS pump is all you need to fully automate it. Keep nutrients low for a fraction of the cost/complexity of zeo.

 

[Palting]

Very nice display thank you for posting..is there sand in your refugium or is it all micro algae..can you please post a pic of your fuge and sump set thanx again

There is about 3" layer of sand, medium grain aragonite. Here's a pic of the stand, taken when the tank was only about a year old. The sump is to the right, and the remote 20 gallon refugium is to the left partly hidden by the stand.

Here's what the refugium looks like after a good trimming. There is usually about twice as much macroalgae, tank is half full or more, just before I trim it down again to this level:

EDIT: I let the refugium run "dirty". Never clean nor stir the sandbed on purpose. It also has high flow, 600 gph for a 20 gallon, or 30X the refugium volume. I've read somewhere that sandbeds have a lifespan of 5 years or so before sulfites and toxic elements start to escape. One reason to have it remote is that I can easily tear it down and refresh it. It's been running for 3 years, so I guess I'll find out soon enough if what I've read is true and if the plan will work.

 

[cugly]

There is about 3" layer of sand, medium grain aragonite. Here's a pic of the stand, taken when the tank was only about a year old. The sump is to the right, and the remote 20 gallon refugium is to the left partly hidden by the stand.

Here's what the refugium looks like after a good trimming. There is usually about twice as much macroalgae, tank is half full or more, just before I trim it down again to this level:

EDIT: I let the refugium run "dirty". Never clean nor stir the sandbed on purpose. It also has high flow, 600 gph for a 20 gallon, or 30X the refugium volume. I've read somewhere that sandbeds have a lifespan of 5 years or so before sulfites and toxic elements start to escape. One reason to have it remote is that I can easily tear it down and refresh it. It's been running for 3 years, so I guess I'll find out soon enough if what I've read is true and if the plan will work.

Thank you for your post..

Why not vinegar dosing? A timer and a BRS pump is all you need to fully automate it. Keep nutrients low for a fraction of the cost/complexity of zeo.

I will research it not familiar with..thanks for your input

 

[Drae]

I think you have it right imho. Caulerpa works better then chaeto for me (I still keep both) but my flow is more like 10x sump volume an hour (200 gph). Zeo is for people who don't mind the full blown "hands on approach" which doesn't work for me because my children are enough to handle even with Mt tank being pretty trouble free. If stick with the caulerpa fuge remotely and change it out in about a year or so. Btw some sps are picky as hell when it comes to parameters so I wouldn't worry to much about the few tougher ones unless your heart is set on them. Jmo.

 

[Drae]

Vodka, vinegar, bio-pellets, before zeo for me but I will admit some curiousity.

 

[cugly]

Vodka, vinegar, bio-pellets, before zeo for me but I will admit some curiousity.

I tried biopellets it didnt work for me I couldnt find anything guidlines on how to use it properly..I had better luck with a fuge..even with solid parameters I cant keep some sps and but most of sps are thriving so I just want to be able to keep what I want

 

[DHyslop]

Every tank is different and each will respond differently to carbon sources. Biopellets work great on some tanks, not at all on others. Vinegar seems to have the most consistent results.

 

[Palting]

..even with solid parameters I cant keep some sps and but most of sps are thriving so I just want to be able to keep what I want

If you cannot keep some SPS while other SPS thrive, it may not be water parameters. It could be placement in the tank. Not all areas in the tank are ideal for all SPS. Just a thought.

 

[cugly]

If you cannot keep some SPS while other SPS thrive, it may not be water parameters. It could be placement in the tank. Not all areas in the tank are ideal for all SPS. Just a thought.

Ya ive tried different placement it felt like its just lacking something..

 

[Saadatski]

I tried a fuge and it just went hectic. I also tried an ATS and it became way too dirty for me to handle. IMHO the only way to have very good filtration is to keep the sump as simple as possible.

Here is a picture of my sump. Excuse the loose wires those have been cleaned up.

Easy. Skimmer, heater, carbon, return pump. No lights, no fuge and it has been working very well. Fuges and ATS's are messy and a pain to clean constantly. If I were to do a fuge I would do one about the same size as my tank remotley because I think this is the only way it will effect my nutrients.

I was considering Zeo for a while and was going to buy it if it wasnt for the extreme expences every month and most of the additives expire quickly. It would have cost me about $400 in the begining plus like $100 every month on average. I would have done it if it wasnt for my lack of funds currently. So as a substitute I start carbon dosing Vinegar and it has proved well to take down my nitrates. My algae started to die and even better my coral started to thrive and extend more. Not to mention with combination of carbon the water clarity is insane.

Good Luck!

 

[cugly]

I tried a fuge and it just went hectic. I also tried an ATS and it became way too dirty for me to handle. IMHO the only way to have very good filtration is to keep the sump as simple as possible.

Here is a picture of my sump. Excuse the loose wires those have been cleaned up.

Easy. Skimmer, heater, carbon, return pump. No lights, no fuge and it has been working very well. Fuges and ATS's are messy and a pain to clean constantly. If I were to do a fuge I would do one about the same size as my tank remotley because I think this is the only way it will effect my nutrients.

I was considering Zeo for a while and was going to buy it if it wasnt for the extreme expences every month and most of the additives expire quickly. It would have cost me about $400 in the begining plus like $100 every month on average. I would have done it if it wasnt for my lack of funds currently. So as a substitute I start carbon dosing Vinegar and it has proved well to take down my nitrates. My algae started to die and even better my coral started to thrive and extend more. Not to mention with combination of carbon the water clarity is insane.

Good Luck!

Thanx I like the clean look thats y im considering zeo..u have a fts of ur dt..how much vinegar do u dose

 

[reefgeezer]

IMHO, Zeo is expensive but is right in the wheelhouse of people who love tinkering with their tanks. I can't attest to its effectiveness, but I have seen some amazing tanks running it. On the other hand, refugiums can work as proven by numerout TOM awards and be pretty hands off except for occasional harvesting. Maybe some who were less thrilled by having to constantly measure and dump something in the tank would appreciate the low maintenance requirements.

Personally neither seems the perfect answer to me. I've chosen to add a carbon source with a dosing pump and feed the tank very heavily. A little GFO finishes the job. The method is cheap, mostly hands off, and frees me up to do other maintenance or even go on a vacation.

I do have a volleyball sized hunk of cheato tumbling in a fuge, but it's not growing much so I don't think it's doing much for nutrient reduction. It's more of a pod house. I think I will soon remove it so I can ditch the light and use the space for something else.

 

[Saadatski]

Sure this was taken a couple days ago after I hung my light. This is two weeks in with Carbon. I do not however have a heavy bioload as you can see.

 

[Saadatski]

And here is the torch after one week of vinegar.