Zeovit

[Kolognekoral]

Canarygirl,

I was taking the results of the test from 2008 by AWT. As they are the most recent tests I could find. Are you testing batches as you use them? I only test what salts I use(d). I am currently with RBS, which is good so far, but I'll jump up and down after the first box is finished.

 

[Canarygirl]

The AWT test results are very controversial, to put it mildly. Many people don't put much stock in their results (I don't), as their sampling and testing methods are not disciplined or state-of-the-art.

In any case the AWT test results for SCRS do not match mine or other users of this salt. I test it periodically but not every batch. I do know that my reef which is crammed full of SPS stays balanced at K+ 380 without me having to supplement any K+, ever. (I have been using Zeovit for about 6 months.) The element that is historically low in the SCRS is definitely magnesium so that's another story.

 

[Zedar]

Sail,
I will also post a pic.

I noticed you're an IT.. So am I.

Canary you're also an IT

 

[sailfintang]

Yea about to go back to school for my masters in software engineering sorry to sidetrack, i need to make more money to keep the hobby going

 

[acrodave]

I got my six week mark coming up and am going to be changing the stones.. any thing i should worry about

 

[Zedar]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12377827#post12377827 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sailfintang
Yea about to go back to school for my masters in software engineering sorry to sidetrack, i need to make more money to keep the hobby going

LMAO I guess thats as good a reason as any

 

[Zedar]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12377862#post12377862 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by acrodave
I got my six week mark coming up and am going to be changing the stones.. any thing i should worry about

I'll assume you're talking about the Zeo stones? I dont change the stones using matrix.

 

[acrodave]

yeah zeo.. sorry

 

[Husky_1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12377862#post12377862 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by acrodave
I got my six week mark coming up and am going to be changing the stones.. any thing i should worry about

This is a quote from another board.

Always use ~10% old to seed the new stones, thus add 0.9ltrs + the old to the reactor for the next zeolite time frame, which is 6-8wks. now.

Load dose the new zeolites, by dosing a repeat of your first dosing schedule, eg. daily for 1st 2wks. then 2x's/wk., thereafter. Bob

Hope this answers your question,
Dale

 

[sailfintang]

So I ws hoping to post some photos of that brown slimy algae but I have not seen it the last few days, all I have now is some brown turf, algae that I can scrub off with a toothbrush or blow off with a baster. I am hoping the tank will stabalize in the next month or two. I have stopped adding alot of additives. Only thing I have been dosing is alk, calcium and AA's ini the hope to save or revive some of the coral. been doing alot of water changes which proobably is not the greatest thing but the gubnk that is being siphoned out is quite amazing not surei f that was due to the sand bed change or the v/s/v i just dumped in out of anger and a what the f*** attitude i had. Keep you all posted on the status.

 

[Nanz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12377947#post12377947 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Zedar
I'll assume you're talking about the Zeo stones? I dont change the stones using matrix.

Incredible thread.. Im very impressed.. I such a newbie to this but my first question is.. (and please dont laugh at this silly girl)

Why is everyone's Alk so low.. 6-7 dKH? I thought it was best to keep Alk at 9-10dKH

Also.. trying to figure this out. I use a Phosban filled with carbon and another with GFO.. Do you still use carbon with this method? What about GFO?

 

[Kolognekoral]

Nanz,

good questions!

One does not use GFO with this method, as it would compete with the bacteria we are trying to propogate. The bacteria do the work of the GFO.

Yes, carbon is still used, but passivly in the sump and one should not use a hi-line carbon, as it will strip the water. This is the 'gentle' approach!

The object of such systems is to mimic NSW (natural sea water) as closely as possible. This means parameters of Ca 420mgl, Mg 1290mgl, K+ 390mgl, pH 8, dKH 7, salinity 1.023, temp. 26°C/78°F.

Increased alkalinity is undesired, as it does not help the corals, rather may hinder them. Corals and other reef organisms are adapted to the NSW parameters. Variances represent stress for these organisms.

 

[miwoodar]

Cologne is right - the GFO is not recommended by the product line in question. Many people go against this advice and use it anyways though.

 

[Canarygirl]

Jamie,

when you say

one should not use a hi-line carbon

can you be more specific? I raised this issue once before, that Zeocarbon was supposedly "gentler" than some other carbons, and that statement was roundly rebuffed as being ridiculous.

Also, your comment about salinity in these systems should be 1.023 to mimic NSW...that's another one I'm not sure about. It seems that most of the users of Zeovit keep their salinity between 1.025-1.026, with the exception of Alexander. Do you disagree that this is the case?

and I apologize if I seem to be argumentative, it's just that I notice a couple of discrepancies with what I've read in the past etc. and I want to know what is factual.

 

[sailfintang]

Just a word of adviceNan , go slow with this method, I tried to go to fast to quick and it resulted in my near departure from the hobby....

 

[sailfintang]

So would the ESV carbon be considered hi-line...if so what is considered gentler that would be an alternative to the ZEOcarbon?

 

[Canarygirl]

I can tell you that I lost a couple of SPS when I switched to ESV, but I also increased the quantity by about 25% so that may have contributed to it.

I would also like to know if there is a "gentle" alternative to Zeocarbon.

One of the chemistry guys on here did a lot of research on carbon...peat vs lignite etc etc...was it Boomer? Anyway, I read his stuff and he was the person that said there was "no such thing as a gentler carbon," and that it was just "marketing hype" or something to that effect. I still think he may be wrong but I haven't found anything close to hard data to back up this view.

 

[Kolognekoral]

Canarygirl,

always good questions from you. One should never be afraid to ask or possibly step on toes. It's part of the info-flow.

the reference 'hi-line' refers to types such as Black Diamond, which are so aggressive in their effect, they strip all the nutrition out of the water, which is not good for the corals or the bacterial strains in the filtration. In an ULNS there is little for them to do, therefore they really kill the water. In a higher nutrient situation, they are perfectly fine, as they will generally never catch up with the excess nutrient load! Also, running carbon passively genlty removes excess undesirables.

The question of salinity is not as loaded as one would think. Various reefs actually have different salinities ranging from 1.021 to 1.027, with the Red Sea rarely being under 1.025. I pick 1.023 at 26°C as this represents a nice middle point that is easy to maintain, easy for new charges to adapt to and does represent a true average for coral reefs. The real trick to the deal is consistency. Fluctuation in salinity can set off RTN or other adaptive issues.

There is a tendency for us all to look too carefully at the rules and regulation, when we really should be looking at the big picture and its aim. I'm a big one for breaking rules, but I do try to have a good ground to do so....but not always.:eek1:

 

[miwoodar]

There are definitely different grades of carbon - not all are equal. Typically, high grade carbon will be more efficient and have a higher capacity. Lower grades would be just the opposite. Expensive carbon is not necessarily higher grade than cheaper carbon.

Maybe this is what you were thinking of Jan?
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/2/aafeature1


----edit----
Cologne - it looks like we were posting simultaneously.

 

[Nanz]

Since we are talking about carbon.. I run seachem carbon in a phosban reactor. Everytime I change the carbon, I rinse the new carbon with RO water several times then place the carbon in the reactor. After this I notice a diatom on my sand for the next few weeks. It seems to accelerate the algea growth.