Zeovit

[Husky_1]

Colonizing QT tank

Colonizing QT tank

So, I want to get a QT up and running quick, but have not colonized any filter material.

I have some of the seachem matrix and stability around and was wondering if I use this stuff, with a bit of vodka if I can get a my Nitrogen cycle kicking quickly...I guess the same question could apply to running a Zeo basic 4 in the qt as well.

 

[sailfintang]

Yes that should help quick start the QT. Also if you use some of thh sand (if not bare bottom) and water from your display tank this will also help the QT cycle quickly. What size QT are you planning?

 

[Husky_1]

Thanks sailfin,
Right now I have setup for a 10g..I figure I can do 50% 2x per week, and just time my tank changes while its up....I would like to get a bigger setup in the future....

BTW, in the past I was never a fan of QT, but I just have no luck with fish. So I figure its time to try QT..

 

[GSMguy]

is the QT to treat sick animals? QT should not have any sand or bacteria, the medicines you use in QT kill the bacteria anyway

 

[sailfintang]

I am not a big fan of QT either just long acclimations and in they go. I am setting up a small frag station but that is far from complete. ANyhow just test y our levels daily it should stable out pretty quick if you add display tank water. Also maybe a nioce hardy fish like a damsel/chromis could help the cycle speed along, they are cheap too.

 

[Husky_1]

Actually, because of the fish luck I have in my tank, I may end up doing some Chromi's in my main display. I think I am done spending anything over $25 per fish at this point...

I am actually thinking of adding a small harem of anthias (reason for the qt), and a couple of chromis to get some nice schooling action.

 

[Canarygirl]

I recently set up a 20g QT to treat a dwarf angelfish that had fin and tail rot. Of course because of using antibiotics in the QT I wasn't going to stress about the tank not being cycled. However, I have lost fish to unstable water params in QT so I was concerned. What I did was put a filter bag with carbon and Elos brand zeolith in it, and put that in a hang-on filter. (Only after I was done treating with meds). That plus the 3x/week water changes has kept the water crystal clear. This time was the best luck I've had with QT.

 

[sailfintang]

Well yesterday evening I swutched bac kto the v/s/v dosing from just straight v dosing. I think the v dosing was not as effectiva at pulling out the nitrates that are in my tank. seeems that the po4 problem is is resolved besides som minor leeching from the rock and substrate. I was dosin about 10ml of straight v to my tank, I know seems alot but I have no ill effects what so ever from the large dose. I only dose that about twice a week.

My current v/s/v mixture is as follows:

200ml Vodka
25ml Vinegar
1 Tblsp Sugar

I have reduced my dosing to 5 ml with the v/s/v, 2.5 in the Am and 2.5 in the evening. i am hoping this will lower my nitrates, I also added seachem denitrate to assist in this issue. Hoping this will feed the bacteria better than straight v dosing as glassboxes article suggests and lower my nitrates to undetectable levels so I can dose heavy on the AA's and otehr supps.

 

[volcom69]

I just got coral snow and i use zeobak and AA mixed all toghter and put in the tank that way. Im getting ready soon to try zeospur2 and see how that does my first dosage amount im going to try 0.5ml and wait about 14 days and i might up that or keep it the same depending on what the corals look like.

 

[newsalt]

Since I never get any responses to my questions on the Zeovit forum, I'll ask this here.
I was away on a business trip for two days. When I got home tonight, the tank looked horrible. The front glass had a heavy film on it. The back wall of the tank had this stringy algea on it. The algea had some bubbles on it. Something has got to be wrong with my dosing. I'm constantly cleaning the walls of my tank almost every other day. This weekend I will be changing my zeolite stones for the second time. Should I adjust the dosing, increase the volume of my stones? Current dosing:
Zeobac: 5 drops 2x a week
Zeofood: 1 drop 2x a week
ZeoStart2: 0.3 ml 2x a day
Coral Snow: 4ml 2 x weekly

Please help.

 

[volcom69]

I think i would cut back on your coral snow at least to 2ml 2x week but would still mix that with the bac. How often are you cleaning your tank i would try to clean the tank weekly or even twice a week to help lower your po4 and no3 levels. Have you ever tested your po4 level in your water you are adding to your tank make sure that it is 0. Your bac of 5 drops 2xweek seems alittle high but im not sure ill let someone else answer that for you.

 

[Saldarya]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12969548#post12969548 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by newsalt
Since I never get any responses to my questions on the Zeovit forum, I'll ask this here.
I was away on a business trip for two days. When I got home tonight, the tank looked horrible. The front glass had a heavy film on it. The back wall of the tank had this stringy algea on it. The algea had some bubbles on it. Something has got to be wrong with my dosing. I'm constantly cleaning the walls of my tank almost every other day. This weekend I will be changing my zeolite stones for the second time. Should I adjust the dosing, increase the volume of my stones? Current dosing:
Zeobac: 5 drops 2x a week
Zeofood: 1 drop 2x a week
ZeoStart2: 0.3 ml 2x a day
Coral Snow: 4ml 2 x weekly

Please help.

New salt, I am going to assume you are dosing the 120gal you have in your signature, I also need to know what your net water volume is. How long have you been running Zeo and when was the last time you changed the Zeoliths.

Please confirm the net volume, amount of Zeoliths you are using, GPH through your reactor, and whether you cycle it on or off. Please also list your parameters.

My initial response is that your Bak dosage is to high, especially in comparison to the ZeoFood7 dosage.

Concerning Coral snow, yep, i will add it into the mix along with Fe next month probably.

 

[newsalt]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12969818#post12969818 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Saldarya
I also need to know what your net water volume is.

Between Sump and Display, the net volume is about 130g

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12969818#post12969818 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Saldarya
How long have you been running Zeo and when was the last time you changed the Zeoliths.

I've been running Zeo since 4/4/08. The last time I changed the zeolites was eight weeks ago. I'm due for the next change this weekend.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12969818#post12969818 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Saldarya
Please confirm the net volume, amount of Zeoliths you are using, GPH through your reactor, and whether you cycle it on or off.

130g, 0.8L of zeolites. Reactor flow is 80 gph. I do cycle the reactor pump 3hrs on/3hrs off

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12969818#post12969818 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Saldarya
Please also list your parameters.

Nitrate: 0 (salifert)
PO4: 0.03 (Hanna)
Ca: 435 (Salifert)
Alk: 7.6 (Lamotte)
Mg: 1300 (Elos)

 

[Husky_1]

Newsalt,
Honestly, if I were one of the guys (bob, g.alexander etc..) on the other forum, I would probably not respond to you at this point either. You started Zeo about the same time I started looking into it and I followed some of you initial posts over there. All along, the main guys over there have been very helpful to you and you insist on coming over here to get second opinions, etc....I think one of the mods over there even requested that you stop asking for Zeo instructions on multiple sites.

I am no Zeo expert, but I think the key to Zeo is patience and stability. I know you had issues with stability in your initial month or two, but now I think you either need to trust the guys that over there, or trust the guys over here, but stick with one dosing method and see it through for a few months.

Sorry if this post offends you, but really I just think you need to have patience.

 

[GSMguy]

newsalt 8 weeks in you no longer need to cycle the reactor leave it on 24/7

 

[Saldarya]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12973062#post12973062 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GSMguy
newsalt 8 weeks in you no longer need to cycle the reactor leave it on 24/7

While this is true in general, I woudl be cautious. Due to teh issues that Newsalt had early on and that Husky mentioned from the Zeo board, it is possible that the colonies are not established enough to go to the non cycling.

That being said, GSM is correct that under normal circumstances, you can begin to wean of the cycling.....

 

[Canarygirl]

what is the effect of going to the non-cycling mode, and how does a person know that their corals are ready for that?

 

[newsalt]

Husky, I understand your point. But all along even when I was thinking about using Zeo all I read about was how dosing sometimes need adjusting. So when I see strange algea or RTN, I need to ask questions. When I get no replies, I have to look somewhere else to get an answer. The two replies after yours on this thread are just examples of what I'm talking about. GSMguy says that at 8 weeks I don't need to cycle the reactor any longer. Then, Saldarya says that's true under normal circumstances, but be cautious. So there you go, I have a question do I still need to cycle the reactor. Here's another question...this weekend is my second zeo change. I'm currently using 0.8L of zeolites. At this change, can I go to 1l? I don't know, I can't get an answer. Now that question has nothing to do with patience, it's yes or no.

 

[sprite]

newsalt i was expierienceing some of the things you are when i first started minus the rtn...Bob had me up my gph through the reactor 10 more gph but i only went 5 and seen a difference in my tank at about 2 weeks... i was also told to hold the food7 and sponge power till the algea started to retreat. my tank is getting cleaner by the week now. im due to change my stones in 2 weeks for the second changing

 

[sailfintang]

I dont use full zeo but follow their pdf guid for dsing issue with the supplements and according to the zeo rocks section you should be able to use 1 Liter per 100 gallons if you are already nutrient poor or have a sticked tank. more info can be found here at this pdf:


http://www.korallen-zucht.de/files/zeoguide_103_english-1.pdf

Hope this helps