Zeovit

[sailfintang]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12479599#post12479599 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ooja3k
Well, after dosing 1/2 teaspoon of potassium daily since last thursday, i have noticed much increased polyp extension on my monti cap. The color hasn't returned, but it definitely looks much healthier... So far I have dosed 3 teaspoons of potassium. How much more do you think I should dose before I take a little break?? Is a good rule of thumb to use the color of the frag?? I really should just invest in a test kit...

From what Zedar was saying that if you do not have a test kit then you go by the color ofthe monti cap itself, dont stop dosing till the color returns. I could be wrong though. And yes you should invest in a K kit, cherry corals is suppose ti email me when they get the fauna k test kits in I thinke Zedar is also on that list you may want to do the same or buy the zeo one.

 

[sailfintang]

Just thought I would give everyine an updat in the status of my tank. Things have leveled off and returned to normal as it seems. I am back on a small real small dosing regiment of v/s/v and stability to the tank. I have no algae growing anywhere as of now and am quite happy about that. I plan to add a small reef cleaner package to the tank to take care of any detritus and uneaten food remaining in the sand bed. Hope to order the package come june and then dtart restocking the tank with life since all thats left are a few mangled shrooms and 2 gold stripe clowns.

 

[Canarygirl]

where do you guys put your zoalith reactor? how many times do you stir it? i stir it in the evening after lights out when coral polyps are out more and feed. do you dose the carbon source and/or the bacteria directly in the reactor? or anywhere in the tank.

Hi

The zeo Rx should be put in the chamber after the skimmer and before the return pump, to prevent the skimmer from removing the bacteria mulm.

Pumping/stirring 15-20 times, morning and night.

Bac and carbon source dosed onto the water surface, as close as possible to the intake of zeo Rx pump.

 

[Zedar]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12480586#post12480586 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sailfintang
From what Zedar was saying that if you do not have a test kit then you go by the color ofthe monti cap itself, dont stop dosing till the color returns. I could be wrong though. And yes you should invest in a K kit, cherry corals is suppose ti email me when they get the fauna k test kits in I thinke Zedar is also on that list you may want to do the same or buy the zeo one.

Well yes and no. I also noticed PE after only a few days. But color is still returning. It will take a few months till it returns to full health, based on the progress i'm seeing.

I would say stop after you see ANY color increase. Because adding more wont help. At least thats my experience.

And ODing caused an algae bloom. And others have lost fish and corals.

I would wait till you get a test kit before adding anymore, as sail has suggested.

 

[sailfintang]

Well everyone just to let you know I have added a few new species to the tank to see how they feel about the changes, might be a bit to soon but it is only 7 Nassarius snails and one banded or tiger striped serpent sea star to assit in any detritus clean up in the tank.

Also wanted to ask if you guys use filter socks in your sumo to catch any left over food and items that could pollute the sump, your thoughts?

I received my zeo supps and if all goes well I can start adding coral soon.

 

[Zedar]

no i dont use a sock. But half my overflow water goes through my skimmer first.

 

[sailfintang]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12497276#post12497276 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Zedar
no i dont use a sock. But half my overflow water goes through my skimmer first.

Mine is the same way but I am testign the sock method to see if it can get the larger debris the skimmer does not. I will keep you all posted on the results mainly how filthy the sock gets.

 

[Nanz]

I saw that you guys dont have macro algea anymore.

Do you run a refugium with Zeo or Zedar's method? I have a mandarin and a scooter blenny that feed off of pods in my tank.

Can I run a refugium without macro? I thought the pods need the macro to survive.

Can I just feed my pods in my refugium some phyto and just leave LR and sand in there?

What is the best way to keep a refugium and still running this method?

I just started this method. I started with seachem matrix and stability right now. I turned off my UV and run ESV-carbon and purigen passive in the sump. I also run GFO in another reactor.

I tested my Potassium and its 340ppm. I ran it through an ICP at our lab as I do with everything, hehe. I will start boosting the K level as soon as my warner potassium comes in.

Right now Im using the following:

• Kent Iron
• Lugol's Iodine
• Seachem Stability (may switch to BIODIGEST, Prodibio)
• BIOPTIM, Prodibio
• REEF BOOSTER, Prodibio

I may swith to Zeo Amino Acid and Zeo Sponge but im still in stage one which is obtaining nutrient starved tank.

 

[Zedar]

I think macros just provide a home for the pods? They are not necessary. Phyto will provide food and the pod population should be fine.

 

[JCTewks]

My experience has been that the microfauna in the tank have gone crazy since reaching LNS...I'm guessing that they are feeding off of the bacteria or all of the food I can now dump in the tank.

 

[Zedar]

yeah probly a combo of the two.

 

[Zedar]

Well this months TOTM is astounding!!! jawdropping!!

heres a quote from the TOTM page.

"I feed my fish only once a day. I don’t think fish can stop eating. They can eat all day. But that is not good for SPS corals which require pristine water. I use various types of dry food and all the well-known brands. Frozen food is used twice a week. I feed the corals DT's Oyster Eggs every other day at night. And I always shut down my skimmer for 3-4 hours during feeding time."

Hmmm

Most people that post on RC about corals losing color have been advised to feed the fish more. And Ive done the same. But lately i was thinking..... why?
Why does feeding the fish more often help color up corals? Could it be that poop is that nutritious? Could there be a better way.
So i was thinking of feeding the fish less and feeding the corals more.

Right now my feeding regime is as follows:

feed the fish 3 to 4 times a day.
cyclopeeze etc... a nice blend of foods. including live brine shrimp as a treat once or twice a week. Twice a week an hr after lights out I feed the corals zooplankton.

So now ill feed less food to the fish and increase the corals feedings to 4 times a week.

I notice the day after i feed the corals their colors real pop. And theres enhanced growth.

Sure feeding the fish more often indirectly feeds the fish, but i dont think the quality of the food is as good as some form of plankton. And I would expect better results from the later.

 

[Husky_1]

Worse case, you could always use rock in the sump to help your pods "hide", this would also give you more surface area for the bacteria. One last thing, in your post you mentioned P04 remover..I know Zeo does not recommend running p04 with their system.

 

[Kolognekoral]

I run my tank with Zeo and a refugium and I'm not sure I would recommend it. There are positive sides, such as the increase in small fauna and the macro algae consuming nutrients, but the down side is that the competition with the ZeoBak makes establishing a stabile environment not so easy. With two sources competing for nutrients, sometimes the algae wins, sometimes the bacteria. As long as the corals are doing well, I won't complain, but when i harvest large amounts of algae from the refugium I tend to upset the system a bit and, for some reason, damaged Caulerpa tend to die off.

I am currently working on a food reactor, which I hope will help feed the main reef and I can cut back on the refugium algae a bit. The refugium was never intended to be a main filter, rather a food producer for the fussier animals and home for sea horses.

 

[Canarygirl]

I run my tank with Zeo and a refugium and I'm not sure I would recommend it. There are positive sides, such as the increase in small fauna and the macro algae consuming nutrients, but the down side is that the competition with the ZeoBak makes establishing a stabile environment not so easy. With two sources competing for nutrients, sometimes the algae wins, sometimes the bacteria.

Hi Jamie....

So, is the only way to determine which is winning by observing whether the macroalgae is growing or dying?

I won't complain, but when i harvest large amounts of algae from the refugium I tend to upset the system a bit

How can you tell that you've upset the system?

I am currently working on a food reactor, which I hope will help feed the main reef and I can cut back on the refugium algae a bit.

This sounds interesting. What is a "food reactor?"

 

[Kolognekoral]

Lots of questions.....again!

OK, the first thing I notice changing is the growth in the macros, especially the Caulerpa, and the Chaetomorpha, which are very competitive. When they reach a certain mass (50% of the tank!) I harvest them and rinse the little organisms back into the refugium. Typicall, all of the brocken Caulerpas start to show die-off in the way of loosing their chlorophyll. Whether this is simply due to the breaks in the rhizome or a nutrient issue is unclear.

Next I note that the PO4 takes a small rise, which means the bacteria are on the move, but not as fast as the algae had been in absorbing the wastes. This balances back out and then the algae start to grow rapidly once again. Which is where the bacteria probably get outcompeted. I should harvest the algae more often, I suppose.

I am working on a version of Shimek's reactor, which will include break-siphon overflows to seperate chambers of 1) phyto, 2) brachionus and 3) artemia (or similar size). I will feed water from the refugium into the phyto chamber and the final output will go into the refugium overflow to the reef. The refugium is upstream of the reef. I am currently trying to develope proper sizing between the chambers. The plan is to boost food for the Crinoids, Dendros, Gorgonians and Pseudanthias....oh and of course the corals, but they are probably being overfed at this point!

 

[Canarygirl]

thanks for the additional information.

I'm going to have to do more research on the Shimek reactor...it sounds intriguing and I would like to be confident that my pipefish and corals are getting enough live food to eat.

 

[JCTewks]

ZEDAR: Try maintaning your current fish feedign schedule and increasing your coral feedings to nightly. I feed absurd amounts to both the fish and corals...and they really show their appreciation I have 3 med size fish that get 3-5 cubes of various frozen a day; 3x daily phytoplankton and zooplankton feedings; nightly cyclopeeze, marine snow, phyto, mysis, and artemia for the corals...all in a 45g total system!!!. If your skimmer can handle the load, I say go for it! My biggest noticeable gain in doing V/S/V along with AA's, bac, and vit/min supplements is the ability to feed almost constantly and not worry about trahing water quality...the skimate production has increased 10X, and I'm now having to empty the collection cup twice daily of dark coffee skimate

IME, feeding certain foods at night for the corals will shut the skimmer down temporarily...so I just be sure to feed those nightly so I don't have to worry about the food being removed by the skimmer before the corals have had a chance to get it.

 

[Zedar]

Well I had a small algae break out.. this is why i was going to backoff the fish feedings. Believe me the fish wont go hungry.
I was feeding 4 times a day, and allot of food.

 

[ooja3k]

Alright, time for an update.

I took a 3 day break from dosing the potassium chloride as per some recommendations from this thread to wait and see how my monti reacted...

Well, I need to keep dosing I think. The polyps are looking retracted again slightly and color is still faded.

I will resume the dosing schedule, and may up it slightly from 1 teaspoon per day to 1.5... We'll see though...