[Social D]

At the moment My nitrates are sitting at 50ppm not exactly perfect by any standards, Having tested with two different nitrate test kits both show varying results i have concluded my tanks worse for wear!.

The route im taking is ultilizing some products from Korallen Zucht im not looking for a full blown Zeovit system more just using what i see as good products that help reduce nitrate and also phosphate.

The three products i'm using are as follows

Korallen Zucht ZEObak



Some instructions for useage
The essential micro-organism solution for a healthy, well-balanced and efficient bacterial fauna in a tank.

ZEObak contains several bacterial strains, used in combination with ZEOfood and ZEOstart building up bacteria plankton. That is absorbed by many corals.

Contains several bacterial strains that form a chain to reduce unwanted substances.

1. Dose directly into the tank.
2. If possible please switch off the skimmer briefly.
3. Dose 1 drop per 25 gallons/100 L once or twice a week, depending on tank stocking.


And secondly Korallen Zucht ZEOstart 2



Some instructions.
ZEOstart 2 was developed for reefers who want optimum water parameters in a biological way.
It promotes the reproduction of all nitrifying bacteria in the aquarium and is therefore very effective in reducing phosphate and nitrate, nitrite and several inhibitors.
The skimmer removes up to 100 % more concentrated adsorbent. Bacteria dependent slime algae dissappears rapidly and a biological balance is re-established.

To start a new tank it shortens the inital phase enormously to about only 14 days.

This product is not only for the initial phase, it should be dosed every day in all tanks. It enhances the metallic colors on Acropora, Montipora, Poccilopora and Stylophora. Soft corals grow faster and open the polyps wider.

Dose directly into the water. Swich off the skimmer briefly if possible. Do not increase dosage of 2 ml per 250 gallons/1000 L daily – please not that it is highly concentrated. Overdosing is dangerous for all fish!

The latter one replaces Vodka.

Thirdly is Korallen Zucht ZEOfood 7

Contains more than 95 substances, e.g. amino acids as well as several vitamins.

It is a multiplication of food for the dosed micro-organisms and a food source for your corals.

It enhances the growth of all corals.

Dosing: directly into the tank 1-2 drops per 25 gallons/100 L per day.



Some instructions from the Zeovit forums im going along with what they say to dose.
ZeoBac – 1 drop / 25 US gallons daily for the first week, than cut down the dosage to 1 drop / 25 US gallons 2 – 3 x weekly

ZeoStart2 – 2 x 0.2 ml / 25 US gallons daily (morning / evening).

Thats it for now i will get some pics up of the corals i hope to colour back up and a FTS

[lindsay]

Seems quite straight forward ,keep us updated on your test results and overall impressions Tim.

[ben]

yeh its gonna be an interesting thread.

[Social D]

Thankfully this is the worst one of my corals but im hoping it will get some colour back.
Although i do think the detrius that settles on this everyday has caused it to brown out a bit.



Tank as of tonight more colourful in the flesh but still really not happy with it.



One week in just a bit better pic actinics off

[Ross1]

Good luck dude. Your reef certainly looks like it's lost some colour.

I was having issues too. Was having to make too many large water changes to keep my no3 within 15ppm. So have gone over to the dark side to try. I'm using the basic 3 bottles and the stones in a second hand grotech reactor. Nitrates have come down, and po3 is good. cant seem to get much 'mulm' on my stones though. it will be 2 weeks this sunday.

[ChrisR]

Takes a few weeks to a month to start producing mulm off the stones. I've been running Zeo for about a year now and on my previous tank brought the nitrate down from 25ppm to 0ppm within a few months, however my PO4 was still on the highish side, so colours still were still darkish, i now run GFO as well on the new tank to keep the PO4 in check as well as using zeo, this seems for me to work better.

[Ross1]

Thanks Chris. I've got a little while to wait then.

Do you do the 3 hours on 3 hours off with the reactor pump?

[ChrisR]

Yes 3 hr cycle, as the new tanks only been running 2 months, however due to running GFO i only dose about a 1/4 recommended of Start 2. a with probiotic systems you have to tweak the dosing schedule to youre own system and see how it goes all a bit of trial and hopefully not too much error, have overdosed in the Start2 in the past and had the pleasure of some nice algae's.

[BOM8ER]

Social D, on Jul 23 2009, 08:51 PM, said:

Thankfully this is the worst one of my corals but im hoping it will get some colour back.
Although i do think the detrius that settles on this everyday has caused it to brown out a bit.



Tank as of tonight more colourful in the flesh but still really not happy with it.

Now I understand why you are going down this route, I can see a massive colour loss in this pic compared to the last time I seen your tank Tim
Hope your tank recovers as it is a lovely looking reef tank mate, good luck

[Social D]

Shows how pics can be decieving sinse you last came around the formosa at the back has actually now started to get its blue tips back after many months of not having any, This is down to myself now having a skimmer that works properly.
To show how bad i take pics the formosa has bright blue tips although my camera makes them look white

Overall its not great ,having looked back over my tank thread the colours i had with zero nitrate were outta this world but that was over a year ago.

It can only get better

Nobilis with 0 Nitrate

[Ross1]

wow that's how I remember your tank!
you have to get those colours popping again Tim.

[Social D]

I hope so My Hoek as of today this before adding the skimmer only had blue tips, Im hopeing to get much more colour down through it with lower Nutrients.
The coral behind is the Noblis.


This was the Hoek as a frag

[Ross1]

that's BIG. It will look amazing when you get more colour in it.

Keep up the good work fella.

[Social D]

One week done no change yet although im not expecting much atm.

Salifert Test kits reads 25 although could be 40

Sera Test kit which is the one im going by reads 50ppm no question about it as the colours are different and to me its a better test kit
beacause of the more stages you go through and Merck have something to do with them Tempted to try another Nitrate test kit but The Sera seems
to accurate

[Social D]

Hmm just some thoughts but Some of my die-back on some acros has stopped which is good, Maybe adding sugar and vodka wasnt helping matters
Just a guess tho.

Some great news is one single head of my of Duncan has turned green, whereas last week it was brown

[Dave.I]

Thats a good sign Tim.Give it a month and it will be starting to really colour up i recon.Ive just started brightwells micro bacter 7 and reef biofuel myself.Not sure on the biofuel yet as i think i could just use vodka instead but we will see!

Dave

[chriss]

Dave.I, on Jul 29 2009, 10:11 PM, said:

Ive just started brightwells micro bacter 7 and reef biofuel myself.Not sure on the biofuel yet as i think i could just use vodka instead

A lot of people over on RC use vodka and micro bacter. The consensus on the biofuel is that it is more consistent so 1ml of one bottle is the same is 1ml in the next bottle and that it has a more lasting effect, a bit like using a proper alk buffer rather than just plain bicarb.

Of course one thing we could all probably make use of is the color enhancers in the zeo range, most of those can be used without the ULNS elements.

Tim, at what stage do you need to start looking for and adjusting any kalium dificiencies? I have an underlying nagging feeling that that is something I'm lacking.

Chris

[Social D]

Chris i think you have to start testing for Potassium when you start to acheive ULNS and have been running it for some time, As im a way off that yet ive not really read completely into it so maybe others might know more.
Slight mistake K has to be K+ ~ 380 mg before you start ZeoVIT


Although i guess it wont hurt to check with a test kit and adjust with K Balance from KZ it can be used without using an ULNS system

Here's a link to some http://www.charterhouse-aquatics.co.uk/cat...0ml-p-2753.html

K test kit here http://www.reefstock.co.uk/index.php?main_...products_id=251

[ChrisR]

chriss, on Jul 29 2009, 10:38 PM, said:

A lot of people over on RC use vodka and micro bacter. The consensus on the biofuel is that it is more consistent so 1ml of one bottle is the same is 1ml in the next bottle and that it has a more lasting effect, a bit like using a proper alk buffer rather than just plain bicarb.

Of course one thing we could all probably make use of is the color enhancers in the zeo range, most of those can be used without the ULNS elements.

Tim, at what stage do you need to start looking for and adjusting any kalium dificiencies? I have an underlying nagging feeling that that is something I'm lacking.

Chris

You should really have Potassium levels sorted prior to starting with Zeo, but in tanks that dont run stones then its just a case of testing and bringing up to 380-400ppm, even though the test kits take abit of getting used too.