Automating Dosing While Away from Home (Zeovit, Aquaforest Probiotic Method)

[DiZASTiX]

Who out there is automating dosing for Zeovit or Aquaforest Probiotic Method?
What do you do when you're on travel away from your aquarium?

Here's my setup:

Automatic Dosing:

1. Pump 1 - Aquaforest Component 1+
2. Pump 2 - Aquaforest Component 2+
3. Pump 3 - Aquaforest Component 3+
4. Pump 4 - Zeovit Pohl's Xtra Special
5. Pump 5 - Zeovit Amino Acid LPS
6. Pump 6 - Zeovit Coral Booster
7. Pump 7 - Zeovit Flatworm Stop
8. Pump 8 - Aquaforest NP Pro Liquid Bacterial Growth Polymer

Manual Dosing:

1. Aquaforest MicroE Elemenents
2. Aquaforest Pro Bio S Probiotic Bacteria
3. Aquaforest Amino Mix Amino Acids
4. Aquaforest Vitality Coral Vitamins
5. Zeovit Zeospur Macro Elements
6. Zeovit Zeozym
7. Zeovit Pohl's Coral Vitalizer
8. Zeovit Zeospur 2
9. Zeovit Bio-Mate
10. Zeovit Amino Acid Concentrate
11. Zeovit Sponge Power
12. Zeovit Zeofood 7
13. Zeovit Zeobak Microorganism Solution

 

[Brew12]

I can't help because I don't dose that many items but holy smokes!!!! Now I know why I didn't go with the AF or Zeovit system! ;Nailbiting

 

[ksfulk]

I use a dosing pump for my alk/calc (ESV B-Ionic) and hand dose my Zeovit supplements daily. For vacations or other periods of time when Im unavailable, I simply dont dose any of those. I had a handful of 7-12 day stints where the tank was not dosed with anything and I came back to it with no real issues. Im not using all of the additives, however.

ESV parts 1 & 2: 44.7mL daily
ZeoStart: 1.5 mL daily
ZeoBak: 10 drops 2x weekly
SpongePower: 10 drops daily

 

[DiZASTiX]

I can't help because I don't dose that many items but holy smokes!!!! Now I know why I didn't go with the AF or Zeovit system! ;Nailbiting

This cracked me up!!

I SWEAR TO GOD it's not as bad as it looks. Yes, I know how it looks. AF Components 1+, 2+, and 3+ are basically your Balling 3-part solution. Dosers dose those regardless of the other pieces. Now the Zeovit pieces I've no explanation for. I run a heavy ZEOvit stack of products, and there are more, though I find them to be less useful in my situation. However, it can be condensed to what @ksfulk does.

If you go the AF route, you need the five listed--numbers 1 thru 4 under manual plus number 8 under automatic.

If you run a carbon dosing technique only using AF and/or ZEOvit products, you only need:

Either:
ZEOstart OR AF NP Pro Polymer
AND
ZEObak OR AF Pro S Probiotic Bacteria

Or:
AF Pro Bio F

However, AF Pro Bio F is a powder, and must be hand dosed.

I use a dosing pump for my alk/calc (ESV B-Ionic) and hand dose my Zeovit supplements daily. For vacations or other periods of time when Im unavailable, I simply dont dose any of those. I had a handful of 7-12 day stints where the tank was not dosed with anything and I came back to it with no real issues. Im not using all of the additives, however.

ESV parts 1 & 2: 44.7mL daily
ZeoStart: 1.5 mL daily
ZeoBak: 10 drops 2x weekly
SpongePower: 10 drops daily

Very useful to know. It sounds like you travel recreationally a good amount, and the corals are cool with that. It also sounds like ZEOvit is a very robust system, and Ryan from BRS TV mentioned even that for the BRS 160, they don't dose on the weekends, when no one is around. I do wonder however, what the consequences of dosing only on weekends are. Suppose you travel Monday thru Thursday. What would be bacteria population look like? Would they slightly dip by Wednesday? Or would the effect be not even be perceivable due to the nitrogen load from fish and inverts?

 

[ksfulk]

Very useful to know. It sounds like you travel recreationally a good amount, and the corals are cool with that. It also sounds like ZEOvit is a very robust system, and Ryan from BRS TV mentioned even that for the BRS 160, they don't dose on the weekends, when no one is around. I do wonder however, what the consequences of dosing only on weekends are. Suppose you travel Monday thru Thursday. What would be bacteria population look like? Would they slightly dip by Wednesday? Or would the effect be not even be perceivable due to the nitrogen load from fish and inverts?

Well... it depends on what you mean by 'dosing', I guess. In my system, what is 'dosed' on a daily basis in my system is a form of carbon for the bacteria. Without having looked at the bacterial population, it would be difficult to tell the direct impact of not dosing carbon as directed.

My understanding of the bacteria dosing is that the Zeo-strain is relatively short lived, which is why its dosed twice weekly, to keep the strain not only alive, but also dominant in the system. Without bi-weekly dosing, you are likely (eventually) to run into some other strains of bacteria becoming dominant (lets say, for instance, cyano) with the carbon source present. Thats my guess, based on the ancedotal evidence I have thus far. When I miss a week of dosing, generally there is a small patch or two of cyano that starts to creep out, but otherwise, its never seen.

Another indirect impact on the system is that the nutrient levels begin to shift upwards, as the bacterial population declines and your NO3/PO4 levels will begin to rise - its a gentle rise at first, but it becomes a larger and larger effect the longer the system is out of balance.

If you were to travel Monday - Thursday, then my suggestion would be to set up your dosing schedule to allow for that. Dose your bacteria on thursday night when you get home, and then again on Monday before you leave. Doing this would allow you to maintain stability. Granted, this is assuming its relatively infrequently that you are gone and that your tank is mature. Missing occasionally, the ecosystem that you've established can take that, but if thats your lifestyle, I would just use a system that doesnt require daily handling.

 

[mattgsa]

Who out there is automating dosing for Zeovit or Aquaforest Probiotic Method?
What do you do when you're on travel away from your aquarium?

Here's my setup:

Automatic Dosing:

1. Pump 1 - Aquaforest Component 1+
2. Pump 2 - Aquaforest Component 2+
3. Pump 3 - Aquaforest Component 3+
4. Pump 4 - Zeovit Pohl's Xtra Special
5. Pump 5 - Zeovit Amino Acid LPS
6. Pump 6 - Zeovit Coral Booster
7. Pump 7 - Zeovit Flatworm Stop
8. Pump 8 - Aquaforest NP Pro Liquid Bacterial Growth Polymer

Manual Dosing:

1. Aquaforest MicroE Elemenents
2. Aquaforest Pro Bio S Probiotic Bacteria
3. Aquaforest Amino Mix Amino Acids
4. Aquaforest Vitality Coral Vitamins
5. Zeovit Zeospur Macro Elements
6. Zeovit Zeozym
7. Zeovit Pohl's Coral Vitalizer
8. Zeovit Zeospur 2
9. Zeovit Bio-Mate
10. Zeovit Amino Acid Concentrate
11. Zeovit Sponge Power
12. Zeovit Zeofood 7
13. Zeovit Zeobak Microorganism Solution

I was wondering if you have to set the component 3 on an automatic doser?

 

[DiZASTiX]

I was wondering if you have to set the component 3 on an automatic doser?

That's a great point. Magnesium changes so little that (particularly in an aquarium this size) dosing wouldn't be necessary; however, I only do because there's a Balling salt in the ingredients of Component 3+.

 

[ZoWhat]

Let's look at 2 angles:

1) if you don't dose, then your benefits of dosing just get suspended until your return

2) if you dose while away and you're not there to manage it, it could be a total loss of auto goes rogue....

For me, I'd go with option 1

 

[DiZASTiX]

Let's look at 2 angles:

1) if you don't dose, then your benefits of dosing just get suspended until your return

2) if you dose while away and you're not there to manage it, it could be a total loss of auto goes rogue....

For me, I'd go with option 1

Could there be an option 3 in between options 1 and 2?