ZeoVit on a Nano SPS Reef

childress5tyler · Jan 27, 2017

Hello!

I’m starting up a 28 gallon Deep Blue rimless SPS reef and am considering running zeovit. I understand that with the zeovit system there are the four basic cornerstones that it runs off of with the option to run additional additives should one elect to do so. My question is regarding the monthly operating cost of running a zeovit system of this size reef. If you run zeovit on your reef, how much (estimated) do you spend monthly on additives? What additives do you add, how often do you replace the additives, etc.?

Thanks,

Tyler

ksfulk · Jan 27, 2017

Im ~ 5 months into a ZeoVit tank and I dont think its that expensive. But, Im not using all 96 blue bottles - Im focusing on building the system first, then I can supplement when its necessary.

I would just buy the three bottles that are needed to start up the program (ZeoStart, ZeoBak, and SpongePower), as well as your ZeoLites. Use the method as perscribed in the start up guide and stick with it. Depending on your tank demands and parameters, it could take anywhere from a few months to a year to get the system nice and stable.

Start up is where you use the most of the additives. I used nearly an entire bottle of ZeoBak in the first two weeks of the program, due to the size of my tank (525 liters). Since then, I use 1ml ZeoStart a day, 8 drops of ZeoBak 2x a week, and 6-8 drops of SpongePower a day. I got lucky in that I use exactly 1 bag of ZeoLites, so changing them out every 4-6 weeks is simple too. Since Sept 2016 I've purchased: 2 - 250ml bottles of ZeoStart (just cracked open the second one in January), 3 - 50mL bottles of ZeoBak, 2 - 50mL bottles of SpongePower. I have the ZeoFood bottle, but found that when using it per the label I get algae growth, so I stopped using it after a month or so per advice recieved on the Zeo Forums. I think Ive used 3 bags of ZeoLites? I purchased several upfront, but the math works out to about 3 bags. Im due to change them out again next week.

I made a record of all of my daily dosings and such in Apex fusion to keep a record. Kind of fell off that boat around the holidays, but that should help you look at what I was doing for the first month or so with the ZeoVit program. Hope this helps!

childress5tyler · Jan 29, 2017

ksfulk said:
Im ~ 5 months into a ZeoVit tank and I dont think its that expensive. But, Im not using all 96 blue bottles - Im focusing on building the system first, then I can supplement when its necessary.

I would just buy the three bottles that are needed to start up the program (ZeoStart, ZeoBak, and SpongePower), as well as your ZeoLites. Use the method as perscribed in the start up guide and stick with it. Depending on your tank demands and parameters, it could take anywhere from a few months to a year to get the system nice and stable.

Start up is where you use the most of the additives. I used nearly an entire bottle of ZeoBak in the first two weeks of the program, due to the size of my tank (525 liters). Since then, I use 1ml ZeoStart a day, 8 drops of ZeoBak 2x a week, and 6-8 drops of SpongePower a day. I got lucky in that I use exactly 1 bag of ZeoLites, so changing them out every 4-6 weeks is simple too. Since Sept 2016 I've purchased: 2 - 250ml bottles of ZeoStart (just cracked open the second one in January), 3 - 50mL bottles of ZeoBak, 2 - 50mL bottles of SpongePower. I have the ZeoFood bottle, but found that when using it per the label I get algae growth, so I stopped using it after a month or so per advice recieved on the Zeo Forums. I think Ive used 3 bags of ZeoLites? I purchased several upfront, but the math works out to about 3 bags. Im due to change them out again next week.

I made a record of all of my daily dosings and such in Apex fusion to keep a record. Kind of fell off that boat around the holidays, but that should help you look at what I was doing for the first month or so with the ZeoVit program. Hope this helps!

So roughly $25-35 per month? How much time do you spend dosing per day?

ksfulk · Jan 29, 2017

35-40 seconds? It's all part of my daily maintenance - between shaking the reactor, dosing the stuff and running an alkalinity test with my Hannah checker - I can have all of that done in five minutes if that's all I do.

reef-rc · Mar 29, 2017

@childress5tyler - have you started by chance?

I am looking to give this a try on a 13G. I saw you listed "SpongePower". Not sure I need that however. I do have Zeostart, Zeobak, Zeofood and Zeolites.

Plan to read up a lot more before I start. Giving I am not using a reactor for the zeolites...hopefully as mesh bag and manual shake here and there will suffice.

ksfulk · Mar 30, 2017

Shaking once a day should be fine, as thats all I do. Spongepower is used in place of Food in the 14 day startup guide, and if you put your tank info up on the zeovit forums, they will give you the starting dosages and what to use. Zeofood feed the bacteria and corals in your tank, but if you are just starting up, it mainly drives algae growth. Spongepower is a bit different of an additive, which doesnt contribute to algae growth (in my experience). I dose Food once every other week, and I have to scrape the glass the next day.