Thoughts about reactors and stacking

cflow · 08/22/2017, 10:43 PM

I've caught myself in a situation where I feel that stacking zeolites, carbon, and a PO4 absorber is not the best method for removing nutrients, we'll at least for a new tank. As an ex zeovit user I learned that the flow rate through the zeolites has to be very precise or it could cause RTN. I'm currently stacking zeolites, carbon, and a PO4 remover but I'm afraid to allow the flow to go through fast enough for the PO4 remover to work properly. I briefly tried allowing the flow to slightly fluidize the PO4 remover but within about an hour my corals looked very stressed so I rapidly reduced the flow once again. My phosphate is at about .16 ppm and nitrates at about 10 ppm. Most of my corals have browned a bit but still show signs of growth. No algae is present. I've only been using AF products for about 2 weeks and I know bacteria and carbon dosing will bring my nutrients down in time. I'm just afraid to blast flow through zeolites. I feel like two reactors would be better at this time. One with just a PO4 remover and the other with zeolites and carbon controlled with slow flow. I'm tempted to just remove the zeolites and rely more heavily on carbon dosing until my nutrients are lower then slowly add them back in. At this point I'm afraid the phosphates would cause more of a problem and weigh more importance than NO3. Any suggestions? I have another reactor but it's not going to fit properly in my sump.

120reefer · 08/23/2017, 09:20 AM

Here is a very helpful video about Zeomix.

https://youtu.be/ULfR65wLI6g

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cflow · 08/23/2017, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 120reefer

Here is a very helpful video about Zeomix.

https://youtu.be/ULfR65wLI6g

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thank you I've seen this video. Unfortunately the recommended flow through the zeolites is way too fast without causing harm to my corals.

120reefer · 08/23/2017, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cflow

Thank you I've seen this video. Unfortunately the recommended flow through the zeolites is way too fast without causing harm to my corals.

Did you put in the recommended amount of Zeomix?

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cflow · 08/23/2017, 07:06 PM

I started with less than 1/2 the recommended amount. It's leftover zeovit though. Not zeomix. Seems like they should be the same.

120reefer · 08/23/2017, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cflow

I started with less than 1/2 the recommended amount. It's leftover zeovit though. Not zeomix. Seems like they should be the same.

I have no idea if it's the same , I wouldn't assume it is. The recommendations are for their products. Also I'd like to note that there are a lot of cautions posted about using this product. Not only can you strip the water quickly but it's recommended for advanced aquarists. I personally have not used it. You'll need to be very very careful and if I were you I wouldn't experiment with your reef . That's some strong stuff!

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StarF · 08/24/2017, 06:33 AM

i use the stacked method. I use it on my excisting reef, and started with 1/5 of the recomended dose, and each month i increased the volume by 1/5, so 200ml zeomix first time, 300ml seccond time, 500ml fourth time, and 700ml the fifth time..

i have had no isues with sps stressing, and i keep the flow so the po4 tumbles a little...

120reefer · 08/24/2017, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarF

i use the stacked method. I use it on my excisting reef, and started with 1/5 of the recomended dose, and each month i increased the volume by 1/5, so 200ml zeomix first time, 300ml seccond time, 500ml fourth time, and 700ml the fifth time..

i have had no isues with sps stressing, and i keep the flow so the po4 tumbles a little...

Thanks for your "real world " input!

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cflow · 08/24/2017, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarF

i use the stacked method. I use it on my excisting reef, and started with 1/5 of the recomended dose, and each month i increased the volume by 1/5, so 200ml zeomix first time, 300ml seccond time, 500ml fourth time, and 700ml the fifth time..

i have had no isues with sps stressing, and i keep the flow so the po4 tumbles a little...

That sounds good. I almost just pulled all of the zeolites out. I need to get my po4 to a reasonable level.

cflow · 08/24/2017, 10:09 PM

I removed some zeolites leaving 1/5th and turned up the reactor to keep my PO4 remover slightly fluidized and my corals seem to be doing just fine. Hopefully I can get my PO4 down.

StarF · 08/28/2017, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cflow

I removed some zeolites leaving 1/5th and turned up the reactor to keep my PO4 remover slightly fluidized and my corals seem to be doing just fine. Hopefully I can get my PO4 down.

if you cant, just add more po4 remover then.

cflow · 08/28/2017, 01:58 PM

Update : PO4 down to about 0.08, NO3 still about 10. I did remove some zeolites though. It's safe to add more PO4 remover to bring it down further? I noticed that with AF, the bottles read to add 1 drop of bacteria and I drop of carbon source daily. With zeovit it's a carbon source twice daily and bacteria every other day. I'm not sure if I need more carbon source. My tank volume is about 40 gallons. I'm only dosing 1 drop daily (as for 27 gallons). Should I increase my carbon source? I had STN on a stag frag for some reason. I've read that when PO4 is high it is best to decrease lighting until it's within normal range. I'm still blasting with light. Colors are coming back.

madreefer2013 · 08/30/2017, 10:51 AM

I wouldn't use zeolites yet. I think the zeovit stones are the same as zeomix.

cflow · 08/30/2017, 01:44 PM

I'm pretty sure they are just zeovit zeolites. They do serve a purpose and I'd rather adjust my corals to the stones sooner rather than later. I noticed that some corals looked washed out and I remembered that potassium can be getting sucked out of the water. Checked K last night ~ 250. Component 3 contains K but I don't want to dose a bunch of Mg to bring up K. I ordered AF K to supplement.

08/22/2017, 10:43 PM	#1
cflow Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Sacramento Posts: 792	Thoughts about reactors and stacking I've caught myself in a situation where I feel that stacking zeolites, carbon, and a PO4 absorber is not the best method for removing nutrients, we'll at least for a new tank. As an ex zeovit user I learned that the flow rate through the zeolites has to be very precise or it could cause RTN. I'm currently stacking zeolites, carbon, and a PO4 remover but I'm afraid to allow the flow to go through fast enough for the PO4 remover to work properly. I briefly tried allowing the flow to slightly fluidize the PO4 remover but within about an hour my corals looked very stressed so I rapidly reduced the flow once again. My phosphate is at about .16 ppm and nitrates at about 10 ppm. Most of my corals have browned a bit but still show signs of growth. No algae is present. I've only been using AF products for about 2 weeks and I know bacteria and carbon dosing will bring my nutrients down in time. I'm just afraid to blast flow through zeolites. I feel like two reactors would be better at this time. One with just a PO4 remover and the other with zeolites and carbon controlled with slow flow. I'm tempted to just remove the zeolites and rely more heavily on carbon dosing until my nutrients are lower then slowly add them back in. At this point I'm afraid the phosphates would cause more of a problem and weigh more importance than NO3. Any suggestions? I have another reactor but it's not going to fit properly in my sump.

08/23/2017, 09:20 AM	#2
120reefer Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Northwest/ Indiana Posts: 191	Here is a very helpful video about Zeomix. https://youtu.be/ULfR65wLI6g Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

08/23/2017, 07:06 PM	#5
cflow Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Sacramento Posts: 792	I started with less than 1/2 the recommended amount. It's leftover zeovit though. Not zeomix. Seems like they should be the same.

08/24/2017, 06:33 AM	#7
StarF Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Denmark Posts: 586	i use the stacked method. I use it on my excisting reef, and started with 1/5 of the recomended dose, and each month i increased the volume by 1/5, so 200ml zeomix first time, 300ml seccond time, 500ml fourth time, and 700ml the fifth time.. i have had no isues with sps stressing, and i keep the flow so the po4 tumbles a little...

08/24/2017, 10:09 PM	#10
cflow Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Sacramento Posts: 792	I removed some zeolites leaving 1/5th and turned up the reactor to keep my PO4 remover slightly fluidized and my corals seem to be doing just fine. Hopefully I can get my PO4 down.

08/28/2017, 01:58 PM	#12
cflow Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Sacramento Posts: 792	Update : PO4 down to about 0.08, NO3 still about 10. I did remove some zeolites though. It's safe to add more PO4 remover to bring it down further? I noticed that with AF, the bottles read to add 1 drop of bacteria and I drop of carbon source daily. With zeovit it's a carbon source twice daily and bacteria every other day. I'm not sure if I need more carbon source. My tank volume is about 40 gallons. I'm only dosing 1 drop daily (as for 27 gallons). Should I increase my carbon source? I had STN on a stag frag for some reason. I've read that when PO4 is high it is best to decrease lighting until it's within normal range. I'm still blasting with light. Colors are coming back.

08/30/2017, 10:51 AM	#13
madreefer2013 Registered Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 110	I wouldn't use zeolites yet. I think the zeovit stones are the same as zeomix.

08/30/2017, 01:44 PM	#14
cflow Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Sacramento Posts: 792	I'm pretty sure they are just zeovit zeolites. They do serve a purpose and I'd rather adjust my corals to the stones sooner rather than later. I noticed that some corals looked washed out and I remembered that potassium can be getting sucked out of the water. Checked K last night ~ 250. Component 3 contains K but I don't want to dose a bunch of Mg to bring up K. I ordered AF K to supplement.