Zeovit in a Nano (detailed update dec 5th)

[Delphinus]

So um ..sorry, I'm a little confused. You're not running a skimmer on this system? Or are you? Funny you should bring this up, borne out of frustration for not getting fst enough progress on my tank build - out of spare parts I had lying around, I slapped together a 20g reef nano system this weekend. It's cute, it uses a Hydro Alkaseltzer or whatever it's called as the sump return, a seio for tank circ and a superskimmer 60 that I was going to meshmod. I was thinking, I wonder how zeo would work on a wee little tank like this. So your thread was rather timely!

Have you thought about running a small skimmer on your setup? I thought one of the reasons Zeo/Ultralith/Prodibio/Reef-resh type systems work so well is that the skimmers are constantly removing the nasties. I mean, sure, on a small system you can just change out the water on a weekly basis or whatever, but I thought the whole point with the dosing and skimming of a bacterial based system is that things are replenished and removed on a more steady-state type situation.

The wee little Euroreefs are the shizzle! A mesh'd Euroreef, that's a winner. I can't wait to see these guys hit the market!

[kwirky]

you have to do weekly water changes anyways according to the zeovit guide. 5-10%

I checked the forums though and it seems doable without the skimmer with the larger water changes. If I have to do a 5% weekly water change anyways, how much more work is a 25% water change, really?

I'm trying to keep this within a budget too, being a full time student. Buying into zeovit will be about $70-100. Getting a skimmer would jump that to about $200-250 (or more). Not dooable for me.

The real appeal is the low-tech approach. About the only "techy" things my tank will have will be the HQI light w/ PC, the auto-top off, the zeovit, and the RO/DI. I just think it would be cool if zeovit could be possible in a low-tech style nano.

I don't know if the HOB filter will be the ideal way to hold the zeovit though. I'll need water flow of about 30gph through the media. the HOB filter does 200-400gph lol. I'm thinking a gravel vac would be a good media holder. I could cut it down to about 6" long, hook a pump to it and voila!

[Der_Iron_Chef]

Please document it for us scaredy-cats

[Pescador]

There are some higher quality substrate reactors like these PM models.
http://www.precisionmarinedirect.com...idProduct=784#

[kwirky]

Originally Posted by Pescador

There are some higher quality substrate reactors like these PM models.
http://www.precisionmarinedirect.com...idProduct=784#

that's 6.5 liters of reactor. I only need 0.25 liters

[Delphinus]

Room for expansion

[albert_dao]

You can't use a HOB filter. You'll be running too much water through the media. This = GAME OVER MAN.

For your tank, you're looking at 20 gph approx.