Zeovit club

[SuperDragon]

I have to disagree. Zooxanthellae is brown. The colors come from Chromoproteins/Photopigments NOT the Zooxanthellae. By simply reducing the amount of nutrients thus reducing the density of Zooxanthellae the corals will lighten up but not necessarily "color up". You see this all the time with sterile barebottom tanks. The nutrients are low but the corals look light and faded.

Some corals have the ability to create these desired chromoproteins/photopigments when proper conditions are met and some not so much. Which is why there are some corals that stay colored up much easier and some which always remain "blah".

If the needs of the coral are met, lighting , food, flow etc in conjunction with low nutrients (reduction in Zooxanthellae) then one can get corals to achieve these vibrant colors. Obviously this is what we all try to achieve. The corals lighten we feed more. Then we feed too much and phosphate leves rise and they start to brown. So the best of both worlds would be to have good nutrient export while still supplying adequate amount of food at same time. This is difficult in a closed system which is why methods like Zeovit, Prodibio, GFO, Refugiums, Powerful Skimmers all play important roles.

Some reading if you are interested:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2006/9/aafeature/view

I Agree, good post. Good evidence (science vs. art)

[SDguy]

So, devil's advocate or not, was there anything else that needs to be added to this breakdown? I mean, sounds like the system in a nutshell to me.

The zeovit system runs with:

1. Zeolith stones - should ideally be run within a reactor - these absorb ammonia from the water and act as a substrate for the growth of bacteria. The bacteria in turn absorb nutrients from the water and shaking up the stones every day allows them to enter
the water columncan act as a food source for corals or they can be removed from the system by skimming thus acting as a nutrient export mechanism (an oversized skimmer is advised). The reactor allows a controlled flow rate over the stones so that nutrients dont drop to quickly in established tanks - which could shock corals causing RTN.

2. Bacteria. (zeobak)

3. Source of food for bacteria (amino acid and carbon sources) - zeofood and zeostart respectively. Zeofood also supplies aa's for corals

4. Activated carbon.

5. Food sources for corals - eg Pohls coral vitaliser. These are used once the system enters a low nutrient state.

[Bogg]

I have had several ppl tell me that acans they have heard that acans can't live in a low nutrient environment. Well I have had this ones for quite some time it's alive and growing. Myth busted.

[Bogg]

[Bogg]

[MichaelRyanSD]

must you rub your awesomeness in our face