Reefer 170 ZEOvit SPS Tank

[Hentz]

Originally Posted by VFrancisco

Tank looks great!

Thinking of starting a ZEOvit tank, also. Can you share what your most recent dosing schedule is like?

Were you dosing the KZ Flatworm Stop when you had the AEFW problem? Just want to know if that additive is effective or not.

You should! I really enjoy the ZEOvit method.

My dosing parameters are:
ZEOstart3 - 0.1ml morning/night
ZOEbak - 1 drop every other day
Sponge Power - 1 drop every other day
Pohl's Xtra - 0.5ml daily (just started)
Coral Snow - 1ml daily (just started)
I also shake the stones 3-4 times a day. Usually when I wake up, before I leave for work, after, and before bed. Not sure if that really helps.
I also just put the exit pipe of the ZEOlite reactor over my return pump instead of having it in the same chamber as my skimmer (it was after my skimmer). I've noticed an increase in Polyp Extension from doing so.

I have been dosing Flatworm Stop for quite sometime now. I bought a bottle for my old tank and continued it on this one. Only reason was people have had thicker and stronger looking corals. It was just a coinicidence that I had a small outbreak of AEFW. I believe it helped the corals to an extent, though 2 were eaten up pretty badly. I literally just finished the bottle last night. So I'll see how my Acropolis look to decide if I want to purchase another bottle.

[Hentz]

Did some PAR readings today. Actually quite impressed with running a single Hydra 26HD over this tank! Was debating on adding another. May just bump up the intensity slightly for a few acropora on here.

[Hentz]

I was going to do a water change today.. Ended up just cleaning my whole entire sump. I had quite a bit of detritus built up as well as the sponge in the baffles did as well.

I pulled everything out, grabbed 10 gallons of saltwater, and got to work.

Not only that, but my cords bugged me and so did my little mess on the left of the sump. No crazy make-over. But a little tiding up really helped my OCD feel a little bit better, lol.

Before:


After:


The egg crate above the sock has no use. Just set it there to help reduce the salt build-up from the over flow.

[Hentz]

Update:

Not too much has changed. Still noticing pretty great growth on a lot of my Acropora. Walt Disney frag is quickly encrusting and sprouting out two new branches. Added a nice Pink Millepora Colony, I mean its really pink in person. Mini colony of it broke off and is placed lower in the tank to see how it does, I may end up selling it locally to make room for something different. I also picked up a nice colony of Pearlberry, an Acropora I've always wanted to get but never really had the chance. It was brown and white when I picked it up, however the purple tips and green base is quickly coming in.

Facebook keeps showing memories of my old tank. The urge is so incredibly strong to upgrade and just get a nice big tank I can keep for a long time that I won't outgrow. The Reefer 170 is an absolutely amazing tank, though it is quickly growing small. I'm in the early stages of planning my biggest upgrade. Looking to go 120 Gallons +. Also debating on continuing ZEOvit. While I really enjoy it, I'm afraid it might be too costly on a bigger tank, but what is cheap in this hobby?!

For now, here is a full tank shot I took this morning. I can never get a great picture with the Blue from LED's, so I apologize for the quality of most of my pictures!! I'll one day get a cool camera and get some high-def. pictures like you other reefers!

[cFloor]

Your tank is coming along great! I love the layout, it's perfect. I also have a reefer 170 and it is indeed a great tank but like you said it's small and corals will fill it out in no time.

[Hentz]

Originally Posted by cFloor

Your tank is coming along great! I love the layout, it's perfect. I also have a reefer 170 and it is indeed a great tank but like you said it's small and corals will fill it out in no time.

Thanks man! I love the scape. It's the first aquascape I'm very proud of and I didn't really rush to setup.

It really is. I mean my Acropora is pretty much stocked on the rock. If I squeeze more in, there will be lots of battles when they grow more.

Your 190 is a freaking squeeze man! Your tank is so grown out.
I didn't realize you lived in the Bay Area either. My wife and I visit about every June to celebrate our birthday's.

[Hentz]

Picked up a cool little viewer. Figured I'd get some top-down shots now that I finally am able to do so. This also helped me find a small patch of AEFW eggs. Dipped everything and inspected for bites. One acropora, my newest Pearlberry, was being bit of course. Glued the area with the eggs after scratching/siphoning them out. Will keep an eye out as well as purchase a 6-Line or Melanurus Wrasse tomorrow.

Anyway, here we go!

[reefmutt]

Looking good Hentz!
Your rocks are clean as a whistle!! Jealous.
Corals are looking nice and happy.

[Hentz]

Had a awesome frag show today the group Reefs of Las Vegas held today. Some fire corals with awesome deals were there today. Picked up a few of course to squeeze in my tank.
Lost my orange filter, so I tired balancing out the white as best as I could for the pics.



According to Chance, I'm the first person in Vegas to have a piece of the Purple Love!


Forgot the name of this coral, I swear they said Light in the Sky or something. But had to pick up this beauty, especially one from Mike Paletta!

[VFrancisco]

Quick couple of questions about ZEOvit:

Did you wait the recommended 4-6 weeks after starting up to do the first water change?

How often are you changing out the stones?

[Hentz]

Originally Posted by VFrancisco

Quick couple of questions about ZEOvit:

Did you wait the recommended 4-6 weeks after starting up to do the first water change?

How often are you changing out the stones?

I did everything as close as possible to the guide aside from using dry rock.
I do 15% weekly water changes, sometimes two aside from the 10% weekly they recommend. Only because I feel 3.5 gallons is silly so I just do a full 5 gallon water change. I've noticed quicker growth and allows my to keep my sand much cleaner.

I'm changing stones every 8-10 weeks. Completely depends on my corals and how they look. My tank is still young so I do notice a quick pastel color after changing stones. I feed very very heavy, as in if I didn't have a great nutrient export method, I'd have insane algae. My I noticed grown every 2-3 days, which I believe is from that and nutrient export.

However once my system stables like my last, stone changes won't do much in terms of causing my Acropora to go back to pastel.

Though I know it's time to change when I notice my colors look kind of... blah. Idk about other ZEOheads, but you learn to read your corals when it's time for a change.

I hope this helped some.

[VFrancisco]

Originally Posted by Hentz

I did everything as close as possible to the guide aside from using dry rock.

I do 15% weekly water changes, sometimes two aside from the 10% weekly they recommend. Only because I feel 3.5 gallons is silly so I just do a full 5 gallon water change. I've noticed quicker growth and allows my to keep my sand much cleaner.



I'm changing stones every 8-10 weeks. Completely depends on my corals and how they look. My tank is still young so I do notice a quick pastel color after changing stones. I feed very very heavy, as in if I didn't have a great nutrient export method, I'd have insane algae. My I noticed grown every 2-3 days, which I believe is from that and nutrient export.



However once my system stables like my last, stone changes won't do much in terms of causing my Acropora to go back to pastel.



Though I know it's time to change when I notice my colors look kind of... blah. Idk about other ZEOheads, but you learn to read your corals when it's time for a change.



I hope this helped some.

Exactly the answers I'm looking for. Thanks!

[Hentz]

Moving into my new house in exactly 4 and a half weeks!

Here's whats going in it...

46x24x20 LeeMar Rimless with a coast-to-coast overflow! My ATI 6x54 Sunpower just came in as well! Planning out a stand to have built along with some other equipment to come! Finally at last, I'm upgrading into a size I actually want!!!

[kevlow]

Excellent! Congrats on the move and new tank.

Kevin

[reefmutt]

Nice!!! Can't wait to see that baby all wet!

[Hentz]

Little update:

So I've definitely got red bugs.. I thought I did a while back on one of my original corals, but local reefs and online reefers said no no, just pods.. But the lack of PE on one acropora and small small bugs running around just didn't seem right... But I believed everyone..
Though my gut was RIGHT!! Corals were bright and colorful.. Started noticing a little less PE... Color isn't as "wow" as it was.. Until I was inspecting really really closely one night and saw them on some other corals... Texted a buddy who has dealt with them in the past and confirmed, it was them. I've got some Dr. G's Coral Dip on the way. It's supposed to contain some Interceptor and has seemingly worked with great success on adding it to the tank. I'd much rather deal with Red Bugs than the annoying AEFW I've had..
I will say, I've never in my entire reefing career had so many issues! lol..

Onto the upgrade:
I built my DIY stand. Went smooth until the finished frame. Ended up being 3/8" off on the top frame, acting as a "twist". It also has a little bit of a teeter-totter rock. Not much, but enough to worry me.. No thank you, not going to set 1000lbs on that, even though it really feels like I can do so. I'm pricing out new stands for that in the mean time. Wife wants me to keep it as cost friendly as possible and may even be considering a used full 120 setup which is under the cost of what stand quotes I'm receiving.. We will see..


This side sits flush with the front and left side of the stand, plywood hangs off on this side.


This side is the "off" side as you can clearly see.


I will be discontinuing ZEOvit. Absolutely nothing wrong with the method and I'm proud to praise it with the success I have had. It's a great method but with my life getting busier and busier, I'd rather run a method thats less "hands on". Vacation friendly, if you will. I'll be switching over to Triton method. To save room on a larger sump for a Refugium, I picked up a Chaeto Reactor today as well.

So far for the upgrade, I've got:
46x24x20 Rimless
ATI 6x54 Sunpower
Simplicity 240DC Skimmer
Simplicity 1600DC Return Pump
Sea Side Aquatics Chaeto Reactor
Maxspect Gyre 130

Plan on adding:
1-2 Ecotech Marine Vortech MP40w's
Trigger System Sump 26"-30" (Ruby or Crystal, undecided)
Doser (Thinking Aqua Medic 4-Channel; used)

Still need:
Dry sand (I may have enough in my bag still)
Dry Rock

[reefmutt]

That's why I would never build my own stand. I would screw it up..
Good luck with the dosing. I hope there's enough interceptor in that product to properly knock off the bugs!

[Hentz]

@Matt: Yep, I think I just need to build something every so often to reassure myself that I'm NOT that great of a DIY'er lol. Thank you, people seem to have had success with it, so we shall see!


Had some fun with SketchUp last night. Can't believe I'm just now coming across this program! Mocked up my great room in the new house along with the tank using my old 56 gallon picture lol.

[Hentz]

T-minus 9 days until we move into our first house!
Got my aquascape all finished and ready to go.
Note to self: Drill and dowel your rock scape, don't cement! lol.
The right aquascape represents my current aquascape that I'll be transferring into the new tank.




1: Two rocks drilled and connected with a single 1/2" PVC. Surface on the top is very flat which I'll likely add a nice bushy Acropora.
2: Two rocks also drilled and connected with 1/2" PVC. Top part has lots of space for Acropora.
3: One of my only success scapes using Nyos Reef Cement. Nice top part allowing lots of room for Acropora with a nice big branch rock coming off the bottom right for some coral placement.
4: A single triangle shaped Pukani rock will be the "cliff" in the middle of this big aquascape. Slightly angled down to allow for some corals to be placed and grow out.

[reefmutt]

Nice Hentz!
Almost there!

[xiaoxiy]

Yo! Quick question about sketchup. How did you insert the plumbing & dosing pump into sketchup?!

P.S Sweet setup btw.

[Hentz]

Originally Posted by xiaoxiy

Yo! Quick question about sketchup. How did you insert the plumbing & dosing pump into sketchup?!

P.S Sweet setup btw.

Thank you!

I just downloaded people's PVC creations and put them in.
For the Dosing Pump, I took a picture from google and set it up that way.

[Hentz]

Delete

[reefmutt]

Hentz, that sucks! Sorry.
Moving.. its always a mess.
Gotta get the move done and then work on the tank.
Good luck!