lduncan

I too have used zeovit. I too found that it did start to positively affect coral colours. But I stopped due to some tissue recession in acros as well as my seriatopora partially bleaching. Once I stopped, the recession stopped. Coincidence... maybe. Since using it, I have been following the threads on other forums, and some things have come up related to it's use. First was a recommendation to run the tanks salinity at less than NSW, because it tended to cause recession problems. (This was recommended by a German man closely involved with the developer of the system.) Then there is the warning to keep your alkalinity below 8, because it has been linked to rtn. There are warnings about maximum flow rates of water through the zeolite media. Too high leads to tissue loss again. There are numerous reports of people losing both hard and soft corals when using the system (even when used as instructed). The system seems to be very sensitive and dependant on individual tanks and situations. If you read the zeovit instruction "booklet" now, there are a lot more do's and don't and warnings, and modifications in dosing amounts than when I tried it. So yes it will work, but yes be careful, there is a risk associated with using it, to my mind it's too high. Layton

Sorry, I didn't read that post. (well I did, but forgot about it) Layton

I said that I heard your tank crashed. Then when on to ask anyone if they new whether this was true or not. Obviously it hasn't "crashed", but you have had problems, no? No one said it was zeovit that caused the problems you have had. So before you get all defensive about it, calm down. What do you think the cause was? I can see some recession in the corals in the pic Steve posted. Do you think it was moving them into a new tank? Or something else. Layton

Pies, I agree, but would go further to include things like garlic, which have been shown to, or have reasonable grounds to be useful. I wouldn't limit myself to exclusively emulating nature. Layton

Yeah, but that's like saying how is something like activated carbon going to be of any benefit to a reef. As far as I know there is no activated carbon deposits in the ocean. I think it is a stupid argument to take that, because it doesn't occur naturally in the ocean, we shouldn't use it, or that it is not useful. Also the ocean does have a large sand bed made up of all sorts of sediments which is what MM is replicating. Who knows, it may actually come from the ocean. Layton

That's true, but it is difficult to analyse any other way. Mass spectometry is the standard analysis technique. It's hard to detect chemical bonds, due to the fact that there are so many possible combinations. It does give you a fair idea of what it is likely to be made up of though. Layton

Kermit posted a comprehensive breakdown of MM from Aluminium to Zirconium, and every element in between, on the first page. Layton

Bioballs... dump em. Filter wool... has it's uses, if you are willing to clean it (or change it) at least once a week, so as not to become a bio filter. I do and it gets rid of a lot of particulate matter which would otherwise decompose before the skimmer got to it. Layton

I don't agree, there are many important organic acids necessary for almost all types of life. They are the building blocks of proteins. I wouldn't be worried about the acid, i'd be worried about the things they don't tell you is in it. Also I don't think my argument was one of semantics. The lowest possible reading on a salifert nitrate test (assuming accurate at low resolution, which is highly unlikely due to the nature of the reactions involved), it is still at least an order of magnitude greater than the levels found in NSW. And greater than levels associated with colour changes. Also, Calcium levels below 320 will start to affect coral growth (in my experience). Corals seem to be more sensitive to changes in alkalinity. I notice when mine drops below 7dKH colours become less vibrant, and when it drops below 6dKH tissue starts receding. Alkalinity drives the calcification process in corals, without it they die. Layton

The main reason for a sump is to keep the equipment out of the tank. Things like skimmers, heaters and pumps take up a lot of room. The increase in water volume is a bonus. What you have described with the pipes through the floor sounds ideal. I wouldn't bother insulating the pipes though. PVC doesn't transfer much heat at all. The sump itself could be an old tank, or a plastic container from payless plastics, or something similar. Plus what Steve said. Make sure you have a good skimmer. Layton

No I was just saying that it's a bold claim to make that your tank has no phosphate / nitrate. MM may well do a better job. I mean looking at some of the analysis of this stuff, it's probably nothing more than river sand, and river sand (from Mitre 10) has managed to reduce my nitrates very effectively in my DSB, and macro algae is growing at a few cm in linear length a day. As for it being a fad... it may well be, but it doesn't mean it won't work or has no solid foundation. Looking at the hype surrounding zeovit in the States at the moment, I can't help but laugh, you'd think the way some talk, it's some revolutionary product and the only way to get colourful corals. If that's not a fad, i don't know what is. I'm not saying zeovit doesn't work, clearly it does, but from what I see and experience, it has some serious dangers and unknowns attached to it as well. There is usually more than one way to achieve the same result. MM appears to be one option. Layton

To me... yes. But maybe I just have higher standards than others? Believe me, a nano would be worse on your wallet than a 4 footer. No one is trying to put you off, just letting you know what you'll be in for, it's not easy. I know I speak from experience. Starting off with a 29 gal tank was the worst mistake I ever made. Layton

Well actually there is more carbonate than calcium (due to other metal carbonates, such as Magnesium (approx 10%), plus other metal carbonates in much lower quantities), So carbonate based is probably more correct. But whose picking. Layton

Exactly! It doesn't mean there isn't any there. Nitrate has been shown to affect coral colouration at concentrations less than 0.1ppm. ( Also the cadmium reduction test method used by almost all test kits, is notoriously sensitive to obscure parameters such as the timing of when you compare colours, as well as how vigourously you shake the reagents.) Also, as a side note, I heard that Brendons tank crashed. Is this true? It would be a shame if it has, from what I heard it was quite impressive. Layton

I bet you do. It's a very bold claim to say you don't. Layton

Just a warning... nano's are a specialist area in this hobby. It is much harder to maintain than a larger tank. All the ones that i have seen look very average at best. There are very good reasons for this, mainly because they are very high maintenance. Personally I would not recommend a tank smaller than 4 foot for someone wanting to start out in this hobby. It really does make a difference. A sump would also be a requirement as far as I'm concerned. Layton

Some answers: 1. Lighting Depends on what you want to keep, for a nano, T5's would allow you to keep most types of corals. Cost? I don't know, I don't use them, I'd imagine about the same as normal flouro fittings? 2. You could go to the beach to get sand. BUT the sand usually used in saltwater tanks is carbonate based, sand around NZ is silica based. People may try to warn you about using silica based sand, saying that it causes diatom blooms, but the fact is that is doesn't. Personally, I think it is too fine grained to be used in tanks, (unless in a remote deep sand bed for filtration). You should be able to pick up some carbonate based coral sand from Hollywoods, or Jansens. If you must use beach sand, try to wash it thoroughly before using (not a particularly easy task if it is fine grained). 3. You can collect sea water. Many people on this board do, and have so far seemed to have success with it. Personally with the money I spend on my tank, i'm not willing to trust it, all for the sake of $120. As for suitable collection locations in Auckland, ask some locals like jetskisteve. 4. Live rock, this is probably one of the more annoying parts of the hobby. MAF requires that live rock is stored DRY for the 3 week quarantine period. Effectively making it dead rock. You can buy dry rock from shops about $11/kg, or you may be able to get some live rock from others on this board. I started with all dead rock, no life at all. All the life came from the rocks which corals were attached to when I brought them. 5. Try to aim for about 15+ turnover per hour. May look like a lot but corals will be much better off for it, and the fish won't be bothered by it. Flow is one of the underrated parameters in a successful aquarium I think. 6. Auto topoff can be expensive, almost all use peristaltic pumps (same type as those used in medicine for pumping blood in dialysis machines). I think this is why they are usually so expensive, they are made to be ultra high reliable, and no one seems to make cheap ones for uses such as this. Layton

It's effectively the same thing. The same goes for phyto cultures, if it becomes contaminated (usually with a predator species) it will not last long. It will "crash". Say a phyo culture gets contaminated with rotifer, the rotifers will consume all the phyto, causing it to crash. If a rotifer culture gets contaminated with another animal which eats it, it will crash. If your starting from a natural source, it's likely that the water collected will contain all sorts of predator species. Layton

Most don't survive. There's two reproductive strategies in nature. 1. Small number of babies, dependant on parents for a long time to ensure survival. 2. Produce a large number of babies and forget about them hoping a few will survive through chance and stats. Most marine fish are the latter, they produce a lot of fry and often letting them drift into the open ocean, far from the reef where they are more likely to get eaten, for them to return when they are older. Layton

Many clown fish species fry are less than 1mm long usually around 0.5mm long once hatched. Newly hatched brine shrimp can actually eat the fish fry. Layton

I agree with Pies's first post. Do NOTHING. Make sure the fish is well fed (as it should be) and keep water parameters at there normal levels. Stress induces whitespot outbreaks. My blue tank will get a few spots every 6 months or so, which disappear in less than a week. As long as there environment is suitable, it will be fine. I have never actively treated ich, and have never lost a fish to it. If the fish is not eating, then I would be more worried. Pies - garlic apparently has a compound in it which is supposedly stimulates many fish to eat. In humans it apparently strengthens the immune system, maybe it has the same effect on fish too? Layton

Those damn tricolours are so sensitive! Any small change and they brownout then take weeks to get any sort of colour back! Layton

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas! Well now that I have some more time to work on this project, I thought scene my website is no longer up, i'd list the feature planned for the controller, if anyone has any other features which they would like to add, feel free to let me know. Interface: 128 x 64 pixel graphic display Can be administered through a web interface (similar to a jetstream router) Connectors: Ethernet (for network/internet connection) USB (for eventual interfacing to a webcam to provide video stream of the tank over the internet) 1-Wire port, used to interface Dallas 1-wire devices, such as temperature probes switches, etc. 12 digital inputs for float switches over temperature sensors etc. 12 digital outputs for controlled power sockets. 8 analogue inputs for pH probes and other Ion Selective Electrodes. Alarm Notifications: Email SMS Audible Siren Currently I'm waiting on some new processors from the states so I can put together a new prototype with more memory so I can finish writing the software. Layton

Sounds nasty, just goes to show, you never really know what is in NSW. Even if ASW isn't as good, you know the quality is going to be consistent. NSW has the potential to vary too much in my opinion. Layton

MAF will probably have something to say about importing rotifers from Australia. I'd try the NZ sources listed. You will probably also need a phytoplankton culture as well. Like Ben has said, you'll need a separate tank, preferably plumbed into your main system, and have a large sponge covered overflow from the rearing tank into your sump. You can't really have any sort of skimmer or powerhead in the tank, they are just too small when they hatch. A search on reef central should give you heaps of info, look for posts by "JHardman", he is the resident clown fish expert there. Good luck raising them. Layton