The term zeovit reactor is making its rounds on the aquarium forums and in fish store chatter more and more these days. To help clear any confusion, zeovit refers to a zeolite media sold by Korallen zucht, and available online via www.zeovitusa.com. While we are on the topic, what exactly is zeolite, and does this relatively different approach to a reef aquarium offer the amazing results, shared by some zeolite users, who have been affectionately dubbed zeoheads.
Zeolite in general is a micro-porous, alumino-silicate material that is found in nature and produced industrially. Often zeolites are used as absorbents and catalysts, and they serve both roles when applied to reef aquariums. You can find zeolites in general products ranging from oxygen concentrators used in the medical supply field, down to the cat litter, absorbing the ammonia out of your furry friend’s waste. Most of the zeolite materials sold for use in reef aquariums are manufactured, and only based on their naturally occurring counterparts. For many aquarists, zeolite is something they’ve heard of, but don’t fully understand. Often, the media gets tossed around with the term ultra low nutrient system (ULNS). Since zeolite can absorb ammonia, along with other nitrogenous compounds, using it properly can greatly reduce nitrate and phosphate. When you combine that with zeolite’s micro-porous structure, you have an ideal habitat for anaerobic bacteria, making the media idyllic at ridding your tank of unwanted compounds. Implementing zeolite in a low flow reactor can strip nitrate and phosphate out of the reef environment so quickly, that it can shock corals to the point of inducing rapid tissue narcosis.
Since zeolite is a catalyst, it works in conjunction with a variety of additives, making them more effective and pulling out specific traits within the compounds. Everything from carbon food sources for anaerobic bacteria, on down to concentrations that clear marine water, can be enhanced by using them in conjunction with a zeolite reactor. While it may seem like a miracle media for reef aquarists, zeolite implementation takes some forethought and planning, and if used incorrectly can cause disaster in a reef aquarium. How is zeolite used?
The most common way to implement zeolite, is in a specific reactor. There are a variety of reactors on the market, and they all share the same basic traits. One thing that makes zeolite reactors uniquely different from other commonly used reactors, is that they include a handle, allowing the aquarist to pump, or shake the media.… More:
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