How to use zeolite

hi guys, bit of a revival on this. Hopefull we have a few zeo guru's online or within the forum membership.

I think the question has been posed as to what Zeo group is safe to use in our Aquariums. Does anyone know for a fact?

I have a few other questions but will pose them later as not to confuse the issues/answers.
 
right so I've managed to dig a little bit in terms of the type of zeolite, zeovit uses a zeolite called Clinoptilolite
 
Next question is why do the zeovit stones need to be disposed of over 6-8weeks of use?
 
best to stick with the aquarium brands and specifically for marine..some zeolites used ofr freshwater tanks remove calcium from water apparently.

I have used the ati, brightwells, kz zeolites. I havent tried the aquaforest zeolites but will probably once my stock is done, as its cheaper.

change the media once every 6 weeks or so. it does make a difference as I notice drops in nutrient levels after a change.

recommended to use a reactor and adjust the flow according to the amount of stones you run
 
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I recall reading this if you haven't read it already

Where and how the zeolite was formed is an important consideration for aquaria. Most Northern hemisphere natural zeolites were formed when molten lava came in contact with sea water, thereby 'loading' the zeolite with Na (sodium) sacrificial ions. The mechanism is well known to chemists as ion exchange. These sodium ions will speciate with other ions in solution, thus the takeup of nitrogen in ammonia, with the release of the sodium. A deposit near Bear River in southern Idaho, (US) is a fresh water variety (Na<.05%). Southern hemisphere zeolites are typically formed in freshwater and have a high calcium content.[citation needed]

Zeolite filters ammonia effectively, but must be used with some care, especially with delicate tropical corals that are sensitive to water chemistry and temperature.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeolite

Over several month's I worked AquaForest's zeomix ones up increasing volume & flow up to KZ recommended levels.
Can't say i saw any magic & currently have them pulled out as i'm ruling out something that's causing some stn.
I was also running biopellets also increasing them & when i dumped the zeolite out my N&P never rose so i don't think they'll be going back in.(i wasn't shaking them)
 
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2una said:
currently have them pulled out as i'm ruling out something that's causing some stn
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so were they removed because you feared getting STN or because you actually had it happening to the coral/s? Did you ever do any potassium testing?
 
I had some stn happening but there's many reasons what might be doing it....the zeolites are only 1 possibility but they may not be the culprit.
K yes i monitor & dose - they do reduce it.....K was still ok @ 360.
My strontium i found was low...i'm not sure that they don't also suck that...it was 2.6 when it should be 8 (recent ICP test)
Base STN so maybe it was the low strontium i don't know.
 
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I see, My idea was to use the zeolite in a denitrifier of sort just to increase surface area. My concern however is that the flow rate may be too low as to remove the mulm left by the bacteria. I also have queries surrounding the absorption of ammonia. As far as I have read the zeolite acts as a fairly strong ammonia "magnet" per se, the question that remains( I am still digging) is whether the process is one of a mechanical or biological process.
 
As far as i understand, the zeolite binds the ammonia. This, together with the surface area of the stones, make the ideal place for bacteria to colonise. So the bacteria break down the ammonia as per the usual nitrogen cycle route.

Is zeovit available again? I wanted to try it but heard shops would run out or not stock certain parts of the system?
 
zippy said:
I also have queries surrounding the absorption of ammonia. As far as I have read the zeolite acts as a fairly strong ammonia "magnet" per se, the question that remains( I am still digging) is whether the process is one of a mechanical or biological process.
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1 that becomes the other i think but that's only a guess from reading....the bacteria gets attracted to the absorbed ammonium - isn't that how it goes?
 
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459b said:
As far as i understand, the zeolite binds the ammonia. This, together with the surface area of the stones, make the ideal place for bacteria to colonise. So the bacteria break down the ammonia as per the usual nitrogen cycle route.

Is zeovit available again? I wanted to try it but heard shops would run out or not stock certain parts of the system?
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Jungle sells KZ,
 
it's just not adding up tho, cause it is advised to have high flow for them to work, my question then is how is the denitryfying bacteria supplied with the lower levels of oxygenless water, thus to complete the process of removing the nitrate?

2una said:
the bacteria gets attracted to the absorbed ammonium
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Agreed that there are elevated levels at very specific points of the zeolite, we're missing a step tho, ammonia to nitrites(zeolites action/produce/have this step), nitrites into nitrates, nitrates into nitrogen and waste matter/bacteria, waste matter/bacteria to feed coral or to skimmer.

459b said:
zeolite binds the ammonia. This, together with the surface area of the stones, make the ideal place for bacteria to colonise. So the bacteria break down the ammonia as per the usual nitrogen cycle route.
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Agreed but as per above we seem to missing a couple steps.

The only other thing i can ascertain is that the the ammonia to Nitrite bacteria is within such an abundance that when there is high flow it simply washes the bacteria off of the surface of the zeolite and thus is skimmed out, thus reducing the following steps of the nitrite to nitrate cycle.. I'm still digging tho.
 
zippy said:
it's just not adding up tho, cause it is advised to have high flow for them to work, my question then is how is the denitryfying bacteria supplied with the lower levels of oxygenless water, thus to complete the process of removing the nitrate?



Agreed that there are elevated levels at very specific points of the zeolite, we're missing a step tho, ammonia to nitrites(zeolites action/produce/have this step), nitrites into nitrates, nitrates into nitrogen and waste matter/bacteria, waste matter/bacteria to feed coral or to skimmer.


Agreed but as per above we seem to missing a couple steps.

The only other thing i can ascertain is that the the ammonia to Nitrite bacteria is within such an abundance that when there is high flow it simply washes the bacteria off of the surface of the zeolite and thus is skimmed out, thus reducing the following steps of the nitrite to nitrate cycle.. I'm still digging tho.
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My guess:
The flow part is only to turn the nett tank volume thru the stones once per hour....probably for enough nutrient reduction to happen versus the recommended volume of stones/bacteria population able to be housed.
The mulm buildup on the zeolite is going to have an effect that far enough inside the stone the denitrifiers can find a lower oxygen home??.
Its got to be something like that don't it?

Then we go backwards to denitrifiers apparently take longer to seed but we get to 6-7 weeks & dump the stones & put new...That's my problem with them also & why i got that marine pure block where hopefully they can set up camp & stay.
 
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TaahirS said:
Isn't that where the other zeo products come in? The carbon dosing side which then takes care of the nitrates?
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KZ/AF all pretty much similar....dose the bacteria to replenish whats skimmed out & the carbon you dose just feeds the bacteria ....put too much carbon you get a bloom...don't feed enough, less bacteria & your nutrients rise
 
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when you have a high bacterial load, as formed on the zeavit stones, the layers just below the surface can be anaerobic and finish the nitrogen cycle. With a very high bacterial concentration in a biofilm, the outermost layer of organism will consume oxygen enough oxygen to make the layers below them less and less aerobic.
 
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Zeovit is porous so if it has an outer layer of bacteria, or mulm, then the inner parts of the stones can be anaerobic
 
Sorry for multiple posts..busy with a bunch of things...
You can't think of the nitrogen cycle as ammonia goes to nitrite goes to nitrate goes to nitrogen.
Along the way some of it it used to make amino acids and general biomass formation. Disturbing the mulm will release the bacterial film, with assimilated nitrogen compounds, and get skimmed out and feed the corals.
 
459b said:
when you have a high bacterial load, as formed on the zeavit stones, the layers just below the surface can be anaerobic and finish the nitrogen cycle. With a very high bacterial concentration in a biofilm, the outermost layer of organism will consume oxygen enough oxygen to make the layers below them less and less anaerobic aerobic.
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nicely said
 
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