Reef Life now stocks the full range of Fauna Marin and Gro-Tech products Currently Reef Life is using the UltaLith method of Filtration on the Hard Coral System. It's early days but so far the results have been outstanding with Nitrate levels at undedectable levels and coral colour improving incredibly. For those of you who are unsure here is an explination to how the Low Nutrient Systems work, failing that come on in and see our system working!    ULTRALITH is a natural zeolite which efficiently removes ammonia from the water by its ion exchange properties. The ammonia enriched zeolite surface makes it easier for those harmonically selected bacteria in ULTRABIO to find settlement on ULTRALITH. Matched to the bacterias physiological needs we have successfully developed a nutrient solution to boosting bacteria growth on the zeolite. The three components of the ULTRALITH-SYSTEM provide you a effective and controllable nutrient reduction in the aquarium, a significant increase in coral coloration, and magnificent polyp extensions.   Numerous test tanks document the unique success not only in the husbandry of stony corals. How does Ultralith work? Ultralith is a special kind of Zeolite, specifically chosen to reduce nutrients in reef tanks. But it is not just the Zeolite itself, it is the whole new method to maintain extremely low nutrient levels in marine aquaria. Our filtration system is characterized by its simplicity. It’s not exclusively thought to produce pastel-coloured SPS corals but for general filtration and water purification as well. Filtration with the Ultralith System can enhance the natural coloration of all corals. It’s also suitable for maintaining water the quality in tanks, which are set up for keeping non-photosynthetic corals. Combined with our special food (UltraBak and Ultramin S), Ultralith is a simple and safe method to keep even the most delicate and sensitive animals. How to use the Ultralith-System? Ultralith / Zeolite The name "Zeolite" goes back to the greek words "zeo" (boiling) and "lithos" (stone). Upon heating, these minerals appear to be boiling. Zeolites are minerals and consist mostly of silica and aluminium plus other elements like Sodium, Potassium, Iron, and Manganese. The most interesting feature of Zeolites is their crystal structure. You can think of it as a sponge with many small and large holes. Large and small should be seen in perspective of the scale, the small holes have the size of single molecules, about one billionth of a meter. The size of these holes depends on the chemical composition of the mineral. There are hundreds of different Zeolites known in nature and also many different synthetic Zeolites, Ultralith is a natural Zeolite. What makes these minerals so special is their ability to absorb specific compounds. Which compound is absorbed depends on the size and shape of the holes in the crystal structure, which is depending on the chemical composition. Therefore, depending on their composition Zeolites preferentially absorb different compounds. Ultralith is specifically chosen to absorb ammonium (NH4+). However, thinking of Zeolites just as absorbers is a bit oversimplified. They are actually ion-exchangers. The holes to which a compound binds are not empty but rather filled with sodium or potassium. As soon as a preferred compound is available, another compound, usually sodium and potassium, is given off and the compound will be absorbed. This reaction, the replacement of one ion for another ion, is called ion-exchange. In marine aquaria the liberation of sodium or potassium and therefore the resulting ionic imbalance is negligible as they are major constituents of seawater anyways. The absorption of ammonium is just one half of the story. The other half is where the biology comes in. As already mentioned, zeolites have a very porous structure; under the microscope they look almost like a sponge. The larger holes are much bigger than the small ones, about a thousand times bigger. This porous structure creates a large surface area for bacteria to settle on. As the ammonium is adsorbed by the crystal structure, the bacteria living on the Zeolite get their food delivered to their doorstep. The overall reaction that takes place in a Zeolite filter is the removal of ammonium and its conversion into nitrogen gas, which goes off into the atmosphere. The removal of ammonium takes place in three steps, 1. Absorption of ammonium, 2. Oxidation of ammonium, 3. Denitrification. 1)As already explained, the ammonium will be adsorbed onto the surface of the mineral due to an ion-exchange process. 2)At the surface of each mineral grain, oxygen is still available. Here the ammonium is oxidised by autotrophic bacteria to nitrate according to the following formula NH4+ + O2 + 3OH- = NO32- + 2 H2O This process consumes oxygen, thereby creating an anoxic environment inside the mineral grains. If this would be the only process that occurs in a Zeolite filter such a system would actually produce nitrate, and its use for aquaria would be rather limited. 3)Deeper inside the mineral grain, heterotrophic bacteria will consume the nitrate that is produced in the outer layer. This process is called denitrification, and occurs in two steps, from nitrate to nitrite, and further to Nitrogen gas. The overall formula for both processes is given below 5CH2O + 4 NO32- = 4 HCO3- + CO2 + 3 H20 + 2 N2 Because this process is carried out by heterotrophic bacteria, they need to be fed with a suitable carbon source such as UltraBak. But Zeolites can even do another trick! Inside the Zeolite filter, there is a small but constant abrasion of the material, which contains a lot of aluminium. These tiny particles bind phosphate. By leading the outflow of the Zeolite filter into the protein skimmer the abrasion is skimmed off, thereby removing phosphates from the aquarium. The feeding of the bacteria substantially increases the bacterial biomass inside the filter, which again results in a binding of phosphate. Dead bacteria will either be removed by the skimmer or serve as food to some animals, especially filter feeders. Eventually the Zeolites will be clogged up by the bacteria. This is the reason why the material has to be exchanged regularly. How to use UltraLith; Please always do all changes in your aquarium very carefully and follow the instructions! In older tanks or in tanks with a high nutrient levels a reduction of phosphate with UltraPhos or Ultra Powerphos before the use of Ultralith is recommended. Wash UltraLith before use. Initially, use a maximum of 500 g UltraLith per 400 liters of water (17ounces per 100gallons). After 30 days slowly increase the amount of UltraLith to a maximum of 1 kg per 400 liters of water (34 ounces per 100 gallons). Exchange one quarter of the UltraLith after 4 weeks. Always use the UltraLith-Reactor or the Grotech Zeolite reactor for filtration with UltraLith. There should not be more than 400 liters per hour (100 gph) flow through the filter, too much flow in the UltraLith-Reactor is not advisable and may cause problems. Especially in older aquaria or tanks with a high nutrient levels the amount of flow should be reduced because corals need some time to adapt to the lower nutrient levels. Clean UltraLith three times per week from debris and dirt. To do that it’s sufficient to shake the filter or to move the built-in cleaning rod. Washed out particles and bacteria will serve as coral food. They can also be skimmed out. With high nutrient load as well as during the start-up phase of the system, the UltraLith-Filter can be used interval mode. Attach the built-in pump to a timer. The interval should be two hours on, three hours off. As a result of this interval mode the amount of oxygen in the filter changes rapidly. This helps to speed up the starting of the reactor. Dosing recommendations: Start in a new aquarium: 1 liter UltraLith per 400 liters of water (1/4gallon per 100gallons). Exchange of 1/4 of the material every 4 weeks. After 6 weeks 25% every 6 - 8 weeks depending on the nutrient load of the aquarium. Flow through the reactor should be no more than 400 liters per hour (100 gallons per hour). Older systems or restart of a system: 1 L UltraLith on 800 liters of water (1/4 gallon on 200gallons). Exchange of 1/4 of the material all 6-8 weeks. The flow through the reactor should be no more than 200 liters per hour (50 gallon per hour). In certain cases a preliminary reduction of phosphate with an adsorber like UltraPhos or UltraPowerphos is necessary. To reduce the start-up time, use UltraLith in combination with our bacteria concentrate UltraBio for the first 2 weeks. More info can be found from here