Any Idea Why My Zoanthids are looking this bad?

[Alexandru B]

Hi,
I have a quick question to see if you guys might have any ideas what is wrong with my zoanthids.
They look like the ones in this image:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Rak-06Dkbd4VWIrETMRhraP-Jju58o3J/view?usp=sharing
Not sure why some of them they look like they have wrinkles and some polyps they look like they have a jelly thing on top of the coral (if you look in the image the bigger zoa polyp that is in the button has that jelly thing on top of the polyp.).

All my zoanthids are close
Here are my water parameters:
Tempreture: 76.3
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 8.32
Ammonia: 0.10
Nitrite: 0.00
Nitrate: 0.30
Calcium: 425
Alkalinity: 11.1
Magnesium: 1460

 

[Coralreefer1]

They are not happy! Do you have any other corals in your tank? Something is going on because you shouldn’t have any ammonia. Ammonia is very toxic to livestock. How long have they looked like this? It also looks like you don’t have enough water flow. It looks like you have Cyanobacteria or some kind of algae growing on your polyps causing them to remain closed.
Try doing a water change, increase water flow, up your water temperature to 78-80 degrees. Use a soft bristle tooth brush and remove the growth on the polyps and see if these actions help at all.

 

[JustDewwit]

You will also need to get a phosphate test kit. Red Sea has one of the best and super quick. Feeding could be sending P04 off the charts leading to multiple issues. Stability is very important . Strongly recommend following the info Coralreefer1 advised. Good luck and keep us posted

 

[tankstudy]

0.10 ppm ammonia will cause your zoanthids to shrivel and close up. You can add some bottled bacteria to deal with that. It'll most likely bring your ammonia to zero over night but your nitrite may not drop for a while depending on how much bacteria there are for nitrite->nitrate conversion.

 

[Alexandru B]

Thank you for the help.

 

[Alexandru B]

I just found out that my phosphate was 2. The tank was setup on December 16.
The Amonia is 0 now and Nitrates are like 30

I have change 25% of the water and I have added GFO, Carbon and also attach a UV Stabilizer. I hope they will open up soon. The problem is that I got a tank used from somebody and I have no ideas what issues he had with the tank before and I moved it to my place, add the old sand, did the landscaping put 50% of the old water. And let it run for 2 weeks. Then I have added corals and up to now, everything is still close.

Here is how my tank looks like:

Another thing that I discover almost 2 weeks ago, was that my instant ocean swing arm hydrometer was not reading right. It was showing 4 points lower salinity, and my salinity was actually 1.03 and I was thinking that is 1.026. And I got a hydrometer that you look thought the scope and tells you how is your salinity.

I am super frustrated cuz nothing is working out. I spent so much money so far and I don't have a single coral open... I actually have a green star polyp that has 2 polyps open and a green mushroom. I killed like 4 corals and I have like 8 left that are closed.

I also bought 4 fishes from a store and the same day in the night I saw they ware having velvet. They ware in the quarantine tank. And I lost all 4 and it killed 2 more fishes: a goby and a maroon clown that I had in my quarantine tank.

 

[305Reefer]

Phosphates were 2????? Not .2 or .02 but 2?? Holy ****.

 

[Alexandru B]

I have no idea how is possible because I don't really have any algales. That is what a friend tested the water.
Here are the other parameters
Salinity 1.026
PH: 8.28
Amonia: 0.1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 30
Calcium: 430
Alkalinity: 11.5
Magneziu: 1400

 

[Alexandru B]

I have no idea how is possible because I don't really have any algales. That is what a friend tested the water.
Here are the other parameters
Salinity 1.026
PH: 8.28
Amonia: 0.1
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 30
Calcium: 430
Alkalinity: 11.5
Magneziu: 1400

 

[Reeferguy365]

What kind of lights are you running?

 

[305Reefer]

There is no algae because of the elevated magnesium. Also 11.4 Alk is pretty dang high. Playing with fire.. I'd lower that.

Since you dont have many corals, and the tank isnt massive I would just do a 100% water change and retest the water in a week.. Ammonia should really read 0.. It may indicate their is die off int the tank.. Take your time after that. Wait. Go slow. Relax.

 

[Alexandru B]

What kind of lights are you running?

I have:
EDGE LED Aquarium Light Fixture
something like this on my main tank: https://www.marinedepot.com/Aquatic...quariums-AquaticLife-AK01285-FILTFILD-vi.html

 

[Hemmdog]

I have:
EDGE LED Aquarium Light Fixture
something like this on my main tank: https://www.marinedepot.com/Aquatic...quariums-AquaticLife-AK01285-FILTFILD-vi.html

That’s not a coral light, corals need the proper spectrum and intensity to survive. They have a version of that light called the reef version but I’ve heard it also struggles to grow coral.

 

[Reeferguy365]

Yeah that is not a very strong light. I would move the zoa's to the Top of the Rock work they might open up. That light isn't really for growing coral its more for fish only tanks.

 

[JustDewwit]

Double check ATO operation and refractometer calibration. The high alk also points towards salinity.

 

[Miguel.PT]

Hi. I have the same problem but mine is a bit different. Just a patch of water chaos is all shrivelled but other patch is all good. I think that excludes water quality and a focus on pests?