Dark discoloration on hammers and frogspawn

[reef’r]

So over the past couple of weeks I’ve noticed about half of my Zoas have started doing pretty poorly. Water parameters are all in check, nothing has changed except I do see what looks to be some Dino’s showing up…..again. However, now I’m noticing some weird stuff going on with my hammers and frogspawn.

I’m no photographer but you can see the discolored polyps and usually the frogspawn is more open and the polyps are much thicker, now they seem shrunken. I’m sure whatever is effecting my Zoas is also causing this on my euphyllia, any help?

 

[NonstopSoda]

What are your parameters? Dinos usually show up because of bottomed out nutrients.

 

[reef’r]

What are your parameters? Dinos usually show up because of bottomed out nutrients.

Apologize about my handwriting lol but here is parameters for the tank since it’s start. The month long gap was when I had Dino’s the first time, didn’t do water changes or test.

 

[NonstopSoda]

Apologize about my handwriting lol but here is parameters for the tank since it’s start. The month long gap was when I had Dino’s the first time, didn’t do water changes or test.

hmmm everything looks decent, The only thing i could recommend would be to raise nitrates a little. @vetteguy53081 might be able to help more

 

[reef’r]

hmmm everything looks decent, The only thing i could recommend would be to raise nitrates a little. @vetteguy53081 might be able to help more

Yes currently dosing nitrate and feeding more, phosphate reads zero because I use salifert and it always looks crystal clear, have seen even the slightest hint of blue on the phosp test

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

the phosphate of zero would explain the dino's, I see zero nitrate there a few times.

The alk is kind of up and down, LPS like more stable alk. I see plenty of two week gaps in your testing, I test alk daily, its really that important.

Also wondering about the flow, 3 hammers in your pic and they all exactly the same, polyps all kind of pointing upwards, it shows no motion.

 

[vetteguy53081]

So over the past couple of weeks I’ve noticed about half of my Zoas have started doing pretty poorly. Water parameters are all in check, nothing has changed except I do see what looks to be some Dino’s showing up…..again. However, now I’m noticing some weird stuff going on with my hammers and frogspawn.

I’m no photographer but you can see the discolored polyps and usually the frogspawn is more open and the polyps are much thicker, now they seem shrunken. I’m sure whatever is effecting my Zoas is also causing this on my euphyllia, any help?

Thicker polyps may suggest lack of water flow or too much light intensity. Calcium is important and your numbers look good - how are you testing for calcium and especially Phosphate?
For zoas, when melting, it can be as simple as adding NoPox to water and feeding directly. For Hammers, feed mysis shrimp. It can be to too much light or water flow, sudden change of parameters and even use of vodka or carbon dosing that reduces nitrate quickly. Assure salinity and Phos has not become elevated. Zoas do poorly when they are stressed and the stress factors can be low nutrients which can lead to an entire colony melting .

 

[reef’r]

the phosphate of zero would explain the dino's, I see zero nitrate there a few times.

The alk is kind of up and down, LPS like more stable alk. I see plenty of two week gaps in your testing, I test alk daily, its really that important.

Also wondering about the flow, 3 hammers in your pic and they all exactly the same, polyps all kind of pointing upwards, it shows no motion.

Yes

the phosphate of zero would explain the dino's, I see zero nitrate there a few times.

The alk is kind of up and down, LPS like more stable alk. I see plenty of two week gaps in your testing, I test alk daily, its really that important.

Also wondering about the flow, 3 hammers in your pic and they all exactly the same, polyps all kind of pointing upwards, it shows no motion.

yes the tank is new so a few of the params have swung, and I did bottom out nitrates awhile back. The phos reading could be higher but I can’t tell on salifert, need to spring for a Hannah. Water flow is a Nero 5 with multiple different setting throughout the day, highest is 65% which is a pulse, tank is only 24” across so it moves quite a bit of water for this tank, although I have been looking into adding an additional power head on the opposite side

 

[reef’r]

Thicker polyps may suggest lack of water flow or too much light intensity. Calcium is important and your numbers look good - how are you testing for calcium and especially Phosphate?
For zoas, when melting, it can be as simple as adding NoPox to water and feeding directly. For Hammers, feed mysis shrimp. It can be to too much light or water flow, sudden change of parameters and even use of vodka or carbon dosing that reduces nitrate quickly. Assure salinity and Phos has not become elevated. Zoas do poorly when they are stressed and the stress factors can be low nutrients which can lead to an entire colony melting .

Testing is done with all salifert kits, but for phos I would like to switch to Hannah as I cannot tell any difference in the phos reading so I just record as zero. I have dropped nutrients rather quickly because (rookie making a rookie mistake) was reading the nitrate test kit the wrong way and thinking my nitrates were 50ppm or higher. So I did a large water change and cut feeding way back, since noticing my Zoas decline I have picked up feeding more and began dosing nitrate

 

[vetteguy53081]

Testing is done with all salifert kits, but for phos I would like to switch to Hannah as I cannot tell any difference in the phos reading so I just record as zero. I have dropped nutrients rather quickly because (rookie making a rookie mistake) was reading the nitrate test kit the wrong way and thinking my nitrates were 50ppm or higher. So I did a large water change and cut feeding way back, since noticing my Zoas decline I have picked up feeding more and began dosing nitrate

As mentioned that drop likely a culprit as will be phos if elevated

 

[reef’r]

will continue to raise nitrate back up towards 15-20 and see how it goes. Thanks for the feedback