Help?? My zoas won't open

[Calvin96]

Help, had these zoas for 2 weeks now and they open in the morning fully but then close for the rest of the day.

I have checked my water parameters and everything is bang on. Initially I thought they weren't getting enough light so increased it but no change. Now I've reduced the light further and still not opening. The flow I have is an indirect low/medium flow

I can't see any pests or hitchikers on them either

Anyone got any advice?

 

[TX_REEF]

hello and welcome.

For argument's sake, what exactly are your "bang-on" parameters so we can help troubleshoot? What else is in the tank and what is happy/unhappy?

 

[Calvin96]

Salinity: 1.026
PH: 8.3
Ammonia: 0
Alkalinity: 7.6

Phosphate: 0
Nitrate: 5ppm
Calcium: 420
Magnesium: 1140

I have two clownfish, a neon goby, a firefish gioby, 2 cleaner shrimp, a conch and several snails. I also have a Kenya tree.

Everything else seems happy. The cleaner shrimp sometimes go over the Kenya tree causing it to retract though for a few minutes

 

[TX_REEF]

Generally corals, zoas included, appreciate a bit of phosphate and nitrate in the water. you show some nitrate which is good, it would be complimented well by ~.05 phosphate. Magnesium seems low to me but I am not a magnesium tracking type. How about your temperature? How old and what size is the tank? what are you using to test?

 

[Calvin96]

Yeah I think the phosphate remover I'm using is quite harsh and it removes it all. I have got an outbreak of film algae on the glass/rocks at the moment.

My temp is 25°C and the tank is 3 months old. It's 60L

 

[TX_REEF]

Yeah I think the phosphate remover I'm using is quite harsh and it removes it all. I have got an outbreak of film algae on the glass/rocks at the moment.

My temp is 25°C and the tank is 3 months old. It's 60L

ah, yes. The phosphate removing chemicals, and any chemicals really, can adversely affect corals, even if the bottle says it won't. I would not recommend using chemical control for algae on a tank so young.

 

[Calvin96]

I'm using rowaphos phosphate remover which sits in a bag in the sump. Should I consider removing this then?

 

[TX_REEF]

I would. some algae is preferable to unhappy corals, in my opinion, but everyone's different.

 

[Calvin96]

Okay I'll remove it, willing to give anything a go. I was just worried with the sudden onset of green algae on my rock work that's appeared

 

[TX_REEF]

Okay I'll remove it, willing to give anything a go. I was just worried with the sudden onset of green algae on my rock work that's appeared

it would be safer to combat that with mature bio-media, a cleanup crew, more corals (added slowly and responsibly) which will consume nitrate and phosphate, and water changes. Patience and consistency is key

 

[Jeremy_d]

Dose some redsea AB+, get it a little dirty, they love it

 

[eliaslikesfish]

even after you do all this don’t be discouraged if they do not open, I had zoas open the first day I got them and then 3 months went by and they never opened, meanwhile my other zoas and all other corals were happy. still have no idea why that happened but one day they opened back up and have been open since.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

Salinity: 1.026
PH: 8.3
Ammonia: 0
Alkalinity: 7.6

Phosphate: 0
Nitrate: 5ppm
Calcium: 420
Magnesium: 1140

I have two clownfish, a neon goby, a firefish gioby, 2 cleaner shrimp, a conch and several snails. I also have a Kenya tree.

Everything else seems happy. The cleaner shrimp sometimes go over the Kenya tree causing it to retract though for a few minutes

you dont have phosphates-big problem that needs to be immediately addressed. Mg is a little low as well.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I'm using rowaphos phosphate remover which sits in a bag in the sump. Should I consider removing this then?

yes

Not only will you end up starving your coral, you will invite some horrible opportunistic algaes into that tank. Take it out, test phosphate daily, and every day that you are still seeing zero, dose phosphate or overfeed to dirty up the water. Daily testing, not a few times a week.

 

[Pod_01]

Dose some redsea AB+, get it a little dirty, they love it

Speaking from experience, AB+ (amino acids) with zero PO4 will lead to unfavourable results. Amino is N source and OP has nitrate so adding more N will not be helpful. Dosing amino with zero P is like carbon dosing with zero P, not the best plan of attack.

I do agree OP needs to add some Phosphate to provide corals with what is missing (dirty up the water).

Once Phosphate is available OP can add AB+ and experiment. But be careful, aminos do promote undesirable things like algae etc… Many things in the reef tank love aminos, including corals and pests.