How can I save all these zoas?

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

It's been a hard road, but I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel regarding battling GHA. Between lower phosphates, lower nitrates, no white lights, scrubbing the rocks every two weeks (the ones I can), a proper CUC, adding a refugium, etc etc. It feels good to (fingers crossed) not be losing ground and actually feel like you are making some up. This weekend I plan to pull all the rock out again, get 2 aptasia that I can't reach and scrub 80% of the rock I can. The one rock I haven't been able to do much with is the zoa colony in the pictures. I have tried cutting it, but that is easier said then done. This colony is made up of about 50 frags from about 4 years ago I think. In one picture you can see how the GHA has settled in on some of the zoas, they are not all like that, but about 30% are like that. I wish Zoa's were immune to peroxide, I heard that will instantly kill GHA (and everything else it comes in contact with). Does anyone have any suggestions? Or is this my excuse to get a lowboy and create about 40 zoa frags?

 

[19Mateo83]

You can dip zoanthids in a diluted peroxide solution. I’ve gone as far as putting a zoa frag in a cup of tank water and adding peroxide until I start seeing bubbles, let them sit in that for a few minutes then rinse them and back to the tank with 0 issues or losses.

 

[Opus]

I've put my zoa in straight 3% hydrogen peroxide with no ill effects. The next day the plugs looked like they were brand new they were so white. It has been awhile but I think I did it for around 5 minutes.

 

[Bruttall]

I dip my Zoe before ever adding to my tank, RX Dip for 15minutes minimum to remove hitchhiker pests, then 50/50 tank water/H2O2 and 5 minutes dip in that. Amazing how it brightens up the Zoa colors.

I have used straight h2o2 a couple of times for problematic algae on the zoa plug, it is very effective and has never had any detrimental effect on my Zoa's.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I've put my zoa's in 50/50 mix of water and peroxide, they were upset for 2 weeks then they were fine and no algae.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

@19Mateo83 @LordofCinder @Bruttall @Opus So I put that hairy zoa frag in 300ML to 1000ML for 5 minutes, then 10. Nothing changed. So I said, ok I am going straight peroxide for 5 minutes, turned out to be 7. Still no difference. In fact I thought I heard the GHA hair tell me to go f&ck myself. When does the GHA die off? Is it suppose to be instant? Or will this take place over time?

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Here is the coral mentioned above:

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Here is another one I tested on. This one now has bubbles around it:

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I want to go make a gallon of this solution and dip this entire colony in it. Just curious on how long the results take.

 

[Suohhen]

Gha should melt away quickly when hydrogen peroxide is applied. My guess would be either the mat is too thick or something is wrong with the HO. Being such a cheap product I would recommend to get some more, make sure it is at least 3%. Take the rock out of the tank and spray with HO until it starts to bubble. Any spots that are giving you lip can be scrubbed first.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

@Suohhen

 

[Suohhen]

@Suohhen

I have only ever done it with a spray bottle and it has been a long time. I do remember taking a lot longer than 5 min and a lot of the gha didn't exactly melt away but slough off in water. The fact that it is bubbling up means it's killing something. My system at the time was 100 per covered in gha and I was able to wipe it out completely without harming a single coral just being careful where I sprayed.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I have only ever done it with a spray bottle and it has been a long time. I do remember taking a lot longer than 5 min and a lot of the gha didn't exactly melt away but slough off in water. The fact that it is bubbling up means it's killing something. My system at the time was 100 per covered in gha and I was able to wipe it out completely without harming a single coral just being careful where I sprayed.

Wish me luck, lol...

 

[19Mateo83]

@19Mateo83 @LordofCinder @Bruttall @Opus So I put that hairy zoa frag in 300ML to 1000ML for 5 minutes, then 10. Nothing changed. So I said, ok I am going straight peroxide for 5 minutes, turned out to be 7. Still no difference. In fact I thought I heard the GHA hair tell me to go f&ck myself. When does the GHA die off? Is it suppose to be instant? Or will this take place over time?

It “should” start dying off in the next day or so. The bubbles on the zoa is pretty normal.

 

[Bruttall]

Patience, Nothing good in this hobby happens fast. It'll take a couple days for the GHA to melt, and you may need to treat coral again. I rely on Surgeon Fish to manage my GHA, Tangs. I have 6 of them...so far

 

[ScottJ]

GHA treated with H2O2 will start to turn white and melt in a few, 2 or 3, days. It takes some time.

 

[Rp8]

Once treated, remove by hand or with tweezers to expedite the removal

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Thanks. I am all for the marathon vs. sprint, I get that. When I read "it will melt off", that is typically compared to the 40 yard at a combine. Hearing it will take several days is what I was looking at.

Last question for the minute: Does Peroxide kill beneficial bacteria from rocks?

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Big difference. I spent a bunch of time today pulling a bunch of GHA out of the colony. I am now a fan of peroxide. However, I missed the part about SPS and nuked a couple pieces that were part of this rock. Some zoas are already starting to open up. Some of the rock is bleached white, so I left them in likely too long. But, other than being ticked I think they may be fine.