MY ZOAS ARE NOT HAPPY...HELP !

[bxclent]

Hello,
I need some pro advice.
Everyone seems happy but my zoas.
I have a 32 Coralife stock cube.
Algae mostly just on the glass.
I run Purigen, floss and ceramic bioballs in the 2nd compartment.
Alk 8.60 Hanna
Phos 0.09 Hanna
Ca2 460 API
Temp 78 Inkbird
I love zoas ! Any advice or other questions would be helpful

 

[officialreefbros]

Are they getting enough light? They look like they are stretching up for it!

 

[Geebs19]

What lights are you using? It looks like they are stretching for light.

 

[Geebs19]

Is it new, used? Is it a stock bulb?

 

[bxclent]

What lights are you using? It looks like they are stretching for light.

I use the stock light that came with the tank

 

[bxclent]

Is it new, used? Is it a stock bulb?

I bought new, 5 months ago

 

[bxclent]

I bought new, 5 months ago

Stock

 

[Geebs19]

Assuming it’s the LED lights, have you changed the schedule at all? You may need to look at programming a schedule to see if that helps. A quick search in here will pull up a few scheduling threads.

 

[bxclent]

Assuming it’s the LED lights, have you changed the schedule at all? You may need to look at programming a schedule to see if that helps. A quick search in here will pull up a few scheduling threads.

I'll try that. Thanks

 

[PeterC99]

Are you regularly feeding your Zoas?

 

[bxclent]

Are you regularly feeding your Zoas?

Yes Reef Roids

 

[bxclent]

Yes Reef Roids

Once, maybe twice a week

 

[PeterC99]

Ever thought about a Refugium with Chaeto and ditching the Purigen? Natural nutrient control and better water quality.

 

[fishandstangs]

Make sure you don’t have pest that may be bugging or eating them. Nudibrach or starfish, I had a similar issue with my zoas at first and it was pest. Everything else was doing well but my zoas.

 

[Garf]

New tanks are great al killing coral. Hell, even older tanks do a good job. Just keep your water good and see what survives.

 

[|Frank|]

Could be that peppermint shrimp. I had one that used to pick at my corals.

 

[bxclent]

Could be that peppermint shrimp. I had one that used to pick at my corals.

No, the shrimp never bothers them. Thanks

 

[vetteguy53081]

You may have false CA readings with API kit. Coral and Fish dont talk - Test kits DO and stay away from API kits.
I would highly suggest taking a water sample to a trusted LFS that does NOT use API kits and see what numbers/readings they come up with.
There are a number of factors why zoas close up. Some are water movement/flow as zoas do not require the consistent high flow conditions that SPS corals do. I would consider a moderate flow environment ideal but Zoanthids, like most corals, can adapt to low or high flow. In high flow, you will typically see polyps grow closer to the rock with shorter stalks. Another is lack of feeding and food as infrequent feeding and ultra low nutrient conditions can lead to entire colony meltdowns. Target feeding is not a requirement as Zoanthids are photosynthetic. I have found that target feeding Zoanthids always provides mixed results, when a food particle falls onto the polyps.

Back to parameters, good water quality is a must.
dKH: 8.0 - 11.0
Calcium: 420 - 440
Magnesium: 1300 - 1350
Iodide: Maintained via regular water changes or manually at small dosages
Temperature: 77-79 degrees
pH: 8.1-8.3
Phosphates: .02 - .04
Nitrates < 10

Asterina stars, little tiny tiny spiders and nudibranchs also will make them miserable to point of death as will aptasia, worms like spinoids or vermetid snails. A few things to look for. Hope this helps

 

[bxclent]

You may have false CA readings with API kit. Coral and Fish dont talk - Test kits DO and stay away from API kits.
I would highly suggest taking a water sample to a trusted LFS that does NOT use API kits and see what numbers/readings they come up with.
There are a number of factors why zoas close up. Some are water movement/flow as zoas do not require the consistent high flow conditions that SPS corals do. I would consider a moderate flow environment ideal but Zoanthids, like most corals, can adapt to low or high flow. In high flow, you will typically see polyps grow closer to the rock with shorter stalks. Another is lack of feeding and food as infrequent feeding and ultra low nutrient conditions can lead to entire colony meltdowns. Target feeding is not a requirement as Zoanthids are photosynthetic. I have found that target feeding Zoanthids always provides mixed results, when a food particle falls onto the polyps.

Back to parameters, good water quality is a must.
dKH: 8.0 - 11.0
Calcium: 420 - 440
Magnesium: 1300 - 1350
Iodide: Maintained via regular water changes or manually at small dosages
Temperature: 77-79 degrees
pH: 8.1-8.3
Phosphates: .02 - .04
Nitrates < 10

Asterina stars, little tiny tiny spiders and nudibranchs also will make them miserable to point of death as will aptasia, worms like spinoids or vermetid snails. A few things to look for. Hope this helps

You may have false CA readings with API kit. Coral and Fish dont talk - Test kits DO and stay away from API kits.
I would highly suggest taking a water sample to a trusted LFS that does NOT use API kits and see what numbers/readings they come up with.
There are a number of factors why zoas close up. Some are water movement/flow as zoas do not require the consistent high flow conditions that SPS corals do. I would consider a moderate flow environment ideal but Zoanthids, like most corals, can adapt to low or high flow. In high flow, you will typically see polyps grow closer to the rock with shorter stalks. Another is lack of feeding and food as infrequent feeding and ultra low nutrient conditions can lead to entire colony meltdowns. Target feeding is not a requirement as Zoanthids are photosynthetic. I have found that target feeding Zoanthids always provides mixed results, when a food particle falls onto the polyps.

Back to parameters, good water quality is a must.
dKH: 8.0 - 11.0
Calcium: 420 - 440
Magnesium: 1300 - 1350
Iodide: Maintained via regular water changes or manually at small dosages
Temperature: 77-79 degrees
pH: 8.1-8.3
Phosphates: .02 - .04
Nitrates < 10

Asterina stars, little tiny tiny spiders and nudibranchs also will make them miserable to point of death as will aptasia, worms like spinoids or vermetid snails. A few things to look for. Hope this helps

 

[bxclent]

My LFS has tested my water w/ salifert and got very close to the same levels of CA. I see no pest at all, though I do check even at night Ninja Style with a flashlight ! LOL