Need zoa help please.

skyjacker07 · Aug 31, 2016

I have several different zoas in the tank, some Rastas, pink lemonade, pin wheels, and a few "weed" zoas, I also have frogspawn, hammer, and a torch they are doing quite well, as are my "weed" zoas.
All of my other zoas are closed, and I'm trying to figure out why. My parameters are
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-between 10-15
Phosphates with Api test show 0
Magnesium-1470
Calcium-470
Alk 7.8-7.9
I feed regular, I've seen no signs of pest and have been dipped.

FLAdaboy · Aug 31, 2016

Maybe flow or lighting is too high. It's not always the parameters.

A. grandis · Sep 6, 2016

I like to keep my params at:
Mg ~1360, Ca 380 - 400, Alk 8-9.
Yeah, make sure the flow isn't blowing them away and that the light was GRADUALLY offered to them, so they don't get a shock. I think it could be too much light, but hard to say by the picture.
I assume you were talking about feeding the pops when you've said " I feed regular,...".
They need to open so you can feed!
Try to bring the nitrates down a little performing a 10% water change.

Grandis.

skyjacker07 · Sep 20, 2016

My nitrates are around that right before a water change, they get zero'd out after the change, I think I might have found the solution, I checked my salinity and it was low, still odd that the zoas are the only thing affected.

mps026 · Sep 25, 2016

I have found that zoas will tolerate poor light for a few days to a few weeks before they stop opening. I moved all of mine directly under the light mid tank or on the sand and they are all happy. It will take a while to normalize after being in low light for a while. Flow is the next imp thing u want to see their skirts moving gently with the flow. They will have more color and perk up if u have the flow right.

skyjacker07 · Sep 25, 2016

I know I have enough flow, I'm running a jebao pp-8 on wave mode, it's almost set on the lowest setting, any higher it will blow my sand, the light I'm not sure if it's enough or not, it's the stock "intermediate" Jbj lighting, with 2 blue stunner strips added in.

A. grandis · Oct 2, 2016

GFO? Try remove it.
Some times they are hurt by dips too...
Give them some time.

Grandis.

skyjacker07 · Oct 2, 2016

It turned out to be a combination of too much light, and the salinity being too low. I left my blues on all the time and apparently it wasn't liked, I have them shut off at night now, and all of my coral are responding great, zoas aren't fully opened, but they are opening more and more everyday.

A. grandis · Oct 2, 2016

Hummm...
You should leave the lights on only 8 or 10 hours a day. Whites and blues.
What was the salinity and what is it now?

Grandis.

skyjacker07 · Oct 2, 2016

I run all lights for 8 hours, and blues an extra two hours now, my salinity was 1.021, it's now 1.025 today's water change should put it back to 1.026 where I want it.

A. grandis · Oct 2, 2016

Sounds good.

Grandis.

skyjacker07 · Oct 2, 2016

After the first night of all lights out zoas started responding, a acan I thought was dead came back, and my mushrooms started increasing in size, so I know I'm on the right track.