Pale Zoas
- Thread starter DannyB
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DannyB
Active Member
I have a RapidLED DIY setup consisting of 5w coolwhites, 5w royal blues, 5 watt reds and greens and a couple 3w UV but they are running about 50%.
It is not just one type of zoas so some I have had for more than a year and they range up to about 2 months in tank.
It is not just one type of zoas so some I have had for more than a year and they range up to about 2 months in tank.
Weird, I'm assuming your parameters are where they need to be. A few of mine have done that in the past; but that was due to the light.
Someone will be along soon and help you sort this out.
Someone will be along soon and help you sort this out.
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DannyB
Active Member
Yes all parameters are in order and stable.
I was wondering if lighting would be the cause but wasn't sure if zoas would go paler due to light and if it meant there was too much light or not enough. I don't have a PAR meter so it is kind of a guessing game on if the light is high enough or not.
Hopefully someone will have more insight.
I was wondering if lighting would be the cause but wasn't sure if zoas would go paler due to light and if it meant there was too much light or not enough. I don't have a PAR meter so it is kind of a guessing game on if the light is high enough or not.
Hopefully someone will have more insight.
saltyphish
Certified Sand Groomer
I have had this happen to mine for different reasons. Once was water chemistry, once was caused by lights, the other time was from cyano or gha growing over them.
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DannyB
Active Member
There is no obstructions on them such as cyano or algae and my parameters have been very stable recently, since I got the last frag. So back to lights. What was the lighting issue you had which made your zoas pale?
By pale i don't mean they are bleached, just not as vibrant and colorful as they were when I got them.
ZoaCollector
Aquatic Specialist
For me personally, I notice color and stability come back when i dose Magnesium. I use Kent tech M not sure if some ingredient in it helps or not. But my spare water is low in Mag so i have to dose it to boosted levels 1400-1450ppm.
TheEngineer
Formerly icecool2
That's interesting. I haven't heard that before. I've always thought alk to be very important with zoas.
Retro Reefer
Slow and steady wins the race!
Although I would never have purchased it myself My daughter gave me a Kent Marine Calcium, Iodide, Strontium and molybdenum supplement kit for xmas.. Although with the exception of calcium I had no way of testing the others but I decided to give them a try, I have a BC 14 with about 10 gallons of water so I have just been adding two drops every couple days for the last eight weeks and closely observing my zoa dominated tank before and after each dosing.. Visually the strontium and molybdenum produce no visible positive results in fact my tank always seems a little "off" after dosing with these, nothing I can put my finger on just seems off so I have stopped using them, however with the Iodide I see a distinct improved in my tank overall and especially my Zoa's although relatively modest and short lived they seem to have better color and expansion after dosing Iodide.. This is strictly my personal experience through observation only, your mileage may vary
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DannyB
Active Member
Kh 8.68 Hanna
Cal 485 Salifert
Mag 1500 Salifert
Nitrate 0 Salifert
PO4 0 Hanna
temp 77.1
Ph 8.35
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DannyB
Active Member
I can't manage to get the magnesium to go down. The WCs keep it that high. The last time i added any Magnesium was at the end of my cycle when bryopsis showed up.
Any suggestions on how to lower it?
Any suggestions on how to lower it?
Smite
2500 Club Member
That's some real clean water for zoas, isn't it?
I've noticed something similar when I first got into sps. I tossed in some GFO and upped my water changes, lost color of my zoanthids.
I've noticed something similar when I first got into sps. I tossed in some GFO and upped my water changes, lost color of my zoanthids.
Wilsoni
Well-Known Member
Is your Salifert Mg kit new by chance? I just purchased one and there's nearly a 200 ppm difference between my current Salifert kit and the new one. Magnesium is sitting at 1500 on the Salifert test which makes me question which kit is at fault.
I know it sounds crazy and I've tried starting the return process but Prem Aquatics is in doubt that the kit is bad so they're attempting to troubleshoot by playing phone tag, which is quite inconvenient.
I know it sounds crazy and I've tried starting the return process but Prem Aquatics is in doubt that the kit is bad so they're attempting to troubleshoot by playing phone tag, which is quite inconvenient.
