Water Parameters for Zoas?

[aggiejames]

It’s been 2 months and I feel like I’m ready to add some zoas. But I’m second guessing myself.

Can anyone confirm what my parameters need to be? I’ve been doing 20% weekly water changes. I have a Hydros controller and everything seems stable. A few clowns, a shrimp, and a decent CUC are all surviving well.

 

[mrpontiac80]

It’s been 2 months and I feel like I’m ready to add some zoas. But I’m second guessing myself.

Can anyone confirm what my parameters need to be? I’ve been doing 20% weekly water changes. I have a Hydros controller and everything seems stable. A few clowns, a shrimp, and a decent CUC are all surviving well.

Zoas are pretty forgiving! Stability is key for most things, but I personally would shoot for
77-78 degrees
400 cal
1450 mag
8.5 alk
5-15 ppm nitrate
.05-.1 ppm phosphate

Those parameters should cover most any coral in my opinion. I use Fritz RPM blue salt and those are pretty close to the parameters I get when making new salt water so I keep them there.

 

[SnazzyUrchin792]

Zoas aren’t picky. 1.024-1.026 salinity, 77-80 degrees F, and some amount of nutrients is really all they care about.

 

[aggiejames]

Zoas are pretty forgiving! Stability is key for most things, but I personally would shoot for
77-78 degrees
400 cal
1450 mag
8.5 alk
5-15 ppm nitrate
.05-.1 ppm phosphate

Those parameters should cover most any coral in my opinion. I use Fritz RPM blue salt and those are pretty close to the parameters I get when making new salt water so I keep them there

Zoas are pretty forgiving! Stability is key for most things, but I personally would shoot for
77-78 degrees
400 cal
1450 mag
8.5 alk
5-15 ppm nitrate
.05-.1 ppm phosphate

Those parameters should cover most any coral in my opinion. I use Fritz RPM blue salt and those are pretty close to the parameters I get when making new salt water so I keep them there.

thanks so much. I’ve been using coral salt pro from Red Sea. I’ll do some testing tomorrow and see where I am on these items.

 

[mrpontiac80]

thanks so much. I’ve been using coral salt pro from Red Sea. I’ll do some testing tomorrow and see where I am on these items.

FYI…. I’ve found that the smaller probably more expensive zoas are much better in my tank vs the larger head cheap zoas like nirvana, Mohawk, and etc. I’ve got Mohawks and nirvanas that try to out grow all the zoas I like.

 

[aggiejames]

FYI…. I’ve found that the smaller probably more expensive zoas are much better in my tank vs the larger head cheap zoas like nirvana, Mohawk, and etc. I’ve got Mohawks and nirvanas that try to out grow all the zoas I like.

Honestly my tank is so bare right now that I’ll take any growth. All I have is plain boring rock everywhere.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Honestly my tank is so bare right now that I’ll take any growth. All I have is plain boring rock everywhere.

I have a lot of zoas and some pallys in one of my tanks. I have them in a wide range of par and flow through out the tank, and they are all thriving. As yours start to come in, make sure to hit them with a turkey baster as detritus can gather in a colony. I also hit mine so that I can see them recede. This is for two reasons. First, if you hit them with a bunch of flow and there is one Zoa that doesn't recede, essentially you think he is giving you the finger, that's likely not a zoa, but a nudi eating pest, I think they are nudis. And the other reason is, aiptasia can hide within a tightly formed zoa patch.

 

[aggiejames]

FYI…. I’ve found that the smaller probably more expensive zoas are much better in my tank vs the larger head cheap zoas like nirvana, Mohawk, and etc. I’ve got Mohawks and nirvanas that try to out grow all the zoas I like.

so I don’t have all the test kits I need. Here is what I have and got readings for:

Phosphate ULR Hanna - .19 ppm
dKH Hannah 9.9 dKH
Mars Nitrate Test - 0
Temp 78.1
Salt 34.7

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

From my experience so far zoas are one of the first corals to show you when your salinity is off. They are pretty forgiving on all the other parameters but really want your salinity to be solid.

So if you're noticing they are irritated it is one of the first things I would check.

 

[mrpontiac80]

so I don’t have all the test kits I need. Here is what I have and got readings for:

Phosphate ULR Hanna - .19 ppm
dKH Hannah 9.9 dKH
Mars Nitrate Test - 0
Temp 78.1
Salt 34.7

I personally would want to see some nitrates but it could be bound up in your tank and not showing on the tests. I’d throw some in and see how they do.

 

[aggiejames]

I personally would want to see some nitrates but it could be bound up in your tank and not showing on the tests. I’d throw some in and see how they do.

I found an awesome guy right by my house who sold me a mushroom, candy cane coral in 2 colors, several Zoa frags with 10+ polyps, and an encrusting coral for $50. So I took the plunge. I just got them all into the tank. Lights out for tonight. Tomorrow we will see how they look.

 

[littlebigreef]

I'll add that zoas like nutrition and using nutrients (an indirect measurement) can sometimes be misleading in a tank that still maturing. Now, there's many varieties that can abide in a reef tank 2 months in but, I'd be sure to pay attention and perhaps target feed them with either roids or frozen food slurry.

 

[Spare time]

so I don’t have all the test kits I need. Here is what I have and got readings for:

Phosphate ULR Hanna - .19 ppm
dKH Hannah 9.9 dKH
Mars Nitrate Test - 0
Temp 78.1
Salt 34.7

Dose some aminos to supplement nitrogen without raising phosphate.

 

[aggiejames]

Dose some aminos to supplement nitrogen without raising phosphate.

I do have some all for Reef I plan
To use. Would this cover aminos?

 

[MartinM]

I have great growth with Red Sea AB+. In one of my systems every square centimeter is covered in zoas, even the clam shells!

 

[jkcoral]

I do have some all for Reef I plan
To use. Would this cover aminos?

If you’re doing 20% weekly water changes, you might not need all for reef right now. Especially considering you don’t have a ton of coral consuming things at a quick pace.

I’ve used Seachem Reef Plus aminos for a while. It’s cheap and has been working well so I just stick with it. AB+ was also pretty good, but it caused a little too much nutrient spike for my liking.

 

[Spare time]

I do have some all for Reef I plan
To use. Would this cover aminos?

No. All for reef is not a coral food, but rather an element replacement product (albeit food replaces "nitrogen" and phosphate).

 

[MartinM]

If you’re doing 20% weekly water changes, you might not need all for reef right now. Especially considering you don’t have a ton of coral consuming things at a quick pace.

I’ve used Seachem Reef Plus aminos for a while. It’s cheap and has been working well so I just stick with it. AB+ was also pretty good, but it caused a little too much nutrient spike for my liking.

Makes sense. I have ULNS systems so I need all the nutrients I can get