What am I doing wrong

XNavyDiver · Oct 29, 2017

A Toadstool Leather said:
I still get 0 phosphate since there are still diatoms in my tank. Its a 3 month old tank.

Did you start with dry rock, like pukani, by chance?

Docjpath · Oct 29, 2017

Just checked out their website, similar to austinaqua farm in content, I may try them next so thanks again. I read the acclimation recommendation on their site, how do you do yours? I am wondering since my Zoas never opened if I did them in from the get go with Bayer.

A Toadstool Leather · Oct 29, 2017

XNavyDiver said:
Did you start with dry rock, like pukani, by chance?

Started with live rock. I added more sand which im guessing caused them. However I am getting less and less of them as time goes on.

leepink23 · Oct 29, 2017

Docjpath said:
Just checked out their website, similar to austinaqua farm in content, I may try them next so thanks again. I read the acclimation recommendation on their site, how do you do yours? I am wondering since my Zoas never opened if I did them in from the get go with Bayer.

I float mine for 30 minutes, then slowly add water to match ph and salinity. After that I dip in coral rx which is very strong. My zoas open usually the same day except when I had to much flow on them.

ChrisOFL · Oct 29, 2017

I've always found my zoas do much better under strong lighting/flow than when I try to place them in a lower light area. For example, mine are all receiving at least 200+ PAR and basically receive the same light intensity as my SPS. Make sure you keep an eye out for asterina starfish at night, one of these starfish can take out one polyp per night, no problem, with very little physical signs of damage.

leepink23 · Oct 29, 2017

My zoas also like strong light, medium flow, if it gets to high and constant or directly hitting them then they close up.

Docjpath · Oct 29, 2017

I am glad I am older and tend to get less frustrated by things than I used to, as there are so many different opinions on things. Many threads talk about low lighting for Zoas, but I am incline to believe both of you and go with stronger light now. I do not have a light meter, but I will go with higher setting now. You guys using LEDs, and if so, more blues than whites? I now am using 50% blue and 25% whites with Stevesled, which according to them will bleach out corals at high output.

leepink23 · Oct 29, 2017

Docjpath said:
I am glad I am older and tend to get less frustrated by things than I used to, as there are so many different opinions on things. Many threads talk about low lighting for Zoas, but I am incline to believe both of you and go with stronger light now. I do not have a light meter, but I will go with higher setting now. You guys using LEDs, and if so, more blues than whites? I now am using 50% blue and 25% whites with Stevesled, which according to them will bleach out corals at high output.

I use radions, it's 24% white, 100% blue, 50% uv, 20% green. Max intensity 50% for the light. I haven’t checked par, that's next on my wishlist, I placed my sps higher and zoas lower.

leepink23 · Oct 29, 2017

I would check at night with lights off to make sure something isn't bothering them.

DeepBlueSomething · Oct 29, 2017

Docjpath said:
I am glad I am older and tend to get less frustrated by things than I used to, as there are so many different opinions on things. Many threads talk about low lighting for Zoas, but I am incline to believe both of you and go with stronger light now. I do not have a light meter, but I will go with higher setting now. You guys using LEDs, and if so, more blues than whites? I now am using 50% blue and 25% whites with Stevesled, which according to them will bleach out corals at high output.

This is why I had to chuckle when you mentioned reef keeping as a break from sports frustration lol - this forum shows the variety of challenges and approaches!

Good for you for taking it easy

spiraling · Oct 29, 2017

I've never had a problem with bayer on zoas. My understanding is it affects the nerves of pest, which is why it doesn't affect the corals. I also use H2O2 to get the algae off the plugs. that makes them a bit mad, but it works. Unless your parameters are waaay off (alk and salinity) then the acclimation shoudn't be the problem.

I use seachem Fuel which is an amino acid. My zoas noticably like it. Check you phos and nitrate. Somewhere around .02 -- .08 for phos and 5 - 10 for nitrates is "dirty". Feed you fish more to get the parameters up. They will love you for it. make sure your alk is stable too.

Can you get any locally? most of my zoas open during acclimation or an hour or two later. Some of the ones that have shipped take longer, sometimes days.

Docjpath · Dec 7, 2017

Its been awhile since I posted on my initial Zoa failure. I tried again in November by purchasing a few Zoas and a Candy Cane (arrived looking pristine) and unfortunately, I had similar results; Zoas never opened and Candy Cane crashed and burned within 2 days with green tissue turning to brown slime on 3rd day. Zoas eventually turned brown with slime and died as well. I am pretty it was BJD based on my readings of the rapid onset and slime. All frags were placed on bottom of tank with lights off 12 hours, then just moon lights for next 24 hours. Brown started happening before I had started running light acclimation process, so I know I did not blast them with lights.

My tank is obviously not stable, as it is just 4 months old with no coralline algae yet. I am still using RO/DI water, with weekly water changes using Reef Crystals and my water parameters still are reading excellent. Using Tunze 9001 with good success on skim mate. I am still fighting some GHA and brown algae on rocks and sand bed (spot treating rocks with 3% H202), so I know my PO4 and Nitrates are not 0 as indicated by testing. I am still only using ChemPure Elite and filter floss.

I am hesitant to try another round of corals due to past luck and presumed BJD experience, but was curious if BJD stays in water column, rocks or sand? I have read about Lugolds and H202 treatment for corals for BJD (variable results) but what about tank treatment? I have to believe my issues are either with BJD or algae or algae toxin killing my corals quickly.

BTW, I am starting a 120 soon, despite the coral failures in my 32 Biocube. Bigger is by no means better, but I may try to go with live rock this time instead of dry rock to bypass some (not all) of the new tank syndrome.

Sagecritter4life · Dec 7, 2017

I only have one pair of clowns in my display tank and had same problem when I would move corals especially zoas from quarantine (no skimmer/no sump only HOB filter) which had detectable nutrients over to display tank they would turn brown and disappear quickly after actually looking better for about a week.

I was also reading zeros on nitrate and phosphate so I went to dosing refine by by vibrant which is NO3 and neophos by bright well for PO4 until got readings of 5 nitrate and .03-.07 po4.

The zoas that had not completely died started to recover slowly and yes I have some algae but I have zoa's that are looking normal now. Just a personal experience but I think every tank is different and solutions are very rarely the same..chuckle good luck

Sagecritter4life · Dec 7, 2017

Docjpath · Dec 7, 2017

My Zoas never even opened up like yours did, they basically stayed closed and then turn brown with slime just like the candycane coral did. I would have taken yours any day, at least they looked like they wanted to live, LOL.

Txag96 · Dec 14, 2017

DeepBlueSomething said:
Howdy Doc - '96 here. Rough game yesterday and then the Astros lost too.

Fellow 96er here. I have been having similar problems, but mine are more than likely due to no skimmer.

Docjpath · Dec 14, 2017

I am actually an 83r and 88r, 2 degrees from this great place and still work here, best of all worlds! I found out just yesterday I have a bad case of dinoflagellates, which I am certain has been killing my corals. I thought it was brown algae but under microscope confirm nasty dinos. Now I have to find a cure.