why is my zoa like this?

[NewbyREEF]

I got a free 47 gallon tank and it came wet with this and a hermit crab ...What do I do? to revive if possible?

 

[Stickboy15]

tell us more about the tank

 

[jabberwock]

Test your water parameters. Is the filter and media in good shape? Do you have any flow? What do you have for lighting? What is the temperature of the water?

 

[Oshengems]

Lights? Alkalinity? Calcium? Magnesium ? And nitrates plz

 

[NewbyREEF]

tell us more about the tank

it's in my into post

 

[Stickboy15]

im talking about what kind of filtration, salt type, water changes, lighting type and schedule that kind of stuff maybe a full tank shot

 

[NewbyREEF]

I notice that my intro post Did not actually.. So I'm attaching some pictures to basically give you a pictorial idea what I have. And this tank was given to me wet with about 3" of water the zohe coral submerged the red rock submerged and 1 hermit living. The only thing not shown in the pictures will be the en

it's in my into post

heim 140 canister filter in the cabinet

 

[NewbyREEF]

It's a salinity numbers when I get back home and is fresh cycling tank I have never set it up it had been set up and taken down and given to me

 

[Stickboy15]

alright your gonna need to do some major changing
new light
new filter
40 pounds of live rock
high quality salt mix
and much more
that tank looks like they basically turned a freshwater setup and made it saltwater which is very wrong

 

[Stickboy15]

my first thought is that bulb is not providing the correct spectrum because its very white and is a freshwater bulb. Also those rocks look like freshwater rocks.

 

[Stickboy15]

Even tho it says full spectrum it really isn't and is probably old because t8s are very very old. T5 T8 bulbs need changed 6-8 months to keep spectrum and their power.

 

[NewbyREEF]

my 5 in one test until i get a real test kit...

 

[NewbyREEF]

my first thought is that bulb is not providing the correct spectrum because its very white and is a freshwater bulb. Also those rocks look like freshwater rocks.

Im going to order the API CORAL plus and hope that helps and upgrade to two t8 and then LED.

 

[NewbyREEF]

my 5 in one test until i get a real test kit...

Salinity is 1.025

 

[jabberwock]

I agree with Stickboy. You have some work to do, but a pretty good foundation and the good news is... You do not have a lot of livestock at risk.

Do a bunch of research and understand that this is a marathon, not a sprint. You might totally loose that zoa. The hermit crab will probably live (hermit crabs suck because they will kill your snails). But if you have the gumption to really get into this hobby, you have a pretty good start.

 

[jabberwock]

This is a great forum for information and advice. It has served me well, and I am sure it will do the same for you. Search and ask questions. There is really not any bit of reefing knowledge that is not contained somewhere in this network.

Good luck, and welcome!

 

[jabberwock]

Do you have a local fish store (LFS) nearby? Sometimes a great source of info, but sometimes they just want to sell you stuff. You should research magic potions and cure alls before you start dumping stuff into your tank.

 

[NewbyREEF]

I agree However I cleaned the einhiem 140 im buying a new light. I used instant ocean..this time...and im getting some live rock once my h2o is stable with great numbers.

 

[Oshengems]

My 2cents.... light yeah def upgrade don’t have to be fancy expensive ones neither check out the for sale forums here and local reef sites even Craigslist and apps like offer up, I got my Radions on Craigslist dirt cheap. Instant ocean salt is fine either one I use the cheaper one the purple bag I’m getting the same results as the expensive one I started with Red Sea pro nothing change after o switch a year ago. For filtration many options work but again try to snatch a skimmer on the use forums but if you have anything my first reef worked well with a canister filter and chemi pure but a skimmer will def be Better. Best advice do things slowly but def start with your lights which your corals will appreciate. Try adding some live rock as well slowly.

The one thing thing this hobby is teaching me is patience when I rushed things I kill things... corals and fish don’t like rapid changes it stresses them out

 

[Stickboy15]

do you have a rodi machine?