Yet another "Zoas dying" thread

[mdbronco]

Hi,

I have a mixed reef, with SPS, LPS, softies, and zoas. "Everything" else seems to be doing fine; ie growing slowly, but my first additions - which were zoas and were once growing really well and spreading - have started to die off. Particularly my Green Purple People Eaters.

Tank has been up for about 8 months, lighting is the Saxby program with AI Hydras. I spot feed all corals a mix of things, but basically Reef Roids. I also dose Iodine (3 drops daily) and always have since introducing the first corals. I take my readings right before my weekly water changes of 10%:

PO - 0
Mag - 1260
Cal - 420
NH3 - 0
Nitrate - 5
Nitrite - 0.2 (this is puzzling me too)
Alk - 8 dkh
Salt - 1.026

Last pic is for placement scope.

Thoughts??

 

[tupes]

What about livestock? Fish, snails, hermits urchins.....

 

[mdbronco]

I have a Kole tang, 2 lyretails, 2 clowns, and one bi-colored Blenny. I also have two hermits since the beginning, two cleaner shrimp, and a ridiculous amount of trochus snails that I have been giving away for a couple of weeks now. No urchins, stars etc.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Have you tried Chemi clean? I reccommend googling Chemi Clean and zoas and reading some experiences.

My tank has been up for 14 months and this has happened to me about 5 or so months ago. I used the chemiclean per instructions and about a week later my zoas were open and have been fine since.

Also your PO4 if it is actually 0 (using a good test kit and producing 0 for a few months) then I would increase that .03ish and give it a few weeks before the chemiclean.

 

[mdbronco]

Did you have actual signs of cyano or did you just try just in case?

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Did you have actual signs of cyano or did you just try just in case?

No visual signs of cyano or any pest for me. I first heard about this on the forums and dismissed it. I later watched a youtube video and WWC talked about using it for their zoas for unseen issues like this. I think BRS when they interviewed the WWC guys and their tanks a few months ago also brought it up.

I can say I under dosed slightly to be on the safe side. I have acros, montis, anacropora, euphyllia, acans, sponges, mushrooms, and zoas. Nothing showed any signs of not liking the chemiclean when I used it.

Research a little for yourself and decide you are comfortable trying it. Don't just take my word for it!

Good luck!