Zoa problems in a biocube?

[JohnC]

I have a 14 gallon biocube that grows zoas like crazy so I don't think it's an issue with the tank. Was it a new tank? just wondering if maybe someone used it for a quarantine or Hospital tank at one time and it has something in it that zoas are sensitive to. It sounds like a water contamination issue or predators to me with them closing up and not opening back up. Good luck and let us know if you find a definitive answer.

 

[joshporksandwich]

Maybe the lights are too strong!

 

[alliecat]

1.022 salinity, usually we use coralife or kent mix. What do u mean by voltage?

 

[reid429]

Salinity is low

 

[K_red_raider]

Stray voltage is where one of your appliances (heater, powerhead, pump) may be leaking electricity into the tank. This will cause some coral to die off and some fish to jump out of the tank. You can check this with a voltage detector.

 

[fernb]

I started my 29 gallon biocube in April and now have over 80 zoanthid frags plus other coral and they are thriving.
You can follow my modifications here https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/nano-reefs/118571-fern-isabels-29g-coralife-biocube.html

 

[alliecat]

Hmm... Maybe the voltage is something to consider I've never thought about that. And I'll try to up the salinity a bit but wouldn't that bother the other corals? Everything else looks beautiful

 

[glb]

Hmm... Maybe the voltage is something to consider I've never thought about that. And I'll try to up the salinity a bit but wouldn't that bother the other corals? Everything else looks beautiful

Actually corals like the salinity a little higher from what I've read. I'm no expert, but I've asked here and now I keep mine at 1.026.

 

[alliecat]

I'll try it. I honestly don't know what mine is in the 55 at this point lol my corals are happy though. I just think that it's bizarre that EVERYTHING but Zs and Ps so far have done great in this tank. He even has a blasto that's happy as can be. I've also decided to start dosing iodine as well... I hear it helps.

 

[alliecat]

Think I discovered the culprit... I noticed that my half of that zoa colony hasn't really been opening much lately (even though I have tons of zoas in my tank). Didn't think much of it, thought maybe it was too shaded so I moved it but it still hasn't been opening. I had noticed in both tanks that both of us have had a lot of amphipods and I thought oh, perfect! I guess there is a type of amphipod that irritates/picks on zoas? I read a few threads people had the same thing happen zoas closed and melted away. Time for some mandarins!

 

[alliecat]

They probably have been under control/limited to that 1 rock because I have 2 wrasses in my tank

 

[mikeytags5]

+1 on this

Maybe the lights are too strong!

 

[alliecat]

^we tried shading them as well

 

[buddythelion]

I think we need to start a thread asking if anyone is keeping zoa's successfully in a tank under 40g. I'm beginning to think that it has something to do with flow and how limited it is in a nano.


Sent from my iPhone 4s via Tapatalk.

I've always had nanos. You can definitely keep zoas in a nano lol.

As for if you're getting a mandarin, try to find a back up home for it for when it eats your tank clean of pods. Be sure to turkey baste your frags often so detritus doesn't build up between the tissues. Dirty zoas can lead to infections.

Have you tested your parameters? Usually inconsistent alk levels are what causes stress for my zoas.

 

[Luckysfrags]

Ill post up some pics of my biocube in the morning once my zoas all open

 

[RKLion]

Do you have enough flow?..they need a light current flowing through them to oxygenate and to remove detritus...

 

[cimmorine]

SAme thing here. My cousin has a 14g and everything is doing well and thriving but his zoas. They are all open but melting at the same time..... i Gave him a frag of dragon eyes with about 15 polyps on them and now he has 3.... During the time he has had them they all have been open but just shrinking. I have noticed that he has these stringy things in his tank and have narrowed it down to spaghetti worm but dont believe they are the reason why he cant maintain zoas......

 

[alliecat]

Parameters always test out fine and I take the water to various lfs to make sure. The mandarin would be moved to my 55 if we go with that. Lfs disagrees on the pods theory. He sold me some vitamin c but I have NEVER dosed vit c in my other tanks and zoas have done well so I don't know if I buy that

 

[alliecat]

And yea we added a little maxi jet I don't remember the gph but it gets quite a bit

 

[alliecat]

Zoas don't get dirty either his tank is very clean. Have I mentioned it's a 14 gal?