zoanthids won't open all the way

[jordanphulet]

Zoanthids aren't doing well in my tank. Some won't open all the way and my eagle eyes have shrunk and gotten dark. A few water changes later they are looking a little better, actually seeing some growth, but the ones still won't open and the eagle eyes are still dark. Any suggestions?

Light: reefbreeders d120
Ca: 420
Alk: 8

 

[seamus2050]

How far apart were the water changes and how much? How long have these zoas been in your tank? What kind of lights are you running? Did you start anything new like GFO or Active carbon?

 

[seamus2050]

Sorry just seen your light. What are you running your channels at.

 

[jordanphulet]

Water changes were about 50% a week apart. Like I said the WCs seemed to help. Lights are evergrow d120. ZOA's have been in the tank for months looked like this for a long time. I was running gfo but stopped a couple of months ago. Tank has been recovering from a whole can of fish food being dumped in a while back sps look good except for my red planet that is finally coloring back up.

 

[jordanphulet]

Also, other zoa's seemed to lose their skirt and had 0 polyp extension from red planet. I ran phosguard a while back too...

 

[jordanphulet]

White/blue about 70/50 no optics about 5 inches from water.

 

[seamus2050]

Some of my zoas will close up for a week(s) or so. I also run Evergrow lights. Recently increased my lights to a 100% on each channel for an hour and a half each day. Noticed better coloring and extension on zoas. Other then that my lights are running at the same as yours. I run my alk at 10-11. Have you tested your Mg levels? How is flow?

 

[seamus2050]

Note on lights. On the outer lights I run 90 optics and on the center no optics (120). Better mix of light, not to mention you are throwing less light out of your tank and directing it where you need it.

 

[seamus2050]

I would suggest moving them to a high flow, high light area of your tank. I have zoas that are 2" below the water line and they love it. Sorry for throwing a bunch of stuff at you.

 

[jordanphulet]

Mg is 1300, flow is on the low side. I was wondering if they were getting TOO MUCH light. Interesting idea, I would expect them to stretch out if they weren't getting enough light. The eagle eyes have spread to 2 different rocks, maybe I'll move half of them up and see how they do. Do you think running the GFO or phosguard could have left something in the water to irritate them?

 

[seamus2050]

Usually GFO will lower your alk. I would suggest raising your alk also. Hopefully someone else will chime in on the alk level for a second opinion.

 

[Reef_a_holiks]

calcium and alkilinity levels are perfect, thats not the issue. how big is the tank ? also what lens are on these leds? to me the lights are a little to intense, i would bring down to about 35percent white and 60percent blue. even though i doubt this is the cause. This issue is becoming alot more popular latley, zoas just not doing well for no apparent reason, when everything else is in check . I cured all this with a chemiclean treatment , and my zoas have been amazing since. ive recommended it to others with the same issue , and they are also amazed with the results. re check everything, if everything is in check then i recommend doing a chemiclean treatment. im pretty sure it is going to fix your problem , my zoas looked just like yours before the chemiclean treatment.

This is my thread of when i had the issue, there is also before and after pics inside. check it out! Whats wrong with my zoas?? Pics inside!

I also made a article on my blog at reef-a-holiks.blogspot.com , about this issue and how chemiclean can be the new key to keeping healthy and thriving zoas.

I have found that chemiclean balances the nitrate/ phosphate ratios that cause zoas to not do well, its not a antibiotic but its a good oxidizer that can help keep things in check .

 

[jordanphulet]

Its a 29g biocube, no optics on the LEDs. Lights don't "look" too intense to me, I've had a 150w MH over a 10g and didn't have problems like this, but maybe LEDs are different. Another thing I was thinking is to run some activated carbon, I should probably do that anyway. I'll look into chemiclean, I've never heard of it before.