Zoas browning out - Color loss

[KellyCorals]

Some of my zoas, not all of them seemed to loose color or brown in some places after I vodka dosed (a little too heavy) Anyone had this happen? They haven’t seemed to get their color back so i think I’ll have to wait for them to make babies to see their true colors again. Any input would be appreciated!

 

[Tahoe61]

How long ago was the vodka incident?
What type of lighting?
Have you test for nitrates and phosphates?

 

[Oscar47f]

So vodka dosing increasing the number of bacteria in the system effectively reducing nutrients... so when people do that they are creating an ultra low nutrient environment.. if you’re not putting nutrients back in the system in the form of fish and coral foods and amino acids and stuff then the corals can change color accordingly and or perish, it’s a good thing they’re not dead you can get the color back !

 

[Oscar47f]

If you’re gonna continue to dose I would probably start adding some amino acids or feeding the corals a few times a week or something to add some extra nutrients, of course you don’t have to but my zoanthids like to be fed in my experience

 

[KellyCorals]

How long ago was the vodka incident?
What type of lighting?
Have you test for nitrates and phosphates?

So the vodka incident was about 2 weeks ago. I knew I messed up the second after I did it. Several zoas would barely open the next day and a couple days later when they finally did I noticed the “burn” marks as I’m calling it.

I run all LED lights...my light set up is...kinda hard to explain. It’s actually 4 different led lights under a canopy ( I know I know...I wanted hanging lights but for safety the wife wanted the tank to have a canopy...we have little kids).

Admittedly I’ve been slacking on testing my levels. It’s been since before the vodka that I checked them out.

Good news is all zoas are open and happy again but not as beautiful as they were.

 

[KellyCorals]

If you’re gonna continue to dose I would probably start adding some amino acids or feeding the corals a few times a week or something to add some extra nutrients, of course you don’t have to but my zoanthids like to be fed in my experience

I with you on feeding them. I feed them every other day...reef roids. And I spot fed them at that! I want to vodka dose to help keep the algae down but for now I’ve cut my light schedule back to 6 hours a day which I know doesn’t sound like much but the zoas seem to be responding well to it...opening much bigger then when I was running almost 12 hours.
I’ve also heard zoas prefer slightly dirty water...like some nitrates.
Thanks for the advice!

 

[Oscar47f]

I with you on feeding them. I feed them every other day...reef roids. And I spot fed them at that! I want to vodka dose to help keep the algae down but for now I’ve cut my light schedule back to 6 hours a day which I know doesn’t sound like much but the zoas seem to be responding well to it...opening much bigger then when I was running almost 12 hours.
I’ve also heard zoas prefer slightly dirty water...like some nitrates.
Thanks for the advice!

Yeah so I mean dirty not really but nutrient rich for sure ! I keep my nitrates high like 10 ish and the zoas love it ! And good you’re ahead of the game on the feeding ! Personally I don’t think it’s your equipment, but reducing your light is definitely helping I think that once the system goes back to normal before the vodka dose that the zoas will be ok and start to regain color... if you want to keep dosing I would do so gradually so whatever the recommended dose for your tank is, do half or less of that to start and slowly increase based on how it goes ya know ?