Zoas in trouble

[Bp870]

Hey guys hope all is well. I made a post awhile back about zoas all closing. Tried everything thing suggested changed the lighting and flow been dosing nitrates. Is there any other parameters or anything i should look into. I also have acans and a duncan coral in the tank that seem to be doing fine and growing so im not sure what could be directly affecting the zoas. Maybe the feeding of the larger corals could be mask a nutrition issue with the zoas. Any help would be awesome

 

[bobby.w.hodges]

It might be helpful to post old thread here for reference or make update on old thread instead of starting new.

 

[eggwater]

In my experience zoa do best in higher nitrate and phosphate and lower alkalinity. They can adjust to higher light and flow if given time. They supposedly benefit from iodine but I would not recommend dosing blindly. I’ve also read that high levels of aluminum can irritate them and all soft corals. Do you use marinepure or any other ceramic filtration media?
Also, any chance pests are irritating your zoa?
How does the outer layer of zoa appear? Is it intact? Any bumps?

 

[Bp870]

No visual bumps they do get covered in like an algae film i guess from being closed all the time and no signs of any damage or pox that i can see. Some seem to expell some dark gray to black looking stuff from the center some times. A few do partially open from time to time just enough to see some color. The ones that used to be red seem to fluorescent orange now. Im still having trouble with keeping nitrates barely above detectable. A new sump light and cheato growing like crazy seemed to kick this all off. Light had been off bout a week now while dosing nitrates. I will try and get a pic of the zoas maybe a more trained i can spot something. Thanks

 

[Bp870]

 

[flchamp89]

How long have they been in the tank. And we're they ever open? Have you blown them off ?

 

[Bp870]

Some were in for around 4 months probably and the others about 2 months they were all open before.

 

[Bp870]

I do use a soft brush and turkey baster to try and keep them clean

 

[Ben little79]

Check for small stringy clearish white worms attached to or near polyp mat.. They like to extend and move in current.. You could look at them everyday and not really notice unless you actually look close.. Zoas hate these worms.. If you do see them scrap them off with tweezers

 

[Bp870]

 

[Bp870]

Would it be those because i just noticed this in the rock today

 

[Ben little79]

The worms can extended upto 2 inches.. Do these you have show same behavior?

 

[blasterman]

I have tons of thread worms in my zoa grow tanks and never seen them bother zoas or palys. Doesn't mean this is something new though.

Also, nitrate levels or lighting doesn't cause zoas to close. Adding nitrate without corresponding balanced phosphate accomplishes nothing anyways and can actually make things worse because if the problem is caused by a nuisance algae or bacteria bloom you are feeding the problem. Strong lighting will get zoas / palys to partially close or bow , but not entirely close all the time.

Friend of mine recently had all his zoas and palys bolt up tight after starting vodka dosing. He stopped dosing a month ago, and even with hefty water changes they are still mostly closed. Bacteria / fungus / algae is likely the cause here. Not water chemistry or lighting which is obvious because the problem isn't getting better with water changes.

 

[Bp870]

I havent noticed anything extending out that far. I will stop dosing the nitrate and see what that does. There is also a brown looking algae growing on the backwall of the tank.

 

[Bp870]

Anyone think doing a peroxide dip or something could be effective most are on their on rock

 

[The Coral Connect]

i would try to put them in more water flow

 

[A. grandis]

No dips, if you don't know why you are dipping for.
There is not one reef tank in my entire life that I actually needed to dose nitrates!! That is not a good thing. Fashion!
It seems that your light isn't helping much, is it?
Your system needs to mature too. They will probably survive but you need to wait for the system to mature in order to add more organisms.
Leave it alone and wait. Keep doing water changes every month and avoid add or put your hands in the tank. Let it be quiet.

 

[Bp870]

Could you elaborate on the lighting problem. I have a brown film covering the glass now. I normally do weekly water changes. Should i wait longer.

 

[A. grandis]

Let me know everything about the lights over the tank and I try to help..
photoperiod, aprox. spectrum, fixture, bulbs, ballast, etc..

 

[Bp870]

12 hr photo period its a viparspectra i diy duplicated the sb led layout