Zoas melting away, insight needed

[Aaron1222]

That may be true if routine water changes are done or iodine is supplemented through trace mixes. But the OP has not indicated any form of iodine testing or dosing. I grow hundreds of zoas in my frag tank and can tell you that without iodine supplementation, your zoas will slowly deteriorate. Take the advice as you will.

I am definitely going to take your advice and give it a try, my last two triton ICP test have come back with less than ideal iodine levels, and I supplement through aqua forest salt mix water changes, and aqua forest components strong as a balling method with my two part. ill send out another test just to confirm, but will order some iodine in the mean time

 

[Roatan Reef]

I started dosing Red Sea Trace Colors.. ABCD...and my Zoas took off!...the best they have ever been.

The

• Red Sea Trace Colors A (Iodine/Halogens) 100 mL - promotes pink colors and overall Zoa growth.

 

[landlubber]

The only softies I have in my tank are multiple zoas, a gsp on the back wall, and a pulsing xenia colony which are both doing very well, but I majorly have sps and lps in the tank, all of which are very happy and I’m seeing significant growth, but all of a sudden the zoas are throwing a fit. When before hand they were just fine with the parameters, especially with the nutrient parameters

i'm sure there is a biological reason why but sometimes without warning they just give up. A couple years ago a lady from our local reefing community bought 2 separate 1 polyp frags of statosphere zoas that were $800 each... they lasted 1 week for her. ouch.

 

[face]

sounds like an alk spike if it hit all at once and maybe an infection followed like zoa pox. Things like Iodine or other trace elements will effect them but not all silmutaneously because they each have different minimum requirements or reserve levels.

 

[Aaron1222]

That may be true if routine water changes are done or iodine is supplemented through trace mixes. But the OP has not indicated any form of iodine testing or dosing. I grow hundreds of zoas in my frag tank and can tell you that without iodine supplementation, your zoas will slowly deteriorate. Take the advice as you will.

So a quick update, I've gotten my triton ICP results back and my iodine compared to January 27th was less than half of what it was. even back in January it was less than ideal. I ordered some triton iodine which arrived yesterday, and just started dosing the recommended amount by triton, will send out a new ICP test here in a few days to check the new levels after doing a water change. at this point I don't think the iodine being supplemented through my water changes are enough since I do I weekly 10% water change and the levels are still low.

 

[jx.reef]

Glad to hear you’ve narrowed it down to iodine! There’s actually a modified test you can use in conjunction with the Red Sea iodine test reagents to accurately test iodine. Good luck on turning your zoas around!

 

[Edgecrusher28]

So a quick update, I've gotten my triton ICP results back and my iodine compared to January 27th was less than half of what it was. even back in January it was less than ideal. I ordered some triton iodine which arrived yesterday, and just started dosing the recommended amount by triton, will send out a new ICP test here in a few days to check the new levels after doing a water change. at this point I don't think the iodine being supplemented through my water changes are enough since I do I weekly 10% water change and the levels are still low.

I hope your results were better then mine; however, I have gone down the iodine dosing/ICP testing rabbit hole without any real improvements. keep the updates coming though please!

 

[Reef and Dive]

Lighting and flow were all fine, par is averaging around 150 in that area and they were all happy, same with flow, live stock in the tank are below
Power blue tang
Blue eye kole tang
Clown tang
Blue hippo
File fish
2 clowns
Foxface
Melanurus wrasse
Green mandarin goby
Blue and red leg hermits
2 Peppermint shrimp

Possible causes to consider:
1 - Hippo
2 - File fish
3 - Maybe but really maybe high Mg

 

[littlebigreef]

Possible causes to consider:
1 - Hippo
2 - File fish
3 - Maybe but really maybe high Mg

Saw this post earlier and didn’t comment. Hippos are known to go rogue, especially during growth spurts. I agree with @Reef and Dive and think you really need to look at the file fish. I’ve got a few buddies who’ve had them go rogue (aiptasia variety) and I had a rhino be a good citizen for years only to develop a taste for them out of nowhere.

 

[helwrj28]

Any updates on your iodine levels and how your coral or doing?

I'm experiencing a decline in my new zoa frag and curious if my circumstances might be similar.

 

[Aaron1222]

Any updates on your iodine levels and how your coral or doing?

I'm experiencing a decline in my new zoa frag and curious if my circumstances might be similar.

actually yes, sorry for the late response, but after receiving ICP test results, my idiodine and strontium levels were low, ive been dosing iodine and strontium weekly, every since, my zoas have opened back up, and some of the ones I had thought died off, have polyps growing back! thanks @jx.reef for the recommendation of the iodine!

 

[iamacat]

actually yes, sorry for the late response, but after receiving ICP test results, my idiodine and strontium levels were low, ive been dosing iodine and strontium weekly, every since, my zoas have opened back up, and some of the ones I had thought died off, have polyps growing back! thanks @jx.reef for the recommendation of the iodine!

Thanks for this update.

 

[helwrj28]

actually yes, sorry for the late response, but after receiving ICP test results, my idiodine and strontium levels were low, ive been dosing iodine and strontium weekly, every since, my zoas have opened back up, and some of the ones I had thought died off, have polyps growing back! thanks @jx.reef for the recommendation of the iodine!

Can you expect iodine to stabilize with water changes? I don't have anything that I think would utilize iodine.. and I don't test for it.. but I'd dose if needed

 

[Aaron1222]

Can you expect iodine to stabilize with water changes? I don't have anything that I think would utilize iodine.. and I don't test for it.. but I'd dose if needed

i don't think so, i do weekly water changes on Fridays, followed by ICP test sent out3 days later on Monday, all results come back with additional iodine and strontium needed to be dosed. After the initial dosing, the amount has decreased a little, but still needs additional dosing each week. but a small 100 ml bottle last quite some time when your dosing only 4ml a week

 

[zoomonster]

For all the mention of iodine... just a few thoughts. J Crowe Lugols solution from Amazon is all I use. No need for overpriced aquarium brands. I rarely test and just supplement a couple drops a week in 200g. Skimming of course will remove iodine. Also withering zoas are often revived with an iodine bath. I use 3 drops in a container with a little over two cups of water for an 8-10m soak. Think the actual dose is 1.25 drops per cup. Got algae on them start with peroxide bath then the iodine bath. Works wonders...

 

[Aaron1222]

For all the mention of iodine... just a few thoughts. J Crowe Lugols solution from Amazon is all I use. No need for overpriced aquarium brands. I rarely test and just supplement a couple drops a week in 200g. Skimming of course will remove iodine. Also withering zoas are often revived with an iodine bath. I use 3 drops in a container with a little over two cups of water for an 8-10m soak. Think the actual dose is 1.25 drops per cup. Got algae on them start with peroxide bath then the iodine bath. Works wonders...

how much do you pay for the lugols? and is that sustainable for a long period? a 25$ bottle of triton iodine lasts me over 6 months at 4ml a week

 

[zoomonster]

$11.4 for a two ounce bottle which works out to 913 drops. At about 2 per week in a 200g system that's about 456 weeks and it does not expire. Well, it does when I break a bottle like I did recently lol. Most the pet shop stuff is watered down whereas Lugols 2% solution is 2% iodine and 4% potassium iodide. Dips or soaks use up a small amount of it.

 

[helwrj28]

i don't think so, i do weekly water changes on Fridays, followed by ICP test sent out3 days later on Monday, all results come back with additional iodine and strontium needed to be dosed. After the initial dosing, the amount has decreased a little, but still needs additional dosing each week. but a small 100 ml bottle last quite some time when your dosing only 4ml a week

Thanks for the info.. do you have a lot of inverts in your tank that would utilize the iodine? What else would be using iodine?

Maybe I should start dosing if it's helping you! (Ihave never done an ICP test, and nor do I test for iodine so I can't say my zoa issue is iodine related but maybe I should look into)..