Zoas not opening...high mag?

[intricate_reefer]

So I have quite a few zoas not opening in my display and frag tank. I can’t figure out why. Others are open fine while some remain closed. I’ve done a dip in coral RX and the only thing that came off is a few of what looks to be pods. All my parameters are good except I have high magnesium. The high mag is from a batch of Fritz’s salt I got. Could this be causing the zoas not to open? I have other zoas, chalices, acans, favias, and acros all doing good and growing.

Salinity 35ppt
PH 7.8-7.9
Alk 9.0
Cal 420
Mag 1560
No3 3ppm
Po4 .08

 

[OutsideBrian]

I’ve had zoas do that too. Talking to other people it’s just zoas being zoas

 

[Turnage]

My mag runs 1600+ and my zoa's are always open. Something else is stressing them out. Turn your lights down a bit and see if that gets them to open.

 

[intricate_reefer]

My mag runs 1600+ and my zoa's are always open. Something else is stressing them out. Turn your lights down a bit and see if that gets them to open.

Well that’s good to hear as I find my LPS really seem to like the higher mag. I don’t believe it’s lighting or flow as they are on frag racks where many others are doing well. I did try lowering the light intensity on the frag tank but nothing changed.

 

[OutsideBrian]

I have a 30+ colony of eagle eyes that will randomly close for a few days. It’s in the same spot as a few other zoa frags. I’ve never figured out why.

 

[Nanoreefboi]

My zoas opened up after I stopped using activated carbon and turning down flow.

 

[intricate_reefer]

My zoas opened up after I stopped using activated carbon and turning down flow.

I am running carbon, maybe I’ll give that a try

 

[Nanoreefboi]

I am running carbon, maybe I’ll give that a try

I don’t know the reasoning, but I think it may strip the water of nutrients

 

[rolyguy7]

I’m going to say low nitrates is the problem. I’d shoot for 10ppm nitrates.

 

[Ben little79]

When my zoas do this i peroxide did them.. Then move them to fuge in low flow.. They will usually open up with in the hour.. Even if they have been closed for days in dt..

 

[Ben little79]

I run mostly blue spectrum in fuge.. Zoas just seem to love being saturated in atinic spectrum.. They also seem to respond well to peroxide dips..

 

[Ben little79]

That midas frag was closed tight for 9 days in dt.. Moved it down to fuge yesterday morning.. 24 hours later its open.. Did not dip this one.. Sometimes they just want a change of scenery ..

 

[Ben little79]

Also visa versa.. If zoas in fuge start to act funny i move them to dt..

 

[intricate_reefer]

When my zoas do this i peroxide did them.. Then move them to fuge in low flow.. They will usually open up with in the hour.. Even if they have been closed for days in dt..

So far I’ve tried coral Rx and iodine dips. I’ll try the peroxide next. How strong do you make it 50/50?

 

[Ben little79]

I do 1 : 4 ratio water on high side

 

[Ben little79]

Just dip for a min.. Then dip in just tank water in seperate container.. Then back to tank.. You can dip longer but a min seems to work just fine.. I never dip any frags more than once a week..

 

[Ben little79]

I have had zoas close for upto a month give or take a day.. And when they finally decide to open up they bounce right back.. They might loose some color being closed tight this long.. But they always color back up in a few weeks.. They just like to be funny sometimes.. Vermithid snails .. Zoa spiders and nudis.. And even algae growth on plugs will cause them to close up..