ZOA's not opening up-solved!

[Terry Mattson]

I purchased a red sea iodine test kit. Now have it at .06 ppm.

 

[whitelightning77]

Since dosing a few drops a week of iodine as stated above, the zoas open and extend....

Are you just following the dosage on the bottles instructions?

 

[Terry Mattson]

Here are my zoas, early in the morning. Sunrise. The orange zoas on the upper rock started with one polyp. Original colony is on the sand.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Are you just following the dosage on the bottles instructions?

At first added 4 drops once a week and 2 drops mid week. Now my test kit shoes increase from .03 to .06. So I will now does 2 drops once a week and see what the test kit shows. I do small water changes daily with new salt. 1 gallion. 91 gallon total water volume without rock. I use 70 gallons when calculation dosing. Like more water volume but want to error on conservitive side. Hope this helps.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Dose

 

[Terry Mattson]

Ive been dealing with this issue for the past 2 months. Im at my witts end. Zoas not opening, however palys seem to be doing fine like my nuclear green and my pandoras. Im up for trying anything.

Let use know if the iodine helped?

 

[Leadfooted]

I've been having the EXACT same issue for a while now as well. I have Fuel coming in the mail tomorrow, which I see has Iodine in it.

This is what I use for iodine(Fuel). My LFS went into great detail on all the benefits Fuel provides. I’ve used it for about 2 years. When I run out , sometimes I don’t buy more and sure enough, in time, my zoas look weak and not happy. When I start dosing again, I usually see overnight results. I now have the biggest bottle they make in my fridge lol. Good stuff

 

[Leadfooted]

Thought I should also point out I do not dose by the instructions (for fuel) and my LFS agreed, is a bit much. I have 140 gallons of water volume. I add One large capful in both tanks (sharing the same sump), about twice a week and I get the results I like. I also soak my Reef Roids in this stuff for a few minutes before broadcasting or direct feeding. Just enough for the roids to soak up,a few drops.

 

[blasterman]

Hey, if it works it works.

I've been dosing iodine over the years and increasingly concluding it can cause more problems then benefits. Iodine fuels nuisance algae and diatom blooms, and this can aggravate problems if you aren't careful. Skimming removes iodine fast.

High levels of iodine will also make the neutral or darker tissue areas in palys and LPS like acans light in color and greyish. The color will come back, but don't be suprised if your dark green acans turn teal and light grey.

Just be prepared to stop dosing if you see come nuisance algaes come up or your water starts turning color. Frustratingly commercial salt mixes are supposed to have proper amounts of iodine but most don't.

 

[AngryMike2016]

Thanks for the pointers, they are appreciated. My ICP tests have kept showing me to be quite low on iodine, so I'm willing to give it a try for at least a little while.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Thanks for the pointers, they are appreciated. My ICP tests have kept showing me to be quite low on iodine, so I'm willing to give it a try for at least a little while.

Ya, appreciate caution. This is why I decided to cut down dosing and monitor now that I have a reading on test kit. An icp test sounds like a good idea.

 

[AngryMike2016]

I ICP test each of my tanks every three months.

 

[Terry Mattson]

I ICP test each of my tanks every three months.

ICP test is new to me. How do you go about it? Link?? And about how much does it cost.

 

[AngryMike2016]

I use ATI

Bulk Reef Supply - Making Reefing Fun and Easy

Shop top saltwater aquarium equipment at Bulk Reef Supply. We carry everything you will need for your saltwater aquarium or reef tank.

www.marinedepot.com

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Cool discussion!

 

[W1ngz]

I came across an interesting bit of information on the aquaforest site. They state that iodine breaks down quickly under strong light, so it's more effective to dose it at lights out.

 

[Terry Mattson]

Thanks for the information

 

[vetteguy53081]

Iodine works- Just be careful with it as it can be lethal or destroy coral tissue if in high concentration.

 

[fishface NJ]

I am a SPS and zoa lover. I didn't know they liked iodine. I use Red Sea Pro and the iodine level is good. I change out my water every 4 weeks I need to do an IPS test at week 3 to see where the iodine level is. Thanks for the info.

 

[mattfish]

All, I have had issues over the last 6 months of ZOA's not staying open. Sometimes for weeks and when they did open would only partially open with many of the ZOA's staying closed. All other corals are doing OK (Mushrooms, Hammer, Frogspawn, Candy Cane, Duncan, and a few other LPS). Tried all sorts of helpful information provided on Reef2Reef. Then at a new fish store in Irving TX, I discussed the issue with the owner. And he said to try adding a few drops of Iodine to the tank. He gave me Lugol's Solution from Brightwell Aquatics and ordered an iodine test kit. Added 4 drops to the tank and the next day all my ZOA's (3 colonies), over a 100 polyps were fully opened and extended. And they stay open all day . . . Wanted to share.

I will be testing for Iodine periodically and keep the level between .03 and .07 PPM ( target .05 PPM). So if your having issues with ZOA's add an Iodine test to the tool chest.

Tank is Red SEA 350 (73 gallons, 18 gallon sump). HD 26 lighting (2). SG 1.025 / 1.026. GFO. Carbon. UV. Dose Kalkwiser. Refugium. H380 light over it. PH-8. Nitrates 0. Phosphates .031. Calcium 430. DKH 7.8. Temp 78 to 80 (hot here in Texas). Use Fritz salt. Perform 1 gallon per day water change.

Your NO3 and PO4 are out of wack , you need Brightewells NeoNitro and There BioFuel, they work in sinc to get both levels to .05. Do you have Bio Bead reactor ?