Zoas shrinking away....

TheEngineer · Dec 9, 2015

I can't figure out what's going on. My zoas were all looking great, but they are almost all starting to slowly shrink. All were peroxide dipped before going into the tank and I dipped the ones showing signs of trouble in Revive yesterday. Alk is at 9, pH is 8.1, temp is 78.5, salinity is 1.023. I just ordered a mag and cal test kit. I need to test nitrate, but it has been 0 since my cycle ended. Only 1 fish in the tank.

I discovered the dimming channel for intensity on my controller wasn't working so the light level has been low for a couple of weeks (at least). I'm manually setting it now.

Any ideas as to what this is? I don't see spots on any of them. The ones that are shrunken look fine other than being small. I don't see any algae on them. One was near a spaghetti worm, so I moved it away from it.

joshkirkland83 · Dec 9, 2015

Whats your phosphate? Some zoas like dirty water too. Also could be the lights. There is a lot of factors here.

TheEngineer · Dec 9, 2015

I don't have a phosphate test kit, so I'm not sure. Agreed on the multiple factors.... makes this a hard thing to fix.

twilliard · Dec 9, 2015

Yup they love no3 also!
I would leave them be and no more dips. It will just stress them more.
Is the lighting now set back to normal?

TheEngineer · Dec 9, 2015

It is set as close as I can guess to normal. I have to use the dials to set it.

twilliard · Dec 9, 2015

Also with just 1 fish may be a lack of nutrients for them

TheEngineer · Dec 9, 2015

That's a good thought too. I could turn off the skimmer.

nervousmonkey · Dec 9, 2015

Agreed with @twilliard .. Just leave them alone for a while, they should be OK. Mine don't like when I dip them in H2O2 and CoralRX for a day or so, but they will open back up. The light is super important to get right, but don't keep messing with it. They don't like light always changing on them. Mine close up if I dial up or down on any channel for a week or so. I just did a zoa dip last night with peroxide and CoralRX to clean hair algae off, used a toothbrush to clean 'em and they are fully open today.
Yours will be fine if you just put them somewhere they can get consistent light and consistent water quality, whether it's high NO3 and PO4 (3-), or zero levels, as long as your levels stay consistent. That's what makes mine happy anyway....

TheEngineer · Dec 10, 2015

Now new colonies are looking bad today that were fine yesterday. It has to be something systemic, no?

Some polyps looks like they have a thin film of something greenish brown over them. It is very faint though.

wish · Dec 10, 2015

You might want to double check your salinity if you can bc they don't like anything above 1.025
It's cold so we have the heat on and my top off is go crazy in the winter.

TheEngineer · Dec 10, 2015

The calibration on my refractometer could be off, but it is showing 1.023. I have an ATO so it shouldn't be an evap problem.

Let me look up a DIY calibration fluid. Or maybe I'll just run to the LFS and get some.

wish · Dec 10, 2015

Some people just use distilled water to zero out

TheEngineer · Dec 10, 2015

Just made a batch of Randy's calibration fluid. It is just about spot on. My tank is a little low at around 1.024, but that isn't drastically off. I can bring that up a bit.

wish · Dec 10, 2015

ok I will just leave it alone like everyone mention above.
Try not to over feed if you have been feeding a lot lately.

TheEngineer · Dec 10, 2015

I only have the one fish. I feed her a pinch a few times a day.

twilliard · Dec 10, 2015

I know this may sound odd but have you thought about using chemiclean?
Its an anti bacterial

TheEngineer · Dec 10, 2015

Hmmm. I hadn't. I can go grab some if you think it is worth a try.

twilliard · Dec 10, 2015

Its amazing stuff to a point.
But from what i have been reading here, and the slow loss of zoanthids this is something i would try.

TheEngineer · Dec 10, 2015

Heading to the store now...

TheEngineer · Dec 11, 2015

I added the chemiclean last night. This morning some polyps that were closed yesterday are open, but now others that were opened are closed. I'll take that as a positive sign.