Are my zoas dying???

Rupture Reefer · Mar 2, 2019

Hey guys, I am new here. I'm not sure about how my zoas are doing. I have had them for one week now, and they still haven't opened. I know it can take time, bit thru don't look so good. I did have a nitrate spike, but I got that under control. They do not smell bad so I don't think they are dead, but don't know what to think about how they look. What do you guys think? (My water parameters are all good)

Crabs McJones · Mar 2, 2019

Welcome to R2R!

#WelcometoR2R
Can you post your exact parameters? What may seem good could be off and contributing to your issue. Also what lighting are they under, how much flow, and where in the tank are they?

Brad Miller · Mar 2, 2019

Welcome to home of all reef questions and answers :)
Tell us more about you tank and age, lighting, list parameters and anything that may have changed too.

Rupture Reefer · Mar 2, 2019

Hey thanks, my tank is just over 4 months old, but I have just now added corals. I am using LEDs for lighting (I'll post a pic). The zoas are in the middle of the tank (halfway up). They are getting moderate flow.
My parameters:
Nitrate: 2 ppm
Alkalinity: 144ppm
pH: 8.3
Phosphates: .04 ppm
Calcium: 450
Magnesium: 1290
Specific Gravity: 1.025

Crabs McJones · Mar 2, 2019

I would say move them to the sandbed. Blast off the algae thats growing on them with a turkey baster and move down to the sandbed and see if they improve :)

Gregg @ ADP · Mar 2, 2019

They’re not happy, but they’re not dying.

Ease them in. Move them low in the tank, preferably on the bottom, and try to place them in an area that gives them partial or reflected light at first.

It’s a big adjustment for corals going into a new (both new to them and, in this case, new to the world), and getting blasted with high intensity light that probably has a different spectral composition than what they’re accustomed to gives them an added stressor to deal with.

Conversely, corals don’t die from having low light for a few days.