Having issues with zoas not opening

[Itzjustwar]

I have a few frags of Zoa‘s and they were doing great. And one day they just closed up and haven’t opened back up. It’s been about two weeks. my zoas aren’t opening, not sure what else to do to. I have dipped them, blown off all debris, moved to lower light and lower flow. I was reading you could do a chemiclean dip on them. I don’t see any zoa pox or film alage. Any ideas?

Salinity 1.026
Alk is 10.2
Nitrates 10ppm
Phosphate 0.12 ppm
Calcium 445
Magnesium 1410

 

[MossyFroggyLove]

Any new additions that might be disturbing them?

 

[Tahoe61]

Lighting type and intensity please?
Double check the SG.
Let the alk drift down.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

They seem to be placed in the corners, are you sure they are getting enough light there? What is your lighting like?

 

[Itzjustwar]

They seem to be placed in the corners, are you sure they are getting enough light there? What is your lighting like?

I have a Ai Prime 16, I just put them in the corner, thinking they were getting to much light. It’s about 100 par on sand bed where they were originally

 

[Itzjustwar]

Lighting type and intensity please?
Double check the SG.
Let the alk drift down.

Ai prime, 50-100 par on sand bed depending on area. I double checked salinity

 

[Tikki]

Might try an iodine dip and add some fresh activated carbon to your filter in case the leathers are suppressing them.

 

[Itzjustwar]

Might try an iodine dip and add some fresh activated carbon to your filter in case the leathers are suppressing them.

I was thinking maybe there was some chemical warfare going on. I did add fresh carbon 2 days ago

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I have a Ai Prime 16, I just put them in the corner, thinking they were getting to much light. It’s about 100 par on sand bed where they were originally

Personally I don't think its the light, I have AI Prime on my 15 gallon softie tank, mostly zoa's and mushrooms, set at 85%, prime is a good light for zoa's IMO, I'm skeptical of the lighting and its not your parameters either IMO.

What kind of inverts do you have? Any bumblebee shrimps or cowrie snails?

 

[Itzjustwar]

Personally I don't think its the light, I have AI Prime on my 15 gallon softie tank, mostly zoa's and mushrooms, set at 85%, prime is a good light for zoa's IMO, I'm skeptical of the lighting and its not your parameters either IMO.

What kind of inverts do you have? Any bumblebee shrimps or cowrie snails?

I only have a few astrena snails and a scarlet hermits. I have my lights set to like 50%. But had it tested with a PAR meter, it’s a shallow tank

 

[Tahoe61]

Take one frag and dip it in a hydrogen peroxid dilution.
Take another and move it a higher place with a higher par.
Are you dosing, how are you maintaining that alk value?

At night look for
Sea Spiders
Asterina Stars
Zoanthid eating Nudibrach

 

[Itzjustwar]

Take one frag and dip it in a hydrogen peroxid dilution.
Take another and move it a higher place with a higher par.
Are you dosing, how are you maintaining that alk value?

At night look for
Sea Spiders
Asterina Stars
Zoanthid eating Nudibrach

I’m dosing kalkwasser via ATO, and mag. My magnesium was super low (1200) my alk is usually around 9. So when I raise my magnesium my alkalinity went up. It’s a new tank. I’ve dipped everything before it went into the tank. But I have looked for pest just incase

 

[Tahoe61]

In a new smaller tank you do not need to dose kalk.
Magnesium test are often inaccurate.
Water changes are all you really need at this point.
I suggest you consider using All For Reef if you feel you need to dose. AFR will supply everything you need in one product.

 

[Bruttall]

Small Tank do a full water change. check your carbon, make sure it is in a high flow area. You Alk is a little high, 8 to 9 is what my zoa's seem to like best, also your Nitrates and Phos are off a bit, not terrible but Zoa's like a bit more Nitrate NO3 and a little less Phos PO4 wouldn't hurt, I aim for .05 to .08 po4 and 40ppm no3.
Some people call this the Dirty Tank Philosophy but those softies do amazing in this environment.

Also keep an eye on your Iodine, Zoa's like Iodine like Kenya Tree's do. After the water change I would look into All4Reef to dose trace elements. then just do a 20% water change every month if that's in your budget. In a month or two you should notice a big difference in your tank.

Good Luck