Some Simple Tips for Keeping Zoanthids Happy, Healthy, and Growing Fast

[that Reef Guy]

Thanks for the article. Can you send a version of your link that works in Chrome. The link generates a 404 error.


I have trouble with high phosphate and low nitrate. I am feeding my tubastrea and Duncan corals brine shrimp, chopped scallops every one -2 days (no fish at the moment) and adding "Fuel" onece or twice a week. I have old rocks and I think they are leaching phosphate and GFO does not help.
I think that the nitrate is used up by the hair algae and bacteria that break down the unused food. I have tried some zoas but they are not growing.

Thank You

I am using Chrome.

http://zoaid.org/zoapox-zoa-pox-the-search-for-the-cause-and-cure/

Don't know why it will not work for you?

 

[that Reef Guy]

Thanks for the article. Can you send a version of your link that works in Chrome. The link generates a 404 error.


I have trouble with high phosphate and low nitrate. I am feeding my tubastrea and Duncan corals brine shrimp, chopped scallops every one -2 days (no fish at the moment) and adding "Fuel" onece or twice a week. I have old rocks and I think they are leaching phosphate and GFO does not help.
I think that the nitrate is used up by the hair algae and bacteria that break down the unused food. I have tried some zoas but they are not growing.

Give it time.

Every tank is different.

Sometimes it takes me 6 months or longer to see any growth out of a newly acquired coral.

Corals have to adjust to your tank from wherever they were before (especially if that was the ocean and not somebody else's tank).

Try to Buy Some "Named" Aquacultured Zoanthids.

They are alot easier than Wild Zoanthids from the Ocean and should grow alot faster.

 

[that Reef Guy]

These are at the top of my tank and I have some at the bottom, they are always reaching.

I wouldn't be too concerned.

They look healthy and happy.

I have alot that do that and have seen alot of other peoples tanks with Zoanthids like that.

 

[that Reef Guy]

What is Pox? Can you post a pic?

 

[Engloid]

I have seen some white dots on zoas before, when they appeared healthy. Are all spots pox? Is it maybe just not bad yet?

 

[GreensoldierUSA]

I have heard bad things about the 6 line wrasse being very aggressive is this typically true? Is there a different wrasse that you would recommend for pest that wont go after inverts? As far as those with the aptaisa I just use lemon juice and a syringe with needle and shot em up through the mouth and in the tube.

 

[xilez]

Has anyone experience Zoas moving? I have a couple different polyps that seem to be vacating their plugs and shifting on the rock... think this is related to too much flow?

 

[Cameron808]

how do you get nitrates?

I had zero nitrates for the first 6 months of my tank. I had slow zoa/pally growth and mediocre coloration despite heavy feeding.
I decided to go the "Stump Remover" route to add nitrates to my tank. This is probably the only single thing I have ever seen/used that made a quick noticeable impact on growth and coloration. I dosed to get the tank to 10ppm nitrate and within a week I noticed a difference. Within a month it was like a new tank. I only had to dose that one time and have been able to maintain 5-10ppm since. Below is what I did.

Get Spectracide Stump Remover. If you cant find that particular brand, just find one that is pure Potassium Nitrate. Add 2 tbs of spectracide to 2 cups of fresh RO/DI water. Shake and mix until clear. You wont need all of this immediately so store the rest in a safe container. This is somewhat toxic stuff so keep it away from kids and pets.
Start at 5-10ml per 24 hrs depending on your tank size until your levels begin to rise. Starting small never hurts. You don't have to get to your target levels in 1 day. You may want to discontinue any carbon or GFO use during this process but I'm not sure if that will effect it or not.

Disclaimer: Do this at your own risk. You are essentially pouring poison into your tank.
With that being said, this worked great for me as well as many others. As far as dumping poison into your tank, many other additives are equally or more (potentially) dangerous if not used properly.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I have seen some white dots on zoas before, when they appeared healthy. Are all spots pox? Is it maybe just not bad yet?

I have seen white spots that appeared to be fine before but they were smooth.

POX will Protrude Out and be Bumpy.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I have heard bad things about the 6 line wrasse being very aggressive is this typically true? Is there a different wrasse that you would recommend for pest that wont go after inverts? As far as those with the aptaisa I just use lemon juice and a syringe with needle and shot em up through the mouth and in the tube.

Yes, I have read that too.

I have had literally 14 6 Line Wrasse's Over the Years and have never had a problem with any of the 14. They kept to themselves and never bothered anybody else.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Has anyone experience Zoas moving? I have a couple different polyps that seem to be vacating their plugs and shifting on the rock... think this is related to too much flow?

Should not move.

Either they were not Glued on the plug good.

Or even worse lots of people scrape of polyps with a razor and glue them on plugs with the flesh touching the glue (Huge No No).

Always glue Rock to the Plug (Never Glue the Polyp).

The Problem is most people do not have Frag Saws which are the best way to frag so they resort to other methods of fragging that are not good like the one mentioned above.

 

[Sunshine22]

Super helpful, definitely want to try my hand at a sweet little zoa garden in a new tank and this info helped a lot.

 

[that Reef Guy]

I had zero nitrates for the first 6 months of my tank. I had slow zoa/pally growth and mediocre coloration despite heavy feeding.
I decided to go the "Stump Remover" route to add nitrates to my tank. This is probably the only single thing I have ever seen/used that made a quick noticeable impact on growth and coloration. I dosed to get the tank to 10ppm nitrate and within a week I noticed a difference. Within a month it was like a new tank. I only had to dose that one time and have been able to maintain 5-10ppm since. Below is what I did.

Get Spectracide Stump Remover. If you cant find that particular brand, just find one that is pure Potassium Nitrate. Add 2 tbs of spectracide to 2 cups of fresh RO/DI water. Shake and mix until clear. You wont need all of this immediately so store the rest in a safe container. This is somewhat toxic stuff so keep it away from kids and pets.
Start at 5-10ml per 24 hrs depending on your tank size until your levels begin to rise. Starting small never hurts. You don't have to get to your target levels in 1 day. You may want to discontinue any carbon or GFO use during this process but I'm not sure if that will effect it or not.

Disclaimer: Do this at your own risk. You are essentially pouring poison into your tank.
With that being said, this worked great for me as well as many others. As far as dumping poison into your tank, many other additives are equally or more (potentially) dangerous if not used properly.

So True.

Nitrates are not bad despite what lots of people say.

 

[that Reef Guy]

Super helpful, definitely want to try my hand at a sweet little zoa garden in a new tank and this info helped a lot.

Thanks

Your Welcome

 

[Catchemall]

So True.

Nitrates are not bad despite what lots of people say.

I've been dosing nitrate for awhile now and babies are popping up daily on my zoas

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Zoa Island since bringing nitrates up to 5ish. Very happy so far.

 

[Catchemall]

Zoa Island since bringing nitrates up to 5ish. Very happy so far.

Nice !

 

[Pola0502ds]

Should not move.

Either they were not Glued on the plug good.

Or even worse lots of people scrape of polyps with a razor and glue them on plugs with the flesh touching the glue (Huge No No).

Always glue Rock to the Plug (Never Glue the Polyp).

The Problem is most people do not have Frag Saws which are the best way to frag so they resort to other methods of fragging that are not good like the one mentioned above.

You feel a frag saw is the best way to frag zoas despite the possibility of the saw kicking up palytoxin in the air?

 

[that Reef Guy]

I've been dosing nitrate for awhile now and babies are popping up daily on my zoas

Glad to hear that

 

[that Reef Guy]

Zoa Island since bringing nitrates up to 5ish. Very happy so far.

Looks Great