Unhappy Zoas

[Austin317]

Hi, I am new here so I hope this is the way I am supposed to do this... First post

I have a Waterbox P25 Mini that I just set it up back in January. The tank is sufficiently cycled and I have my first few tank mates inside. I added a few Acan Lords to start, which are doing great, and then picked up a few zoa frags. For some reason, I just cannot get my zoas to open all the way.... They will open partially for a little bit and then close back up for no reason. I have had them for about a week. They are in on a rock on the sand bed under ≈80 - 100 PAR with low - medium flow. My water chemistry is:

- Temperature: 79.5
- Salinity: 1.025
- Ammonia: 0
- Nitrite: 0
- Nitrate: 0
- PH: 8.0
- Calcium: 430
- Magnesium: 1260
- Alkalinity: 9.1

I thought that it might be my Nitrate bottoming out, but thought I would post to get some thoughts as this seems like a great community resource. Any feedback on this would be greatly appreciated!

 

[GoVols]

Yeah,
To rule out water chemistry:

Raise up your nitrates and they need phosphates as well

If you are testing with API?

Grab Salifert Nitrate and Phosphate kits

It may be good to lower and hold your alk close to 8.0 dKH

 

[Austin317]

Yeah,
To rule out water chemistry:

Raise up your nitrates and they need phosphates as well

If you are testing with API?

Grab Salifert Nitrate and Phosphate kits

It may be good to lower and hold your alk close to 8.0 dKH

Thanks for the response. I’ve been testing the basic 4 with API and then MG, KH and CA with salifert. Don’t have a phosphate test so I’ll grab one of those. What’s the best way to raise nitrates in a controlled manner in your experience? Just feed more?

 

[GoVols]

Thanks for the response. I’ve been testing the basic 4 with API and then MG, KH and CA with salifert. Don’t have a phosphate test so I’ll grab one of those. What’s the best way to raise nitrates in a controlled manner in your experience? Just feed more?

You don’t want to overfeed, then have left over food rotting.

This should do the job

Seachem - Flourish Nitrogen

seachem.com

Or dose some Neo-Nitro

 

[Austin317]

You don’t want to overfeed, then have left over food rotting.

This should do the job

Seachem - Flourish Nitrogen

seachem.com

Or dose some Neo-Nitro

Thanks for the link! That stuff is reef safe and not just for freshwater? Everywhere else I have looked says just to feed more, which didn’t sound like a great idea so I appreciate the insight.

 

[GoVols]

Thanks for the link! That stuff is reef safe and not just for freshwater? Everywhere else I have looked says just to feed more, which didn’t sound like a great idea so I appreciate the insight.

Yes,
It is reef safe

 

[Austin317]

Yes,
It is reef safe

Thanks for taking the time

 

[Austin317]

Yes,
It is reef safe

Bought some neo nitro as it appeared I could calculate the exact amount to add based on water volume. We'll see how it helps. Appreciate the advice!

 

[evrydayzawrkday]

Bought some neo nitro as it appeared I could calculate the exact amount to add based on water volume. We'll see how it helps. Appreciate the advice!

When I started my original reef tank I had some issues with Nitrates bottoming out randomly, so neo nitro is what I used. Just be careful to not be too heavy with the dosing, but otherwise it works well.

 

[Austin317]

When I started my original reef tank I had some issues with Nitrates bottoming out randomly, so neo nitro is what I used. Just be careful to not be too heavy with the dosing, but otherwise it works well.

Thanks for the heads up. I dosed the neo nitro two nights ago and immediately tested after an hour and my NO3 is right at 5ppm. I tested again last night, 24 hours later and I am at 7ppm so I think I am right in the perfect range now. My zoas seem like they are already opening up a bit more, but how long do you think it should take to adjust to the NO3 and fully open, assuming this was the issue?

 

[evrydayzawrkday]

Thanks for the heads up. I dosed the neo nitro two nights ago and immediately tested after an hour and my NO3 is right at 5ppm. I tested again last night, 24 hours later and I am at 7ppm so I think I am right in the perfect range now. My zoas seem like they are already opening up a bit more, but how long do you think it should take to adjust to the NO3 and fully open, assuming this was the issue?

It can be anywhere from a few days to a week or so. Try to keep nitrates between 5-10, as that is where I have had to best experience. I normally hover around 10 with phos at .02. No issues.

 

[Austin317]

Awesome! Great feedback. Ill report back as I continue to see progress. Appreciate the insight.

 

[evrydayzawrkday]

Awesome! Great feedback. Ill report back as I continue to see progress. Appreciate the insight.

No worries! I am returning to the hobby after a 10 year break, and man so much has changed. My goal currently is to have a GSP sandbed, lower / middle layer be paly/zoa and upper be some really nice branching SPS.

So far I have ~12 different types of Zoa / Paly within my tank. Have had the best luck with the bambam zoa, which has taken off recently (from 3 heads to 16 in two months).

 

[Justdrew]

No worries! I am returning to the hobby after a 10 year break, and man so much has changed. My goal currently is to have a GSP sandbed, lower / middle layer be paly/zoa and upper be some really nice branching SPS.

So far I have ~12 different types of Zoa / Paly within my tank. Have had the best luck with the bambam zoa, which has taken off recently (from 3 heads to 16 in two months).

Bambam grow crazy fast and can smother out other Zoa. Protect your favorites.

 

[evrydayzawrkday]

Bambam grow crazy fast and can smother out other Zoa. Protect your favorites.

Good to know! I have them all on their own at the base of a rock arch thing I made. If they get out of control, ill snap the rock and replace the base with some live rock.

 

[Austin317]

No worries! I am returning to the hobby after a 10 year break, and man so much has changed. My goal currently is to have a GSP sandbed, lower / middle layer be paly/zoa and upper be some really nice branching SPS.

So far I have ~12 different types of Zoa / Paly within my tank. Have had the best luck with the bambam zoa, which has taken off recently (from 3 heads to 16 in two months).

I am in the same exact boat. TONS has changed. Crazy how expensive Tangs and Euphylia are now... NUTS! I am excited to have a tank again though... such a fun hobby.

 

[evrydayzawrkday]

I am in the same exact boat. TONS has changed. Crazy how expensive Tangs and Euphylia are now... NUTS! I am excited to have a tank again though... such a fun hobby.

Man, back in 2012 I got my first yellow tang from Petco for 15 bucks, and around 50 pounds of real live rock (with actual hitchhikers, stupid bristle worm stuck the crap out of me) for around 100 bucks.

..... Now everything is pretty expensive, and I have a bloody computer running my tank lol.

 

[Austin317]

UPDATE: I dosed neonitro and neophos as both my nitrate and phosphate were bottomed out. Nitrates have been consistent around 5ppm but I still can’t get my phosphate to register. I am using the salifert test kit. Per the neophos instructions, I have added 1.75ml to the tank based on the recommended math of tank volume (23 gallons) x ppm increase desired (.02) x 3.785 = 1.75ml. Thoughts on why this might be happening. The neophos instructions say something about carbon locked, but I’m not sure exactly what that means… any feedback is appreciated!