Why Zoas look great in LFS but not in my tank? I'm about to give up...

[road102]

Hello

I have tried all that I can, but whatever I do I cant keep the bright vivid colors of my Zoas.
From the pics, you will see they grow and take rocks, the center of the zoas does not lose the color but the tentacles/polyps do lose color.

This zoa had bright yellow tips/polyps but that is gone, The color is there but not what used to be

This is frustrating, I have read many posts and I have tried

- Light Adjustemnts (now is only blue @ 80% with RedReef light, but Ive tried with FLuval LEDs in the past), same happened with white lights and other zoas colonies)
- Nutrients, I have tried reef roids, supplements Fuel and Chaeto for months
-Water CHemistry, no variations, 20% water changes every other week. no phosphate or nitrate issues, ph constant in 8.0 and talk 9-10, calcium nad magnesium ok
-FLow, Ive tried low, medium and high flow. THis only seems to affect the length of the polyps but not the color

Months for each of the above settings, but nothing...

ANy other ideas before giving up the hobby?

 

[ninjamyst]

I been through this. Post all your parameters.

 

[Reefer Matt]

Don't give up. I suggest asking for the parameters of the water and lighting from who you got them from, and duplicating it. If they don't know, zoas usually like higher nitrates ~20-30 ppm, moderate flow, and par of 50 to 100. I like to keep zoas closer to the lower par side of that. Also, after you make an adjustment to the parameters, leave the tank alone for a month or two. It takes them a little while to regain their color after a correction is made.

 

[road102]

Don't give up. I suggest asking for the parameters of the water and lighting from who you got them from, and duplicating it. If they don't know, zoas usually like higher nitrates ~20-30 ppm, moderate flow, and par of 50 to 100. I like to keep zoas closer to the lower par side of that. Also, after you make an adjustment to the parameters, leave the tank alone for a month or two. It takes them a little while to regain their color after a correction is made.

I had my nitrates between 10 and 20 ppm, but I thought that was the problem and after reducing my nitrates and phosphates near zero and trying another frag, the problem happened again. Tank conditions are stable, including temperature

My LFS buys is reselling the frags, so original zoa conditions is unknown to me

I’m spinning in circles

 

[vetteguy53081]

I had my nitrates between 10 and 20 ppm, but I thought that was the problem and after reducing my nitrates and phosphates near zero and trying another frag, the problem happened again. Tank conditions are stable, including temperature

My LFS buys is reselling the frags, so original zoa conditions is unknown to me

I’m spinning in circles

Nutrients low (po4 and no3 - you want po4 at least .05 and nitrate 10-15), and calcium 4oo.
Salinity 1.025 and can be to too much light or water flow, sudden change of parameters and even use of vodka or carbon dosing that reduces nitrate quickly.
My suspect with loss of color is too little light in which they cant produce enough zooanthellae which is their color and energy source