Zoas closed any ideas?

[Mr.Rocc]

So i recently ran into a huge issue of GHA. Im treating it now with flucazone (or however you spell it).
Im on day 5 and all my zoas are closed. My thought is they are made because i used the toothbrush and I might have annoyed them. However they have been this way for maybe a week. any ideas?
Params
alk - 9.5
Calc - 475
Mg- 1380
PO4 - .08
NO3 - .25
Salt - 1.026 @ 35 ppm
Temp - 78

 

[Mr.Rocc]

O and I dipped them monday in brightwells coral dip.

 

[Baolong]

I have encountered this problem. Use this solve the problem, this shrimp.

.
I don't know what it name in English. you can take large number of this shrimp.
The light don't use the white or red color. Only use blue or purple UV. 1 mouth later. The algae is reduce (the shrimp less) or disappear,(the shrimp suitable）
Tips: If you have too many this shrimp and your algae is disappear. The shrimp maybe catch your small fish. Pay attention please .

 

[Mr.Rocc]

Awesome maybe I will try that thank you!!
Any other opinions?

 

[ilan84]

If your nitrate is 0,25 then it is to low. Big chance that if you dose nitrate and raise it to +/- 3ppm that the zoas are opening again. Give them some days to get fully recovered. Take a look at po4 because there is a chance that if you raise no3 that your po4 amount will reduce

 

[AntarcticIkeelu]

The algae has irritated the zoas. Once you get rid of the algae they should open back up. I would advise pulling it off with your fingers, try not to brush the zoas as you don't want to irritate them anymore than they already are.

 

[Mr.Rocc]

So guess what... well im too excited for people to answer so THEY ARE OPENING! So i took them off the rock and placed them on the frag rack. I turned my lights down and everything is doing great!

 

[Doob]

If your nitrate is 0,25 then it is to low. Big chance that if you dose nitrate and raise it to +/- 3ppm that the zoas are opening again. Give them some days to get fully recovered. Take a look at po4 because there is a chance that if you raise no3 that your po4 amount will reduce

+1. I had a gha problem in a new tank and overcorrected by dropping nutrients to undetectable levels. Then Dino's took over.

Getchyrself some nitrates in'nher and a sufficient cuc.

 

[Mr.Rocc]

What's an in'nher? @Doob

 

[bellasdad0911]

I had the same issue not to the extent that you have with algae but when they have algae on them or near them they will close and not open. Something that has worked for me 100 percent and done an amazing job at bringing back almost gone colony's to almost near perfect is a conch. I added 3 of them to my 25 lagoon and I place them right on or in front of the colony's and thy literally clean then none clean right down to the crevice and after a day or too they opened up completely. Conches are one major addition to reef and would mow that Algae down to nothing and continue to clean the polyps and bring them back to good health. Also to the nitrate point, I made the mistake of low feeding and low nuitrients in my tank and it literally shocked everything badly and starved the polyps of food. Since then I am in the process of recovery from heavier feeding and higher bioload. You have to find a good balance and a proper skimmer is key to this. With all that hair algae I would find the source of that growth and correct that..

 

[Mr.Rocc]

Well im about to buy a conch and some turbos to fix this problem as well as some scarlet.

 

[Doob]

What's an in'nher? @Doob

In'nher = in there with a heavy southern accent. [emoji12]

 

[Mr.Rocc]

Hahahahaha that's awesome! I just placed an order for 2 for my 40 cube so hopefully they help

 

[bellasdad0911]

You will be amazed at what a great job these guys do. Red legged hermits do good initially but then get lazy. Just make sure the colony's offer good access to the conch, they aren't great climbers so you have to pick them up and give them a hand

 

[Fragzilla]

Your problem is with the phosphate not the nitrate. Having a reading of 0.08ppm whilst having a algae scrubber inside your tank (algae on your frags) your true phosphate level is going to be well beyond 0.08.

Under 0.05 and Most algae species suffer. Hair algae actually thrives in any system with phosphate over 0.03 and nitrates present.

I've run numerous systems with no readable nitrate whatsoever. Never have I ever had a problem with zoas opening and also all algae was not present (visible).

Your problem is a combination of too bright lights for the high phosphate level you are running. High phosphate causes photoinhibitaton and also fuels the algae while the bright lights help the algae thrive even more and keep the zoas closed.

Looks like your on the right tracks but you should try to control your phosphate IMO as you'll just be putting band aids on forever

 

[Mr.Rocc]

I just started GFO with Fluconazole. I have phosphate RX but I dont want to change too many variables at once.
So I was wondering if high phosphates, not physically increase brightness, but make the light brighter to the organisms in the environment. Is that true? @Fragzilla