Zoas closed up

[kobe6710]

My zoas recently haven’t been opening up all the way.

Recent changes:

-Nitrate has dropped to unreadable levels (API)- I will get a better kit for testing nitrates soon. No changes to the tank so not sure why this developed, tank is 10 months old.

-Put a diffuser/shade on my RedSea 90wLED. People usually report lower PAR readings, but my Photone app read higher readings with the diffuser. I don’t thing they are accurate at all but they do increase when light intensity is raised or lowered.

Do the zoas look closed due to low nutrients or too much / not enough light?

 

[Uncle99]

Not too much or too less, but you changed light intensity and its blend with the diffuser.

That’s ok but It will take a week, maybe two of no changes for the coral to adapt its photosynthetic process to the new diffused light.

API is not a good judge of anything. Undetectable nitrates if true is a low marker for zooanthids, but will take months to make them close and shrink.

Should be running 5-10ppm and phosphate 0.1ppm so things don’t starve.

 

[kobe6710]

Picture failed to post earlier

 

[kobe6710]

Not too much or too less, but you changed light intensity and its blend with the diffuser.

That’s ok but It will take a week, maybe two of no changes for the coral to adapt its photosynthetic process to the new diffused light.

API is not a good judge of anything. Undetectable nitrates if true is a low marker for zooanthids, but will take months to make them close and shrink.

Should be running 5-10ppm and phosphate 0.1ppm so things don’t starve.

Is there a way I can dose weekly for nitrates? Can’t seem to find anything… I dose AFR weekly and was trying to avoid buying a dosing pump. Increasing AB+ feeding but still no nitrates yet. I’m not home very frequently so I don’t want the coral to starve if I’m gone for a long period of time.

 

[Justfebreezeit]

Yes a premade product Brightwell Neo Nitrate works well enough.

You can diy a dosing solution as well for much cheaper. If you search the forums or will come up.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I don't see the closed zoa in the picture, which ones are struggling?

 

[DSC reef]

I wouldn't start dosing or making drastic changes, chasing numbers can cause more harm than good because usually changes are made too fast. Your zoas dont look bad. I could see if they closed up for a week or 2 but that seems like normal coral stuff. I liked salifert for testing and Hannah for alk, pretty reliable readings in my opinion. If you truly have zero nitrates I'd try feeding a little more, slow changes.

 

[Uncle99]

Is there a way I can dose weekly for nitrates? Can’t seem to find anything… I dose AFR weekly and was trying to avoid buying a dosing pump. Increasing AB+ feeding but still no nitrates yet. I’m not home very frequently so I don’t want the coral to starve if I’m gone for a long period of time.

Yes, but with a 10 month old tank, I’d bet your test is wrong.
I’d try another nitrate test like salifert before I started dosing.
It’s hard to get zero 10 months in.
Your corals look fine and I’d touch nothing.

 

[Chessmanmark]

Zoas like water that is dirtier than parameters for SPS. They also like a little iodine and feedings like Reef Roids. Generally the nicer the zoa the slower it grows. The tricky part is finding the right placement as some like high light, but most like lower light.