Zoas recently closed and looking like nubs

[Bzelaznog]

My JF stargazer zoas have closed up and look like nubs. They don’t look just closed, they almost looks like they’re losing their skirts or something.

they looked similar to the purple monster zoas behind them a week or two ago. Parameters are in within normal ranges except for nitrates/phosphates. Nitrates we’re at 40 last week and phosphates at 0.2.

just tested them again, nitrates 35 and phosphates 0.18. This is after adding chaeto recently and ramping up the photoperiod.
Any advice?

 

[blaxsun]

Try to get your nitrates and phosphates down a bit. The easiest ways are: less feeding, more frequent filter sock/floss replacement and adding something like a protein skimmer (I'm assuming regular 10%/every 2 weeks water changes as well).

Anything crawling over those zoas like a snail or crab? Sometimes zoas will close up because they've been disturbed -or- they're trying to encourage reef inhabitants to clean them.

 

[Bzelaznog]

Try to get your nitrates and phosphates down a bit. The easiest ways are: less feeding, more frequent filter sock/floss replacement and adding something like a protein skimmer (I'm assuming regular 10%/every 2 weeks water changes as well).

Anything crawling over those zoas like a snail or crab? Sometimes zoas will close up because they've been disturbed -or- they're trying to encourage reef inhabitants to clean them.

Yeah I have a fleece roller that I use instead of filter socks, I’ll try replacing them more often. I got some new hermit crabs but I have not seen them crawling on the corals. They’ve been closed now for about 2 days so I feel I would’ve noticed.

my lights were on a ramping schedule over the last 3 months since I started introducing some corals. I realized this week that schedule has ended and the lights are ramped fully can it be over lighting? Last time I used a par meter that spot they are on was 130-145.

 

[blaxsun]

I have zoas that seem to do fine in all par levels - be it really low or somewhat high, so I don't think lighting is necessarily the issue. They don't appear to be "stretching" for the light, so you may just want to wait and see if there's any change or improvement over the next few days.