Hi I am a new reef keeper

jlfnjlf

jlfnjlf

New member
Hello All,

I am about 6 weeks into reef keeping. I have a 30g tank with about 60# of live sand and 30# of live rock with some base rock under that. I am using a CPR clone hang on back refugium with the built in protein skimmer. I am also using 192W PC Aqualight, and I am using Instant Ocean salt. I am working on setting up a Kalkwasser drip for the tank as well. I have 25 hermits and 6 or so small snails in there as well. The tank has completely cycled, so I have added a few Zoanthid frags to the tank. I am watching the SG like a hawk, but one of the Zoanthids is looking droopy. Nitrates and Nitrites are almost undetectable, and the pH is running around 8 (with pH probe). I do have to confess that the Zoanthid in question had a bumpy ride home (got dropped in bag) compared to the other one.

Any advise at this time would be greatly appreciated. Oh and please feel free to comment on my setup.

Thanks,

John
 
Welcome to the addiction!

Dropping a coral into a bag isn't usually damaging at all.

How long has the Zoa in question been in your system?
Is it open?
Can you post a photo?
 
131714IMG_9958__Large_.JPG


This is the one...
 
They look like they're already opening up. Zoo's like a lot of light so try to place them up high. They should open for you within a few days. If they don't open that means they're not doing too well. Also look for white bumps or lesions, which could be pests. Good luck with the tank.
 
6 days in the tank, each day it looks droopier than the day before. The 2nd day in the tank they were all wide open and stretching up towards the light. The other frag in the tank seems to be doing just fine. All of the polyps I can see are wide open, and the colors are good.
 
I do need to glue this one down it has tipped a few times. I will be stopping by the reef shop on Cirby to get some glue from John later today.

This frag is at the highest point in the tank less than 3 inches from the surface.
 
Welcome!
Come to the next club meeting on 8/18 in Orangevale. See our MARS website for details. There is a good forum here on RC for thoseNew to the Hobby , be sure to spend some time there.

My advice, go slowly. Nothing good happens in this hobby quickly.
Enjoy the tank without fish for now to build up a stable environment free of the dreaded crypto and with a rich zooplankton population. You will not regret that. Learn and live Quarantine . Great links at the bottom of that page and a great site for research. (Hint, don't post a question there if you have not put in a good effort at finding the answer in an article already posted there)

My favorite book, The Conscientious Marine Aquarist by Bob Fenner. (who hosts the previous site) You can get it new for about $40 but it will save you a lot more than that if you read it and follow it.

Listen to everyone, but if you follow advice from a lot of different people you will get frustrated. There is a lot of collective experience in the club so make the most of free advice from people that you can see have been successful in the hobby for a long time and are not selling you something.
 
Alot of zoa's like high light not all. But I have yet to find any zoas that like still or slow moving water, and can result in a droopy looking coral.

You drop a frag, colony whatever under some bright lights or up top and you definately will see them stay closed. At least in both of my systems, 175w MH and 234w T5. I have better success starting them off at the bottom in a med/high flowing area. Then I'll move em up, once I know there aclimated to my light and system. Zoo experts will also suggest this but even more extremem, when first introducing zoa's (and alot of various corals for that matter) acclimation is much faster and opening occurs in less time when actinics are just on upon introduction.

Dont get me wrong, they can stretch out and get lanky if certain ones arent kept under strong light, but Id seriously worry bout the water quality and flow, your lights fine and you got that base covered ;)

-Justin
 
I will be joining MARS on the 18th. The on-line join the club page does not have a submit option once I filled the form. I found it knee slapping funny, but I am twisted that way.

John
 
Technical difficulites, working on it! :D You can print it out and bring it or just fill out a form there at the meeting.
 
The club is awesome, the people are great, the meetings are always helpful. I always seem to learn something new at them.
 
I am new to salt, but I think it is working well. I had to re-engineer the cup retainer, but other than that it is making nasty brown mucus, and with some adjustments not to wet just nasty.
 
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