Issue with Zoas / palys.

[lolgranny]

Hey guys!

So over the past few months ive had a few higher end zoas. They have been doing quite well and have grown from 2 polyps to about 10. Once this happens it seems that the polyps become ****ed off and start to get a green fungus looking mat on it. Some stay closed for a few days, others just disappear.

All my levels are in check
alk=8.6-9
ca=440
mg=1400
salinity=1.026
temp=78-81
po4=0.06(hanna, i know its higher then i would like but i havent been able to lower for the life of me)
no3=0

its bare bottom, high flow. Medium / random where the zoas are.
They are sitting in low light.

Im boggles, my sps are thriving with amazing colors and growth. The zoas grow then kaput.

Thoughts?

Thanks all
Hope everyone is enjoying this awesome weather
Dave

 

[jayjigga]

I'm no expert, but I've read that the clean water that is making your sps thrive would be the reason why zoas/palys might not be as happy. "Dirtier" water is more their preference, so getting that balance between the two sweet spots is always a challenge. Just MHO...I'm still a noob.

 

[lolgranny]

What you said makes complete sense to me. I think i might bring them over to a friends house to keep them until i can get a zoa tank up.

 

[bocochoco]

My zoos thrive around 10-15ppm nitrates and when I reduce them to zero they shrivel up and or lose color

 

[Cubbies]

Although I will say that there are reefs that are cleaner than you can clean and still have thriving Zoanthids I have to agree with the rest. Probably too clean of water.

 

[elite01]

I got a small colony completely closed up and some were melting away. So I started vitamin c dosing about 1 month ago and can definitely see a difference. Polyps are open wide no browning, and they're even budding off. Just my experience hth.

 

[Dre59]

I have room if you need me to hold them...

 

[Jeff]

In my experience zoas do not prefer "dirty" water, they simply tolerate it more then some other corals. My nutrients are always rock bottom and my softies do better then my sps.

 

[mystery_reef]

Look into Zoa pox and Zoa nudis.

 

[xabbasx7]

the same problem I had with my 29 gallon,, & my nitrates were at 0.

my skimmer is for 60 gallon tank & they been keeping nitrates at a solid 0.

I noticed slight improvement after feeding more in attempt to increase nitrates.

but do let us know how they improve if you decide to go in that direction of increasing nitrates.