Need a little help...

[zoafarm]

I have a predominately zoa/paly tank (approx. 40 gal - 10" deep - bare bottom). The tank is plumbed to a 55 gal refugium (Live Rock, Cheato, Red Mangrove, and a little sand). The refugium is plumbed to a rubbermaid 50 gal stock tank (additional water volume and ETSS 800 skimmer).

Lighting:

Two 150w MH 14K (seperate timers 2.5 hours each) One provides light to the whole tank. Also, 18 RB / 6 B Led supplemental (8 hrs). All lights are 14" above water line.

The system gets a 5 to 10 percent WC weekly. I dose approximately 3 drops of lugols per month. No, I don't test. I know...bad. My parameters are as follow:

Salinity: 1.024-.025
Temp: 78
Alk: 8
Cal: 380
Mg: Haven't tested in a while
Nitrate: ~.10
Phosphate: ~.07 (I think) (Hanna .06 to 1.3) I've tested multiple times and it's all over the place.

Now the issue. My polyps seem to be smaller and not as healthy as they should be. Some look good, while other are melting. Originally, I thought it was my phosphates. So I did two 10%+ (30 gal) WCs over two days. Next, I added GFO...ran it for approximately 5 days. This did not seem to have much effect. So next, I tried Phosguard. I ran this approximately 5 days. This caused many of my zoas to close up and Acans shrunk up...some frags never recovered. Again I tried, increased water changes. Acans are still shrunk up some and my zoas are opening back up but still small looking. What's up with Phosguard?

So, what am I missing? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've been fighting this for the better part of 5 months. Oh yeah. little to no growth either. Can't seem to solve this. :headwalls:

Thank You in advance!

 

[A. Grandis]

You could lower your "salinity" gradually to 1.023. very slowly, if you want. It's not a big deal!!

Please test your Mg! Should be ~ 1.350 +.

Just forget any of those phosphate removers, once for all!!
How many billion times do I have to tell you guys?! LOL!!!!
:hammer::reading:

No problem with dosing the Lugol's at that rate, but not necessary either.
Potassium iodide is a better way to dose iodine. I use the Seachem's.

Are the polyps open?
Try to feed them dry coral food, like Coral Frenzy and Reef Chili.:thumbsup:
Good luck!

Grandis.

 

[zoafarm]

Grandis...Thank you for your help. I will try dropping my salinity a bit over the next couple weeks. I will test my Mg tonight before I go to bed. Also, I will order some Coral Frenzy or Reef Chili with my next salt order. I do feed frozen rotifers, but I will try the other.

Thanks again!

 

[A. Grandis]

Grandis...Thank you for your help. I will try dropping my salinity a bit over the next couple weeks. I will test my Mg tonight before I go to bed. Also, I will order some Coral Frenzy or Reef Chili with my next salt order. I do feed frozen rotifers, but I will try the other.

Thanks again!

You're very welcome!
Your phosphates are probably coming mainly from the frozen rotifers.
Change to dry coral foods to minimize the input. That would be a god beginning.
You don't need to feed particles to the zoanthids that much either!!!
Remember: the polyps can ingest/digest only a certain/maximum volume of food particles anyway. Too much of any food will only have negative effects on the system, as a whole.
I feed my system only every week or every other week now and they're just great!!
Main thing is to have a quality light/water chemistry and balanced/stable maintenance schedule. Stability in the long run!!
Feeding is just part of that schedule, just part of it!

Notice: all the people who have a wonderful report about their zoas are those who just don't do much for them (?). Those people "leave them alone" and are doing (many times accidentally) what the zoas need, keeping stable parameters and wonderful quality light/water chemistry for their SPS/LPS corals.
The zoas just take a ride on that wonderful system!! That's a good example to paint the picture here.

Your Acans will love you for the dry food also!!!!

Grandis.