My guess is the alkalinity for sure. My zoas crashed before because I did water changes but no top offs. So my levels just rose up because I was adding more alkalinity and salts but did not add fresh di water from evaporation. Since then my alkalinity is typically at 11-12 but everything else is steady and all of my softies love it. Are you using rodi when you do water changes or tap water? Tap water can have copper or other harmful chemicals in it.
Why are my eagle eye zoas dying? Please help.
- Thread starter Polypnewbie
- Start date
shifty51008
12-5 Chiefs record
Lights arnt causeing them to die off like that but that deff isnt enough light, its only 10 watts.
Polypnewbie
New member
I think I do tend to neglect top offs more than I should. So I should work on that. It may sound odd, but I use aquafina water rather than tap water. As for the lighting, the type of high output led that I have is "50% brighter than T5 HO fluorescent fixtures", according to its description.
shifty51008
12-5 Chiefs record
The only way to tell if aquafina is decent is to check with a tds meter. I have seen some bottled water that had higher tds than tap. You can buy ro water at walmart for a couple bucks for 5 gal. There is usually a water machine in the back
Im not an expert on leds but when zoas have long stalks like that its because they need more light. You may wanna ask about the light in the lighting forum.
Im not an expert on leds but when zoas have long stalks like that its because they need more light. You may wanna ask about the light in the lighting forum.
CStrickland
New member
Neither Aquafina nor RO drinking water are intended to be pure h20. They have plenty of non-reef approved stuff in them for flavor, and to save on filters cause it's expensive. If you are goin to buy water, "distilled" is ok because that is for steam irons and stuff where evaping and concentrating minerals and metals would be a problem. You can get a tds meter to check that the water was made right, hasn't picked up copper from the pipes etc. but all it gives you is a number, which could be all copper or something not-bad. Tds just tells you if the filter is working, not whether the water is safe.
That light has 12 x 1 watt and 6 x .5 watt LEDs. My cheap light has 165w per 24" of tank. Maybe you could move the corals up higher and see if they like it? I agree they look stretched a little.
I change 10% water weekly. I think it's better to spread them out for stability, but after a year I'll prolly back off to 10% every other week and see how it goes.
Also, do you have any powerheads in there to move the water?
That light has 12 x 1 watt and 6 x .5 watt LEDs. My cheap light has 165w per 24" of tank. Maybe you could move the corals up higher and see if they like it? I agree they look stretched a little.
I change 10% water weekly. I think it's better to spread them out for stability, but after a year I'll prolly back off to 10% every other week and see how it goes.
Also, do you have any powerheads in there to move the water?
Polypnewbie
New member
I have one power head. The stalks did stretch because unfortunately the fish store I bought the polyps from had the rock on its "side". By side I mean it was wedged sideways in a larger rock. There was no way to keep it like that in my tank though I did try; I ran into a number of difficulties. So I had to turn it right side up, causing the stalks to have to slightly reorient in May. Ironically everything thrived for quite a while all over the front of the rock until these past occurrences.
I was wondering if keeping the tank less filled with water might allow the light to have more intensity in reaching the polyps?
I was wondering if keeping the tank less filled with water might allow the light to have more intensity in reaching the polyps?
Polypnewbie
New member
I posted a response but it didn't seem to go through. I have one power head. The polyps are sadly stretched upward. The fish store had it wedged sideways into another rock which I could not replicate at home. So the polyps reoriented and grew upright in May. (I tried to avoid it but couldn't)
I took out the rock today and took a picture of how a few of the polyps are turning black. This has been the consistent precursor to them dying and disappearing within days. The picture should be attached.
After I took the picture, I tried gently scraping at the black polyps. Then more harshly. It shockingly came off almost like it was black tar. I don't know if this is another type of crazy algae that can sort of smother the polyps. Or if it's a coincidence and not what's causing them to die off.
I cleaned the tank of algae today. Added top off water. Added the reef1 and 2 alkalinity and calcium booster. My plan is to keep checking the alkalinity daily. I hope it keeps going up and the polyps improve.
I took out the rock today and took a picture of how a few of the polyps are turning black. This has been the consistent precursor to them dying and disappearing within days. The picture should be attached.
After I took the picture, I tried gently scraping at the black polyps. Then more harshly. It shockingly came off almost like it was black tar. I don't know if this is another type of crazy algae that can sort of smother the polyps. Or if it's a coincidence and not what's causing them to die off.
I cleaned the tank of algae today. Added top off water. Added the reef1 and 2 alkalinity and calcium booster. My plan is to keep checking the alkalinity daily. I hope it keeps going up and the polyps improve.
Attachments
Polypnewbie
New member
Update
Update
My polyps have improved from the changes made. At the moment, it seems that mostly it was the alkalinity level being too low that was the problem. I'm going to try to post 2 pictures later.
Update
My polyps have improved from the changes made. At the moment, it seems that mostly it was the alkalinity level being too low that was the problem. I'm going to try to post 2 pictures later.
Polypnewbie
New member
Polypnewbie
New member
toothybugs
New member
What are you up to now?
Polypnewbie
New member
Changes ultimately failed--please help--update
Changes ultimately failed--please help--update
I woke up this morning to find the polyps doing poorly. I had recently ordered a magnesium supplement and test kit. For the first time I tested the magnesium and it was at 960. I added one dose of the tech m magnesium supplement, but the rapid decline is still continuing.
Also, petco I told me I could dose more than the regular amount of reef fusion 1 and 2 if things were off. And things have been off. At first, the alkalinity raised to 7, now it's back down to 6, even with double dosing daily.
Also most disturbingly, the center circle of each of the polyps has become a raised bump. This definitely does not seem healthy. Two of the stalks in the front seem to have collapsed since morning. I keep testing. And nothing else is off. I just don't know what to do. The weird black stuff almost seems to be growing on the polyps from inside the rock out.
Changes ultimately failed--please help--update
I woke up this morning to find the polyps doing poorly. I had recently ordered a magnesium supplement and test kit. For the first time I tested the magnesium and it was at 960. I added one dose of the tech m magnesium supplement, but the rapid decline is still continuing.
Also, petco I told me I could dose more than the regular amount of reef fusion 1 and 2 if things were off. And things have been off. At first, the alkalinity raised to 7, now it's back down to 6, even with double dosing daily.
Also most disturbingly, the center circle of each of the polyps has become a raised bump. This definitely does not seem healthy. Two of the stalks in the front seem to have collapsed since morning. I keep testing. And nothing else is off. I just don't know what to do. The weird black stuff almost seems to be growing on the polyps from inside the rock out.
Attachments
happyhourhero
New member
What type of salt mix are you using? You should really find a source for reverse osmosis deionized water for your top offs and to mix your salt with. It will probably be cheaper than aquafina. If it were me in your shoes, it would do some water changes with a quality salt mix and get my parameters in check. I would not start buying a bunch of stuff to dose. A quality salt mix will get your alk and mg where it needs to be.
Why not just do a series of small water changes 10-20% daily till you exchange all the water out. That would be my first course of action. I would strongly suggest looking into a reef calculator to figure out how to get your CA/ALK/MG into acceptable ranges and striving to keep them consistent. It seems like things are fluctuating and its stressing the zoas out. Also I would look into putting another powerhead in their. I would look into getting another powerhead as well.
Polypnewbie
New member
Polyps near death
Polyps near death
I tried every suggestion. Nothing has staved off this last wave of quick death wiping out my polyps. There are about 12 left. Maybe 4 of them open up all the way. The others only open up about halfway, scrunched up with just the tips of their green tentacles showing. At this rate, the whole colony will be dead in a week. I have no idea why. Someone mentioned the summer heat temperature fluctuation, but today is cooler and still there is deterioration in their condition. I just did a water change. Gently wiped off the black "algae" that keeps growing on them. Added the supplements. No good.
I alternated in the past between adding supplements and no supplements. High position in the tank verses old position. Different salinity levels.
It's hard for me to accept its over, but I don't know what else to. For the next week, I'm just going to turn on the light and leave it at that. I'm hoping if I leave the tank alone it will reach some sort of equilibrium, instead of trying to fight off this inexplicable downfall.
Polyps near death
I tried every suggestion. Nothing has staved off this last wave of quick death wiping out my polyps. There are about 12 left. Maybe 4 of them open up all the way. The others only open up about halfway, scrunched up with just the tips of their green tentacles showing. At this rate, the whole colony will be dead in a week. I have no idea why. Someone mentioned the summer heat temperature fluctuation, but today is cooler and still there is deterioration in their condition. I just did a water change. Gently wiped off the black "algae" that keeps growing on them. Added the supplements. No good.
I alternated in the past between adding supplements and no supplements. High position in the tank verses old position. Different salinity levels.
It's hard for me to accept its over, but I don't know what else to. For the next week, I'm just going to turn on the light and leave it at that. I'm hoping if I leave the tank alone it will reach some sort of equilibrium, instead of trying to fight off this inexplicable downfall.
Polypnewbie
New member
Measurement rethinking
Measurement rethinking
Ok. I tested everything for the last time.
Ph 8.25
Alkalinity 6.5
Calcium 380
Magnesium 990
Iodine .005
Nitrate, nitrite and ammonia all safe levels
Salinity 1.023
It seems like I might as well keep adding the supplements anyway. Everything is a little under with the exception of grave deficiencies of magnesium and iodine.
And I'm thinking of adding a daily dose of iodine so long as a I check it daily considering it should be .06 and mine is way way off.
If anyone has any input, I'd really appreciate it.
Measurement rethinking
Ok. I tested everything for the last time.
Ph 8.25
Alkalinity 6.5
Calcium 380
Magnesium 990
Iodine .005
Nitrate, nitrite and ammonia all safe levels
Salinity 1.023
It seems like I might as well keep adding the supplements anyway. Everything is a little under with the exception of grave deficiencies of magnesium and iodine.
And I'm thinking of adding a daily dose of iodine so long as a I check it daily considering it should be .06 and mine is way way off.
If anyone has any input, I'd really appreciate it.
happyhourhero
New member
I stand by my post above. You shouldn't be needing to dose anything at all. Ro/di source water mixed with a quality salt mix for at least 24 hours before going into your tank. Slowly get your sg to 1.025. Your salt mix and couple of water changes should bring all your lvls to where they need to be. As for the black algae, I have no idea.
CStrickland
New member
+1
Your salt mix has a whole bunch of stuff that you can't test for. Iodine, mg, ca, alk are just part of the picture. I would think that if you are low in them you might be low in strontium, potassium, etc. so just adding back the ones you can test for doesn't seem like a good way to go. I keep my tank at 1.026, fish don't care as much but coral do and that's what they like. I guessing your black stuff is expelled zooxanthellae (sp.)
It may be that your zoa have just been through too many swings and changes. I hope this doesn't discourage you from trying again when you have decent water and lights. It's a big learning curve but you'll get there if you keep trying
Edit: I don't agree with all of the above post. I just mix my salt until it isn't cloudy anymore. I haven't seen much support for the 24 hours thing and when I tried it with my instant ocean salt the test results quit changing after 20 minutes. I think they make the salt better now so you don't have to bother with that anymore.
Your salt mix has a whole bunch of stuff that you can't test for. Iodine, mg, ca, alk are just part of the picture. I would think that if you are low in them you might be low in strontium, potassium, etc. so just adding back the ones you can test for doesn't seem like a good way to go. I keep my tank at 1.026, fish don't care as much but coral do and that's what they like. I guessing your black stuff is expelled zooxanthellae (sp.)
It may be that your zoa have just been through too many swings and changes. I hope this doesn't discourage you from trying again when you have decent water and lights. It's a big learning curve but you'll get there if you keep trying
Edit: I don't agree with all of the above post. I just mix my salt until it isn't cloudy anymore. I haven't seen much support for the 24 hours thing and when I tried it with my instant ocean salt the test results quit changing after 20 minutes. I think they make the salt better now so you don't have to bother with that anymore.
Last edited:
Dkuhlmann
New member
There is no reason for you to have to be dosing anything with what little you have in your tank. I would do the following.
Get some RODI water (your lfs should be able to sell you some)
Do 2 50% water changes a week apart then test after each wc.
It's very odd that you are dosing anything because you don't have anything in the tank that would eat the nutrients from the salt. I'm baffled that you are going through this with a tank with two rocks and a few zoa's. You shouldn't be having this issue if using good water and a quality salt mix.
Get some RODI water (your lfs should be able to sell you some)
Do 2 50% water changes a week apart then test after each wc.
It's very odd that you are dosing anything because you don't have anything in the tank that would eat the nutrients from the salt. I'm baffled that you are going through this with a tank with two rocks and a few zoa's. You shouldn't be having this issue if using good water and a quality salt mix.
