zoa problem in 29 gal

[Firebird1]

Hello all,
Hope someone can help - I have a problem with zoa's not opening - I have a 29 gal oceanic nano with compact lights & leds.
My water tests are all good. weekly water changes of 10%. The tank has been set up and running about 4 months; Zoa's and green mushrooms are not doing well at all; the zoa are not opening, the shrooms are wasting away. Also have green stars colony doing very good, 6 ricordia's also doing very well; I choose corals that I normally have no problems with for the tank, I have never had zoa's that would not open; even when I spot feed they crack open for a bit of color to show then close up tight again.
I have no problem with livestock, cleaner shrimp, micro stars, hermits, snails, 1 percula clown & 1 bi-color blenny in the tank, all healthy.

 

[cloak]

Have you checked them for parasites? (nudibranchs, asterina stars, sundial snails, sea spiders)

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/aeolid.shtml

http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/current-issue/article/45-reefkeeping-101-

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/sundial.shtml

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-01/rs/index.php

 

[ryeguyy84]

Did you recently change or start using gfo?

 

[ange062]

What water test kits are you using and what are the readings? Also, more specifics on the lighting (bulbs, colors, wattage, etc) would help. More info is better and may help to diagnose the problem.

 

[davidadelp]

Did you recently change or start using gfo?

just curious what would that matter? Im thinking about starting to run carbon and GFO and I have a softie, LPS and Zoa tank.

 

[ryeguyy84]

From my experiance zoas are sensitive to either the rapid decrease in phosphates or left over dust from the gfo. When I first started gfo my zoas closed for a week but came back.

 

[Firebird1]

thank you for the questions; I'll try to answer them all.
No signs of hitch-hikers or parasites - but I am not familiar with sundial snails or sea spiders.thanks for the links! I'll re-check again after lights out;
Using a standard water test kit; I buy new chemicals every year, PH 7.9 Phosphate 0; nitrate 0; KH 9; Ca 500; mag 950 ppm
lighting 36w PC and 36w blue LEDs, came standard with the nano, plus I added an additional strip of blue LEDs (hood comes with places to put xtra lighting).
Do not use gfo, but there is carbon in the filter that is used in this nano tank, I make sure to rinse the filter before installing the new filter.

 

[ryeguyy84]

I don't think it's going to do much for your zoa problem but you might want to bring your mag up a little. I shoot for 1400.