Zoa's still dying?

[Shultz]

I'm still losing various zoa's atm, but I don't know why, those that I can get out have been dipped... no nudi's found or eggs????

The ones that are dying just suddenly seem to close up, then after 3 or 4 days you can see they are rotting away???

I have about 50 different ones in the tank & I've lost 2 rocks so far with another 3 not looking good :eek2:

My nitrates did get upto 25, would this be a problem?

Other param's... Sg 35ppt... cal...450 alk...7.4 mag...1200 P04...0

I know the mag is a little low, but not major???

any help please?

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Azurel]

Do you have a test for silicates? I had an issue with silicates about a month and half ago, almost all of my zoanthids were closed and some I had bought hadn't opened in 3-4 weeks. Once I took care that issue they all began to open and flourish. Might not be your problum but a possibility. I would get some epsom salt and raise the mag up a bit to....

 

[Shultz]

Hi,

Thanks for your thoughts, I don't have a test kit for silicates, might get one this weekend if things don't improve... if that is the problem what can a use to remove them from the tank?

chemical/biological/waterchanges?

Cheers Shelton.

 

[Azurel]

I made sure my water that was being used for changes was 0 in silicates and I bought some seachem reefgel(carbon) and Phosguard and with in a week or so it was like a switch was flipped on. All of my zoanthids started to open back up, the ones I bought that had never opened in the 3-4 weeks at that time opened and were a little faded of course. Since then they have all been completely open and thriving. I just suggested that as a possibility I have no way of really knowing if it is your problem or not. I would see if your LFS will test your water for it. When I had mine tested it was the very last thing I looked for. My tank water tested above 2-3ppm. I also started to get diatoms that would over grow the zoanthids, I would have to every day blow them off with a turkey baster....Good luck..I'm sure its something in your water chemistry, it's just you have to find exactly what it is and that can be frustrating especially if things are going down hill...

 

[Shultz]

Thanks, I've got a sachet of Algone & Purigen in the sump to see if that helps?

Just thinking with the amount of Zoa's I have in my tank now it wouldn't be lack of Iodine? I do dose Reef+ twice a week & also the reccomended amount of Lugols? But I have quite a large skimmer & I also run an Ozoniser, both of which I've heard remove Iodine at quite rapid rates?

Anybody know a good Iodine test kit? I did try a salifert one a while back, but couldn't get a reading from it, though it was a secondhand one so might have gone off???

Cheers Shelton.