1/2 of Zoos being taken over? Green Star polyps wont open please ID.

nolson

nolson

Member
Hello,

I have attached a few pictures. All tank parameters that I am able to test for are in line. My Zoas stopped opening about 1 1/2 weeks ago and now this morning I am noticing this purplish stuff growing on them. The green star polyps have also not been opening. I have completed two 5 gallon water changes. The tank is a bio cube 29.

Can someone please identify what this may be or what may be causing this. How would I clean off the Zoas it would be very difficult for me to move the rock they are attached to.





 
mr llimpid

mr llimpid

Member
Looks like cyno bacteria. Can you by using a turkey baster blow off the stuff? If so do that and remove it with water change. As for treating Cyno just do a search many threads on it. Good luck easy to get rid of just takes time and effort.
 
nolson

nolson

Member
I was able to blow " most " of it off with a turkey baster. Would that cause zoas not to open? Should I be considering a dip? Would that also cause Green Star Polyps not to open? I do not see any purple anywhere near them.
 
nolson

nolson

Member
Temp is 82F
Salinity is 1.024

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 20's
Calcium 360 - 380 hard to tell
KH - 9
Phosphate - appears to be 0
PH - 8.0
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
Obviously there is a water quality issue since you have some cyano.
Begin with the basics. Start by checking your top off water for TDS and ammonia.
If thats not the problem, start reviewing your husbandry skills. Read about how to do a proper water change.
Start using a reef salt if your going to keep corals - or add supplements to make up for the lack of the three key elements.
 
nolson

nolson

Member
I do not have a TDS meter so I am using a fresh set of filters and new batch of RO/DI water to potentially resolve top off issues.
I am currently using Red Sea Coral Pro salt which I am sure is a reef salt.
As far as watcher changes are concerned, I believe I pretty well have the idea, I make a batch of new saltwater, get the temperature correct, match salinity, let it mix for 24 hours and then suck up as much nasty water and stuff off the top layer of dirt as I can. Am I missing anything?
 
tthemadd1

tthemadd1

Active Member
How many fish in the tank? Could just be one spot waste collects. If it is contained to one small area blow it off with a turkey baster for a few days.
 
mr llimpid

mr llimpid

Member
Your calc, need to be raise a bit try keeping it at 420. PH is a little low for corals trying keeping around 8.1 to 8.3. Since you are keeping a reef tank I would invest in a Magnesium test kit since PH, calcium and magnesium all act on each other. Just a thought test your change water PH, I found that some batches of salt have lower PH then others.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
I agree with Mr. LLimpid,

Using brand new filters doesn't mean anything to me unless you tell me what type of filters you have and what type of chemicals your water company puts in your water. Some chemicals in the water, like Chloramine, do not get absorbed by the usual GEM coconut carbon blocks that most RO/DI units come with, and get passed through the membrane and broken down into ammonia - which gets cycled into nitrate and some chloramine even gets left behind in your water. Get a TDS meter as soon as you can - and use it as often as you check your salinity. It's very important to have high water quality, not just in your tank, but what you put into your tank.

Doing water changes might not be enough to make your calcium and alkalinity levels stay stable... you might have to start supplementing. Go slow though and start to understand the basics of aquarium chemistry. Just because your calcium is low, doesn't mean that just raising calcium will help anything. You have to also match it to the correct alkalinity level and magnesium level. All three, calcium, alkalinity and magnesium all work hand in glove to balance your water correctly. I always recommend to new hobbyists to use a quality reef salt that will add in the correct proportions of calcium, alkalinity and magnesium as necessary, without all of the testing and metering.
 
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