Zoanthids starting to die

[kevin haynes]

I recently bought new zoanthids about a week ago and I know they are supposed to be hardy coral so I didn't think I would have a problem. But now barely any of them are opening and I think there are a few dead ones. My parameters are not great but I don't know how to fix them

Magnesium 1410ppm
Alk 8.7 DKH
calcium 500 ppm
PH 7.9
And salinity is always about 1.025-1.026

 

[2quills]

I wouldn't get too hung up over losing zoas. You're gonna win some and lose some when it comes to them. Stick with cheap frags until you get the hang of them.

Are you getting saltwater from the fish store? If so it looks like they're using a mix that already has elevated levels of calcium, alk and magnesium.

If that is the case you might be better off running your system around 1.023 for specific gravity when it comes to softies. You can dilute the salt mix with ro/di or distilled water.

 

[kevin haynes]

What would lowering the salenity do and I use my own salt. It's instant ocean salt mix I want to change salts though. Would changing to a better salt maybe fix my problems with my parameters.

 

[2quills]

I may have had you confused with another member. If so I apologize.

Are you using regular instant ocean or the reef crystals?

Diluting the water would drop some of those levels a little bit. And I was thinking that your specific gravity would be the easiest way of gauging it. You don't need those elevated levels for soft corals and most would need time to adapt if they came from a source that was maintaining their system at lower levels.

What are your nitrates and phosphates readings?

 

[kevin haynes]

Nitrates are 0 and phosphates are above 0 but not high

 

[kevin haynes]

I thought everyone says keep salt at 1.025 and I'm using regular instant ocean

 

[kevin haynes]

I may have had you confused with another member. If so I apologize.

Are you using regular instant ocean or the reef crystals?

Diluting the water would drop some of those levels a little bit. And I was thinking that your specific gravity would be the easiest way of gauging it. You don't need those elevated levels for soft corals and most would need time to adapt if they came from a source that was maintaining their system at lower levels.

What are your nitrates and phosphates readings?

Do you think my parameters are bad enough to kill it In A few days of having it

 

[2quills]

Do you think my parameters are bad enough to kill it In A few days of having it

If slowly acclimated, no. But without knowing the specifics of the conditions it came from then yeah it's a good possibility.

We have to be careful using general recommendations for everybody because not everybody is using the same salt mix. Or using dionized water for their mix. Therefore you and I could have the same salinity but drastically different levels of the other elements.