Help with zoas.

[highfive52]

Ive been given zoas from people who graciously hand them to me for giving things away lately. Ive never had them in all my years of reefing. I for the life of me cant figure them out. Give me anything else the hardest to grow and boom colony in months but these cute lil flowery corals i cant get to open. They are not dying but dont want to cooperate and open. Im truly baffled. Any hints. My tanks run. 8.9 alk 437 calc 1400 mag phos. .07 nitrates around 10. Lights are great. These lil corals baffle me.

 

[Mixed Reefer]

Phosphates? What is great for lighting? Where are they located in tank? Is flow directly on them ? Just some things that come to mind

 

[highfive52]

Phos. .07. Lighting ai prime wwc schedule. Flow but not really in it.

 

[Mixed Reefer]

They like low to moderate flow, for lighting if to much light they will close up. In my experience when not enough they will stretch for light. Get a par meter and check. I’m guessing they would need to be in around 150 par, but google it. Just thinking about my garden.

 

[Cpage101]

thy like water a little dirtier too

 

[Chris A.]

Well IMO zoas love high light and moderate with some gusts of flow. These things grow in inches of water in the oceans , just like most softies

try dipping them in iodine or peroxide/tank water mixture. They’re really resilient and can take a beating and keep on ticking

 

[coralfishreef]

Check your salinity. Zoas have melted on me over 1.028 salinity and usually do better at 1.026 or lower.

 

[chadfish]

They are also finicky. They will close up for no good reason. Also I’ve been told they like iodide (not iodine) in the water. If you run GAC you may need to test/dose iodide because GAC is very effective at removing it.

 

[ChrisV]

Following. This weekend I started a zoa garden nano (build thread to come) with some awesome frags from @coralfishreef . I can't wait to drive it over the top but tbh, I've also had limited success in mixed reefs.