Scared for this colony

drkreid19 · Feb 10, 2016

Just got this colony from my buddy he is getting out of the hobby.. When I picked it up from him it already looked like this. I am about three weeks into my new BioCube 29gal.. Do you think the colony is going to survive or is it dead? I have had many saltwater tanks but this in the first reef setup.. Also here is some photos of my rock scape any suggestions for it being coral friendly/savvy?

redfishbluefish · Feb 10, 2016

Three weeks in. Has the tank finished cycling? If you have ammonia, you have a problem. What are your levels?

drkreid19 · Feb 10, 2016

drkreid19 · Feb 10, 2016

redfishbluefish said:
Three weeks in. Has the tank finished cycling? If you have ammonia, you have a problem. What are your levels?

The water was tanken out of my 12o gallon tank so I should be good on the cycle.. I have been testing my levels and they all seem very stable haven't had a spike with anything.. Just tested ammonia it's showing zero..

redfishbluefish · Feb 10, 2016

Water carries very little bacteria. You need to be testing for ammonia and the presence of nitrate. That tank is cycling! In saltwater nitrite really isn't a concern, but can be tested just to watch the cycle do it's thing.

Gene S. · Feb 10, 2016

Water doesn't cycle the tank as much as everything else in it does and when you change things into another tank the cycle starts over. You need to test and see where your parameters are

drkreid19 · Feb 10, 2016

redfishbluefish said:
Water carries very little bacteria. You need to be testing for ammonia and the presence of nitrate. That tank is cycling! In saltwater nitrite really isn't a concern, but can be tested just to watch the cycle do it's thing.

I haven't noticed any kind of cycle in my testing moving the water from the 120gal.. Is that normal?

drkreid19 · Feb 10, 2016

Gene S. said:
Water doesn't cycle the tank as much as everything else in it does and when you change things into another tank the cycle starts over. You need to test and see where your parameters are

Currently testing right now.. The live rock also came from my 120 gal tank does that make any kind of difference?

redfishbluefish · Feb 10, 2016

Yes, the live rock is where you find the beneficial bacteria.

drkreid19 · Feb 10, 2016

redfishbluefish said:
Yes, the live rock is where you find the beneficial bacteria.

Should I add the clean up crew yet? I was thinking about doing it tonight? If so what do you suggest?

Bdog4u2 · Feb 10, 2016

Zoa's and palys are tough it may take a few weeks but most will open back up as long as levels are ok

Bdog4u2 · Feb 10, 2016

Zoa's and palys are tough it may take a few weeks but most will open back up as long as levels are ok

OGFrenchHorn · Feb 10, 2016

as long as you don't get an ammonia spike you should be ok

cmcoker · Feb 10, 2016

Sounds like you have fowlr that the live rock came from.. You never coppered your fowlr, did you?

Salty1962 · Feb 10, 2016

The zoas aren't happy, either from new tank syndrome or their just getting acclimated. As mentioned, watch your Nitrates and Ammonia for spikes. Good Luck!

dacianb · Feb 11, 2016

If was like this before your tank (as you wrote) probably is not the water, but may be pests on it? If you have zoa eating nuddies all polyps will stay close for weeks until they vanish one by one.

drkreid19 · Feb 11, 2016

cmcoker said:
Sounds like you have fowlr that the live rock came from.. You never coppered your fowlr, did you?

No I did not.. What do you mean by copper? Sorry like I said this is all new to me.. And yes it was a fowlr tank..

drkreid19 · Feb 11, 2016

dacianb said:
If was like this before your tank (as you wrote) probably is not the water, but may be pests on it? If you have zoa eating nuddies all polyps will stay close for weeks until they vanish one by one.

Do you advise that I put a clean up crew in yet? Thanks..

drkreid19 · Feb 11, 2016

Seems to be making progress already!! A few are starting to open up!!

dacianb · Feb 11, 2016

drkreid19 said:
Do you advise that I put a clean up crew in yet? Thanks..

Clean up crews will not help your zoas. If water quality is good (cycle is at the end) - can add them, but no snail will run after zoa pests.
I see some white dots on each head... I cannot define what they are, but keep an eye on them - if dots move

. If you have violets / actinics look at zoa only with those lights on - all eventual eggs become very bright and you can see things almost invisible in normal light.
I keep zoas since some years and they are bulletproof (kept them in low light and next to acros in bright areas, low flow and very strong flows, high nitrates, low nitrates) - but their weakness is pests (and of course angel fishes which consider them as candys

). As long are pest free they will be fine.

This is one of my colony - cheap and common zoas, dropped in tank right after the cycle (once with snails) - lived through nitrates of 40-50, now at 0.00 NO3 and light levels for SPS. The only drip I am using is fresh water. Everyday for first week. Some will say its crazy, but this is the result.