Zoa's Shrinking Away, Help...

[A. grandis]

@A. grandis I can't find a build thread or any pictures of your tank/system?

Please don't waste your time because I don't have a build thread.
Grandis.

 

[A. grandis]

Well said Lenny and I agree with your points. I will let my trials and errors be well documented in this thread for what it's worth.. And thanks again to all who share their input.

I want you to know that I'm not here to make trouble and ruin your thread.
Just choose your path and hopefully you'll find the solution for the trouble with the zoas.
Good luck, my friend!
Grandis.

 

[A. grandis]

Just an update. My zoas are fully open
now and bigger. 1st photo taken on 2nd day of Vitamin C dosing:


Current photos:

I can't see the pictures!
Grandis.

 

[CodyRVA]

 

[A. grandis]

LOL!!!!
LOL!!!
Grandis.

 

[zeeGGee]

I can't see the pictures!
Grandis.

Day 2 of dosing:

Current photo:

 

[A. grandis]

Yeah, they are open...
Please tell me what vitamin C you used?
You see... that growth is typical of LEDs'...
Those are small zoanthids... They normally have small stalks...
Grandis.

 

[CodyRVA]

Looking decent to me man, just keep moving slow and give it time. There are periods where mine do the exact same thing. I blast them a little extra with a turkey baster, let them alone, and sure enough they come around. It was mentioned already, but i definitely think it's true that the more dense the colony is, the more prone they are to settling detritus and what not. Good luck!

 

[A. grandis]

Looking decent to me man, just keep moving slow and give it time. There are periods where mine do the exact same thing. I blast them a little extra with a turkey baster, let them alone, and sure enough they come around. It was mentioned already, but i definitely think it's true that the more dense the colony is, the more prone they are to settling detritus and what not. Good luck!

Well, all my colonies have a bit of detritus between the polyps. Nothing wrong with that...
In nature they have lots of detritus in most cases.
Grandis.

 

[Sistawolf]

Omg I'm so excited for you.. although I didn't know you couldn't dip a whole live rock.. I do it all the time and soak in regular tank water after. But whichever what you did with the Vitamin C worked! They look so much better. I would also like to know what vitamin C you chose

 

[CodyRVA]

Well, all my colonies have a bit of detritus between the polyps. Nothing wrong with that...
In nature they have lots of detritus in most cases.
Grandis.

Agreed, i guess i'm thinking in the wild flow is typically more irregular and offers more opportunity to "clean" the rock work in and around the polyps whereas if you have a stagnant or controlled flow pattern in your system, you might not offer the same benefit to the polyps. Most of my flow is aimed towards the top of the tank, thus my polyps near the sand bed often need that extra blast from the turkey baster every now and again. (Usually when i see them closing up or turning ugly)

 

[zeeGGee]

Yeah, they are open...
Please tell me what vitamin C you used?
You see... that growth is typical of LEDs'...
Those are small zoanthids... They normally have small stalks...
Grandis.

One more. This colony of white velvet zoa was completely closed for almost a month. Now look!

I'm using the brightwell Vit C. Then I'll
switch to a cheaper buffered Vit C powder. I started on 250mg once daily for 5 days
then increased to 250mg twice daily gradually. I'm on 500mg twice daily currently.

 

[A. grandis]

Agreed, i guess i'm thinking in the wild flow is typically more irregular and offers more opportunity to "clean" the rock work in and around the polyps whereas if you have a stagnant or controlled flow pattern in your system, you might not offer the same benefit to the polyps. Most of my flow is aimed towards the top of the tank, thus my polyps near the sand bed often need that extra blast from the turkey baster every now and again. (Usually when i see them closing up or turning ugly)

There are many different situations in the wild. Some places with relatively strong currents for the polyps and some other places where the same species of polyps enjoy a linear slow water flow, where a huge detritus is found among them and in between the colonies.
Yeah, on the bottom of the tank is where detritus gets stuck the most, of course. In that case the removal of such detritus among the rocks and polyps is beneficial to the close system in order to export nutrients. That should be done to avoid also anoxic spots.
Some species of zoanthids love a bit of detritus among their polyps. Some other species are found only with certain types of detritus in specific geographic areas and habitats... There are those that hardly have detritus due to the wave action...
Grandis.

 

[A. grandis]

One more. This colony of white velvet zoa was completely closed for almost a month. Now look!

I'm using the brightwell Vit C. Then I'll
switch to a cheaper buffered Vit C powder. I started on 250mg once daily for 5 days
then increased to 250mg twice daily gradually. I'm on 500mg twice daily currently.

I'll have to try one day.... Wanna see what that will do in my tank! Hope they don't explode and grow out of the system! LOL!
I wonder if the vitamin C only excites the polyps to open...
Some of the additives I've used in the past did that... The polyps opened up very widely and luxuriously. I don't remember the names of those additives I've used... maybe they contain vitamin C...
Thanks.

 

[zeeGGee]

I'll have to try one day.... Wanna see what that will do in my tank! Hope they don't explode and grow out of the system! LOL!
I wonder if the vitamin C only excites the polyps to open...
Some of the additives I've used in the past did that... The polyps opened up very widely and luxuriously. I don't remember the names of those additives I've used... maybe they contain vitamin C...
Thanks.

I was really desperate but I gave it shot.I'm gonna try to taper the dose off in the future. But for now I'll continue to dose. They werent that big/wide before they startes to close prior vitamin C dosing. I was really skeptical on trying it but I'm seeing positive results right now.. so why not!?

 

[A. grandis]

Omg I'm so excited for you.. although I didn't know you couldn't dip a whole live rock.. I do it all the time and soak in regular tank water after. But whichever what you did with the Vitamin C worked! They look so much better. I would also like to know what vitamin C you chose

The reason why we shouldn't dip live rock is simply because you'll kill the "bugs" in it. All the little inverts in and on the dipped live rock will be killed because that is what many dipping solutions are made for.
Grandis.

 

[A. grandis]

I was really desperate but I gave it shot.I'm gonna try to taper the dose off in the future. But for now I'll continue to dose. They werent that big/wide before they startes to close prior vitamin C dosing. I was really skeptical on trying it but I'm seeing positive results right now.. so why not!?

Thanks for sharing that!!!
Grandis.

 

[Sistawolf]

The reason why we shouldn't dip live rock is simply because you'll kill the "bugs" in it. All the little inverts in and on the dipped live rock will be killed because that is what many dipping solutions are made for.
Grandis.

Yea true.. but I don't like bugs lol.. I don't mind inverts but no worms for me.. yuck! It's like maggots.. i just got a chill thinking about it..

 

[zeeGGee]

Thanks for sharing that!!!
Grandis.

You're welcome. I'm glad to help
and give some inputs based on my experience. I'm really happy with the results...

 

[A. grandis]

Yea true.. but I don't like bugs lol.. I don't mind inverts but no worms for me.. yuck! It's like maggots.. i just got a chill thinking about it..

LOL! I'm taking about the good bugs...
Grandis.