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Asking for some help with my tank


saxplayer

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HELP - not sure what is going on in my tank.  (Please see my 16 gal Biocube thread under aquarium journals for a full tank set up and detail.  Thanks)

 

Below is copied from the journal post:  I previously had 2 clown / goby and multiple zoas, euphyllia and acans doing fine for the past 3-4 months.

 

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"I have added a bunch of zoas primarily about 4 weeks ago, and they seem to have been fine.  I left recently for an 8 day trip over Christmas and I had my neighbor feed the fish every 3rd day (3 times total over 8 days).  I am confident he didn't add anything wrong or over feed.  

 

When I returned, this past Thursday the 27th, all my zoas were essentially closed.  My acans were somewhat retracted / closed and my euphyllia don't look super happy.  I have 3 snails (1 turbo and 2 astrea).  Both astrea were lying on their side which I have never seen before.  The turbo was munching along. The 2 fish seemed fine.  I was unable to test / do a water change Thursday.  

 

I did about a 60% water change yesterday (Friday the 28th) and siphoned / blew off the rock well as well as the sand.  I set the 2 astrea on the sand upright and observed.  I also used a paint-brush lightly with 6% hydrogen peroxide on about 75% of the zoas I could see after the water was down, to remove algae that was visible to me.  This in the past worked well for me when a similar issue was happening.  

 

Today (Sat the 29th) everything seems to be looking somewhat the same, some zoas are mildly opening but not really.  1 of the astrea is on the glass cleaning and the other remained on its side where I left it yesterday, so I removed it. 

 

Testing from today:

Salinity 1.026

Temp 77.8 (off of chiller) and 78.6 (off of external thermo).  These stay quite constant.

Mg 1460 ppm, Ca 390 ppm, Alk 2.6 MeQ/L or 7.3 dKH (all Red Sea)

Phos 0 ppb (Hanna ultra low phos)

Ammonia = 0.2 to my wife's eye vs 0 to my eye?  Where would I have ammonia from - poss dead snail??

Nitrite = 0 

Nitrate = 2 

 

I replaced my sponge again today (after replacing yesterday after water change), replaced my chemi pure bag.  I also dosed a cap full of prime due to the (maybe) ammonia level?

 

Please help if able.  Not sure why any of my zoas aren't open and they were all fine previously 8 days ago.

 

I feel like I do need to get some more snails ASAP.  Could algae on them be an issue?

 

Thanks!  Grant"

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HookedOnAquariums

Zoas tends to be finicky but hardy. Don’t worry about them being closed (unless it’s been more than two weeks). Just conduct matinee as usually and you’ll most likely be fine. Snails are dumb so they probably fell off the glass and couldn’t get up. Any ammonia would be processed if you conducted a proper cycle. 

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13 minutes ago, ninjamyst said:

Do nothing.  Let it ride.  

 

Zoas might just be pissy from earlier.  You already did big water change, changed chemipure, and tested your water.  Let things settle.

Thanks Ninja.  Do you think my dKH is bad?  I'm not that familiar with the dKH etc yet.  I wonder if it was too low prior to water change.

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2 hours ago, ninjamyst said:

7.3 dkh is good.  All is fine as long as it is stable.  What's your alk before water change?

Not sure. I didn’t test it prior to water change. 

 

Edit - ninja I looked up my last (and only time I tested alk) and it was about 4; weeks ago.  It was 3.2/8

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You did what you can do.

 

As mentioned, zoas are grumpy corals. Algae on them would be a cause for irritation.

 

Astrea are known to tip over and cannot right themselves...and then die.

So they require babysitting. Lol. 

 

Do you use a sponge or filter floss?

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