Prodibio and zoas

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Hi all

So my zoa dominated tank was starting to show signs of high nutrients. About 2 months ago I added 2 reactors, one for removing phosphates, the other to remove nitrates. I also recently started dosing Prodibio (biodigest and bioptim).

One of my zoa colonies seemed to react to it by closing up. Hasn't opened in over a week or so.

Would such an attack on nutrients have a negative effect on the zoas? I have never fed them directly, except for the odd block of cyclops every other week

Cheers
 
hi,

yes the studden loss of nutriets would affect them, specially since the like a like in the water, so now you have to feed more, and also look at using the iodi+ as they would be missing that now.
 
I do add iodine once a week or so. I am adding 6 new T5's this month end, and will increase the cyclops, see if that helps
 
i dont think its light etc, also what iodine?
 
if u going prodibio, iodine is going to be needed, i use the reef complete pack, has 5 additives
 
So when we say zoas need nutrient rich water to really do well are we talking about food particles or do we mean higher nitrates and phosphates?
 
I searched for nutrients in ReefCentral and came across this very interesting paragraph:
"Finding the right amount and size of fish for your SPS system is an art, and keeping them well fed can be a great indicator as to how your corals may react. When the stomachs on my fish look well rounded and natural with vivid and bright coloration I know that good SPS coloration is to follow. Don't get me wrong...I keep up with maintenance and proper husbandry as well, but never have I seen bright, colorful and thriving SPS coral tanks without some nice fat fish swimming around. The reason some zeovit followers can still keep modest amounts of fish in their systems with low nutrients is because of all the other food supplements and amino acids they're pumping into their system. I would personally rather have some beautiful fish and feed them well."
 
you see from experience it can be a double edge sword...

we need to stock alot of fish, or feed heavily the fish we have, both result in high nutrients

so one needs to get a feel of the route they choose and understand the balanced on which they walk.
 
I dont have as many zoas as Rakabos but mine are fine in a low nutrient tank. I do find iodine important and dose a drop or two of lugols a day in a 600 litre tank. I think he has used purigen and Orca phosphate media in the two reactors
 
Almost right Tony, but you only scored 50% :p

I use Orca phosphate beads in the one and Seachem Matrix for nitrates, although im thinking of just running carbon in that reactor. I really need to stop tinkering and over thinking it. I think i need to either stop prodibio or stop the reactors. Both wont be a good thing i suspect. But then again I need to find the balance to keep the sps happy also!
 
I find if I run my tank at the point were Nitrates are just barely detectable by my test kits, but still very low the zoas I got from you do well....

But every time I push my nutrients to the point were they are undetectable I immediatly have certain zoa colonies that go into "shock" or show signs of stress, dont open up as much, the zoas in fact start to shrink in size and if the nutrients dont increase I see polyps starting to die off....

I find it a whole lot easier to have slightly higher nutrients but then you dont have to add special food for the corals...
 
But every time I push my nutrients to the point were they are undetectable I immediatly have certain zoa colonies that go into "shock" or show signs of stress, dont open up as much, the zoas in fact start to shrink in size and if the nutrients dont increase I see polyps starting to die off....

This is exactly what I see with mine. Some zoas seem to be more sensitive, and new frags seem to suffer quicker as well.
 
Yep zero nitrates and zoas dont gell is what I've seen. So gonna cut back the prodibio and shut down the nitrate reactor. Will keep the phosphate reactor going, see how it goes
 
Orca phosphate beads - where u get this from who makes it as the web is not very useful
Seachem Matrix for nitrates - i doubt matrix does anything for nitrates as its just like ceramic rings imo - "Matrix - Hightly Porous Biomedia For Removal Of Nitrogenous Waste"

Rather take it out and add carbon.
 
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