# Zoa and algae question



## Drwoodchopper (Nov 18, 2012)

First I have some green zoa's that haven't opened for two days now. I am wondering what is going on?? There is some green "hair like" algae growing in with them but not really anywhere else. Could that be causing it? All of my other zoo's seem to be fine. The only thing I could could come up with is perhaps my nitrates are too low? They are running about 5ppm. And I found some stuff that says they do best in the 10-15ppm??

Next if you look close in the bottom right hand corner I have some red algae with some bubbles in it. Is that the dreaded bubble algae?
I have been having a little trouble keeping my PH where I want it too.
My calcium is a little high too.

Here is my latest test results
PH 8.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
phosphate ~ 0
DKH 12
Calcium 500


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Upon blowing up your photo, you have Hair Algae and Cyano growing on that rock with those Zoas. Not a good mix. That'll tick em off some.


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## Drwoodchopper (Nov 18, 2012)

That's what I was afraid of. We bought the two zoo frags from a friend, but only the green ones have the hair algae. I will probably get a magnesium test kit soon and start slowly raising it. I have heard that helps with with green hair algae as well as other nuisance algae.


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## Sully (Oct 31, 2012)

I was able to knock out green hair algae in about 6-7 days by just cutting my lights back to 2-3 hours a day and then slowly increasing that over a few days back to my normal 10 hours a day. The green haor lagae got on my green start polyp and upset it the same way it's upsetting your Zoa. Just an idea before you start messing with the chemistry.



Drwoodchopper said:


> That's what I was afraid of. We bought the two zoo frags from a friend, but only the green ones have the hair algae. I will probably get a magnesium test kit soon and start slowly raising it. I have heard that helps with with green hair algae as well as other nuisance algae.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

I wouldn't raise my MAG for Hair Algae, Sully has a good point about the lighting. You can also try the 3 day lights out also. No lights at all for 3 days, this will put a dent in it. There are also several snails and hermits you can get for it.
Raising MAG is for Bryopsis.


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## Sully (Oct 31, 2012)

To piggy back on what RM said, if you cut the lights, it will get it down to a point where your snails and hermits will really go at it. Mine weren't touching it when it was in a good bloom. When I cut the lights way back, it got to a point where the snails especially really attacked it. Not sure if the hermits made as much of a dent bu they did help.



Reefing Madness said:


> I wouldn't raise my MAG for Hair Algae, Sully has a good point about the lighting. You can also try the 3 day lights out also. No lights at all for 3 days, this will put a dent in it. There are also several snails and hermits you can get for it.
> Raising MAG is for Bryopsis.


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## tike (Nov 10, 2008)

How long have you had the zoa's? I have had some new one's that have taken a week before they open. I notice that they are higher up in the water column vs. the other zoa's. What type of lighting are you running? Maybe putting them on the bottom for awhile will help. Ditto on the hair algae, they can over run a zoanthid quickly if it isn't doing that well.


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## Drwoodchopper (Nov 18, 2012)

We have had those about three weeks. They opened up great the first day. I am going to reduce light hours a bunch and pull the rock out and go to work on it with some tweezers so I won't just spread it. Hopefully I can save them I really like them. I am running an adjustable 240 watt LED light system. Usually run it about half power.


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## Reefing Madness (Aug 12, 2011)

Hold up on that. Look up Hydrogen Peroxide Dip, or dosing Hydrogen Peroxide in the tank. I believe its 1ml per 10g.


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