Faiding Zoas

[MizTanks]

My GBP's ain't green anymore! They've totally lost color. Why? If ya can't tell their on the left.

[cg5071]

my new gbp morphs are doing the same thing? are those safe crackers on the right? mine are very dull. but... the new ones that i have recently recieved were duller when i got them are coloring up. my beginning zoas most all of them got duller when underneith pc lights but i didnt have enough coverage then. the gbp's look almost exactly like yours now and they are under t5's and halide. not sure i have been a help,lol.

[adalius]

Could be the zooanthellae are surging for some reason, too much and they tend to turn corals a dull brown. As for why they are, could be lots of things. Are your bulbs older and starting to color shift? Or did you just recently change them? Any major water parameter changes lately?

Sometimes the corals will purge some of their zooanth out to try and re-balance, which would naturally turn them back to their original colors, or close to anyway, but it takes awhile for that to happen...

[MizTanks]

Possible on all the above. Def time to change the bulbs and I had a pretty high (14) swing in my KH, now fixed.

[Sir Patrick]

Alk swings can be pretty stressfull on zoas. I also agree with what has been said above so far. Color change, especially negative color change can also be caused by higher nutrients- but have a feeling this is not the case in your tank. You change some neglected carbon lately? Somtimes zoas will bet used to a not so clear tank, then when you add carbon- the water turns very clear, and light instantly becomes more intense- can also dull your polyps colors.

[MizTanks]

Makes sense then that I recently replaced my Chemipure and Purigen. Should I then stager these kind of changes? As a posed to all at once? Seems the little buggers like a little dirt mixed in with their water hopefully they will recover their former luster.

[Sir Patrick]

They will recover. I would stagger the change. Did you slack a bit, since the last time (possibly more than a month) between the change/replacment of the carbons?

[MizTanks]

Slack? Me? Nooo waaay! Procrastinators unite! Tomorrow though....

I cannot tell a lie-I sure did. But not from lack of good husbandry-more from lack of funds.

[cg5071]

thanks for the answers from me too.

[Sir Patrick]

When going too long between carbon changes, the tank water can get cloudy- somtimes not enough to even notice. This can cause the par of your lights to drop significantly, especially w/ a weaker light source.

After you change the carbon, the water will clarify very fast, and can cause light shock in some of your more light sensitive polyps.

Looks like it is possible thats what happened- they will recover w/ some time.

cg5071- great info man! Along with all others that posted!