Are your zoa's not opening.

[N1Husker]

I was having problems with my zoas not opening, part of them would open and the rest would stay closed. I was at Barrier Reef the other day and got some stuff that is called Brightwells Amino Omega and started using it in with my food at feeding time (for the fish). Since then my zoas have all been wide open and look beautiful. I just thought I would pass this along.

 

[user 26995]

Thanks for sharing that. I have not used mine yet.
I'll try some tonight. See if I can notice any affects it might have on the coral.

 

[luisse25]

u might wanna add brightwells vit c too...

 

[N1Husker]

Yes, I have some of Kent's Vitamin C that I had ordered along with the Kent Zoa, because I read that they should in conjunction with each other. Before it arrived, I picked up the Brightwells at Barrier Reef and a day or two after I put it in, my zoa's just opened right up. I am slowly increasing the amount of Vitamin C, because I read that too much Vitamin C can be somewhat detrimental to the fish and coral. I read the product description on the Amino Omega and it seemed geared toward fish health with HLLE and I wasn't having any problem with fish, I got it for the baby Bangaii's that I have. It was a real bonus when the rest of my corals. especially the zoa's, perked right up and are looking great. I was so impressed that I thought I would pass it along.

 

[luisse25]

thats good to hear!i have used brightwells coral amino (not the amino omega) and brightwells vit c on my tank before and i have zoas and palys...never had major issues on them not opening...
heres the link for brightwells coral amino..
Brightwell Aquatics - CoralAmino
i have not tried kent's vitamin C or any other kent product..glad to know that they do a great job...i might try them too..thanks for letting us know

 

[N1Husker]

I use the Kent Reef Salt and I have been for about a year and I have been very happy with it. It is also the easiest on the pocketbook. I get the 200 gallon box for $44.95 from F&S and it always shows great parameters. In fact, the guys at Saltwater City said they now use it in all of their tanks, and they are impressed with the numbers they get.

 

[pandora32]

Might be switching brands.

 

[N1Husker]

Yeah, it's the salt for me. I highly recommend it. Mixes fast and thoroughly, no brown residue like Reef Crystals. Better parameters too.

 

[eddiecorrea]

I use the Kent Reef Salt and I have been for about a year and I have been very happy with it. It is also the easiest on the pocketbook. I get the 200 gallon box for $44.95 from F&S and it always shows great parameters. In fact, the guys at Saltwater City said they now use it in all of their tanks, and they are impressed with the numbers they get.

Saltwater City isn't somewhere I would gather advice. Their stock is horrific and their husbandry practices are some of the worst in the industry.

I use the Coral Amino along with Reef Fuel and love my results. I typically add 1-2 polyps per colony per week. Pretty rapid growth.

For salt I have been using Reef Crystals for years. I've never experienced any sort of brown film or any mixing issues. Mixes up perfectly every single time in a matter of minutes.

 

[N1Husker]

Saltwater City isn't somewhere I would gather advice. Their stock is horrific and their husbandry practices are some of the worst in the industry.

I use the Coral Amino along with Reef Fuel and love my results. I typically add 1-2 polyps per colony per week. Pretty rapid growth.

For salt I have been using Reef Crystals for years. I've never experienced any sort of brown film or any mixing issues. Mixes up perfectly every single time in a matter of minutes.

I use to use Reef Crystals and I had a real problem with the brown and I have read other people have had similar results and even after I mixed it overnight it still wasn't fully mixed. I switched to Kent Reef Salt and I like it much better, I get great growth and I will never use RC again, it's Kent for me. As far as Saltwater City, I went there when I first got into the hobby because they were up by my sons, but I now use Barrier Reef for most of my stuff because I live in Renton, not to far from them. I only mentioned that they use it because they use to be sold on their expensive salt. I didn't start using the Kent Salt because of their recommendation, I was using it before I even found out that they had switched to it. About half my fish are from Saltwater City and actually my 3 of my older fish are from there and my newest is from there, purchased from gift certificates from my son's family. They are all still alive and doing well, so I don't know what you are referring to as far as horrific as I have been happy with what I have gotten there.
I just wanted to let people know of my results with Amino Omega, because in the past I was having a lot of problems with zoa's not opening. I had asked on the forum and had a few suggestions on what to do and none of the suggestions worked, so when I discovered what happened after I used the Amino Omega i was very surprised and happy and thought I would pass it along. When I use up what I have, I will try the Coral Amino and Reef Fuel, but I am happy for now. Happy Reefing

 

[sedrostyle]

Not to butt in but how do you guys premeasure your salt before you put it in your water.
I use a cup and a scale. The first time I did it I marked a water line on my bucket and then weighed accordingly to 1.024
Anyways my question is I recently switched from coral pro salt to instant ocean reef crystals.
With coral pro I weighed x amount and with the new salt I need more to equal the same salinity.
Have either of you had this issue with adjusting salt
Is instan ocean reef crystals a good choice ?

 

[N1Husker]

I believe that as long as you are using a major brand of salt you will be just fine, it is just a personal preference. The Reef Crystals is a good salt, used by major aquariums around the world. I just didn't care for the brown ring that occurred at the waters edge and it didn't seem to mix as well as the Kent Reef Salt. But there is nothing wrong performance wise with the RC.
When I mix my salt, I first use RODI water that I fill to a certain point in my buckets, marked on a wooden dowel that I stuck in the bucket. Now I have it timed on my RODI filter to stop at a certain time, double checking it with my stick. That's 3 gallons in a 5 gallon bucket and I was keeping track of how much I was adding, I added salt until I got it to my salinity level of 1.026, I still check every batch I make but it stays pretty consistent. I seem to use a little bit less of the Kent than RC, but not a big difference.
You also are never butting in, you are always welcome, into my conversations anyway.

 

[james734]

Read the directions as most will have a per gallon ratio. With RC it's pretty much 1/2 cup per gallon works to be right around 1.026. Check it and adjust one way or the other, add more salt or add more RO/DI water. I can mix about 40 gallons using his method and be pretty much spot on.

 

[N1Husker]

That's what I get with Kent. When I used Reef Crystals I had to use a 1/2 of a cup with a slight mound on the top of the cup and the Kent it has to be a level cup to reach the same salinity, a slight bit more with RC.

 

[NanaReefer]

Saltwater City isn't somewhere I would gather advice. Their stock is horrific and their husbandry practices are some of the worst in the industry.

I use the Coral Amino along with Reef Fuel and love my results. I typically add 1-2 polyps per colony per week. Pretty rapid growth.

For salt I have been using Reef Crystals for years. I've never experienced any sort of brown film or any mixing issues. Mixes up perfectly every single time in a matter of minutes.

I agree with you on the RC. Never an issue here either

 

[sedrostyle]

You run your salinity right at 1.026? I would do that but the three hydro meters I have all read different
The two are new instant oceans and they read different than my coral life one I got from a tank year down.
I use the coral life because I have compared it to my buddy refractometer it was the closest
Is Kent more expsive than instant ocean. I think that's why I bought it this time is I didn't have the 10 dollars or whatever coral pro is more haha
Either way I have never had any problems with corals opening. I do think coral pro has shown me a little more growth. So I may switch back.
I even got probably 20 little misc. zoa frags from my recent buddys crash that are now starting to open up only after 5 days now

 

[N1Husker]

Nothing wrong with RC, I just like Kent better.

 

[sedrostyle]

Thanks husker your always full of help.

 

[N1Husker]

Well, I'm full of something.

 

[sedrostyle]

Hah I wasn't going to throw it that far
I have a question. With that amino omega stuff you use do your corals stay open when the light are off?