Zoa lost color

[basiab]

I have a frag of about 10 polyps. When I got it about 6 months ago it was so bright it looked as if there was a light on. It was red red orange color with no skirt. About 2 months ago I had a cyano problem and he zoa kept on getting covered over. Now they have no color. Is there anything I can do to get the color back.
My tank is a 10 gallon with LPS. This is my only zoa.

 

[Deanos]

Get the water conditions back to its previous state.

 

[mstrofdisaster]

Yes, thats what you need to do. But my question is, what are your parameters now?

NO3:
pH:
PO4:
Alk:
Ca:

Your answer lies in these numbers.

 

[basiab]

Ammonia, nitrates and nitrates are zero. PH is 8.2. Phosphates show zero. That is all I check for. Being a 10 gallon I assume my weekly 1 gallon change supplies whatever calcium (or any other supplements) I need.
Coraline growing on glass. I clean the front glass about once in five or 6 days and at this point it is mostly cynao and very little green algae. I have a small clump of chaeto that I used to have to trim every few weeks. Now it stays about the same size for months. I do have some hair algae but not terrible.

 

[mstrofdisaster]

Well if you've got hair algae and remnants of cyano you are not phosphate free. What phosphate test kit are you using?

For the hair algae problem you may want to consider running some Phosban or Rowaphos to get those levels in check.

You also really need to check the alk/ca even though its only 10g tank.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

How old are your bulbs?

 

[KathyC]

Well if you've got hair algae and remnants of cyano you are not phosphate free. What phosphate test kit are you using?

In the big picture, what difference does it make what kit he's using, unless he has a hanna meter, we already know the reading is probably incorrect.

Sam, why not up the water changes to more than once a week until things settle back down. Many folks are having more success with this regiment after a cyano outbreak.
What salt are you using?

 

[cowfish]

My $.02 - Change 2 gallons a week. If you're using carbon, chemipure, etc. replace it now. If you have algae of any kind growing then you have nitrates and phosphates in the water. The tests will come up 0 because the algae is "eating" it all (and they're not all that accurate to begin with).

As for the zoas - I had some chemistry issues with my 29g - alkalinity, calcium and magnesium were too low. Apparently I "corrected" the problem too quickly which stressed out some of my corals and several of my zoas bleached or changed colors. They are slowly gaining back there original appearence, but it's been almost a month and at this rate, will be several more before everything is back to normal.

Keeping healthy, stable water parameters might do the trick, but I've read of people having their zoas bleach and they either died (the zoas that is ) or never quite made it back to their original state. Feeding the zoas may help - if they "bleached" they lost their zoanthellae and will have difficulty "feeding themselves."

 

[basiab]

Thanks for all the replies. I will try some of the suggestions and let you know how it went in a month or so.
I use Instant Ocean salt.
And as far as the bulbs go, yes they started the whole problem. I waited too long to replace them and first the coraline started thinning out and then the cyano came. So now the coraline is picking up so I know I am headed in the right direction.
By the way I also have some fish in this tank.
Pajama Cardinal-4 years.
Clown Goby- 4 years.
Neon Goby 9 months.
Six Line Wrass 6 months.
Crowded by standards but does not look it when you see the tank.

 

[mstrofdisaster]

In the big picture, what difference does it make what kit he's using, unless he has a hanna meter, we already know the reading is probably incorrect...

That was my point. He stated that he thought his PO4 was 0. Think and know are 2 different things.