Always more to learn ''domination''

[ptownfro]

Ive been watching my tank really closely lately and in this one week of consistent check in's ive noticed some weird things, stuff that i found worth writing down. This is the dilemma i have a mixed tank softys/zoas,lps,sps. well its like clock work on what time each is at its best any suggestions or ideas would be great. to make them all just as happy

fyi the blue xyna i have seems to have a rep for being bad news for sps thats why I specifically separated him out from the zoas.

20 long+ 10gal refuge/ kessil a150 ocean blue
chem. testing
nitrite 0 nitrate 20 at the most if even detectable ammo. 0 phos. 0 calcium??

lights come on at 10
sps full polyp extension.
LPS all fully opened with stingers out.
blue xyna:shrivvled.
Zoas typical closed position for the time. this goes on till 11 nothing changes at all exempt zoas show skirts.

11:30
sps are showing minimal polyp extension
LPS fully opened
blue xyna some times open but only if sps are not ive noticed
zoas all open
stays the same till about 1:00

after 1:30
everything is open exempt sps that almost start to look a lil dreary

around 6-7
zoas start to thin their stalk and they truly look like flowers big head, thin body ?why?
Blue xyna: shrivels up or shows amazing extension always extreme
sps start to open i believe because of the upcoming dark
LPS consistent opening.

Lights flip off around 8:15 - 8:30
does every ones tank go through these dramatic changes throughout the day.
I know the zoas are not dieing because I have been able to cut colonies multiple times now. Any ideas or is this why people dominate tanks to one kind.

 

[Reef Bass]

It's good you're noticing the daily cycles of the livestock in your aquarium. Attention to detail and an understanding of these rhythms makes for a good reef keeper.

These types of variations are typical. And yes, different organisms react differently to time of day and lights turning on and off. SPS and LPS usually increase polyp extension at night (or when it's dark), and the differences can be dramatic. LPS and softies, such as Xenia, can vary their levels of tissue inflation considerably. Cyclical variations in inflation are normal.

IMHO, these changes are part of the daily routine of these creatures. I would be more concerned about significant variation from these rhythms, such as when acros are chronically timid with polyp extension, even at night, or acans never inflate or extend feeder tentacles, or zoanthids remain closed.

When keeping livestock with different environmental preferences, it is unlikely that one will achieve (let alone maintain) a condition where all organisms are at their peak condition simultaneously. In my experience, the slightly "cleaner" water that acros prefer tends to result in smaller slower growing zoanthids, for example. And conversely, the slightly "dirtier" water that favors larger faster growing zoanthids tends to somewhat retard sps growth and optimal coloration. The higher par environment for SPS such as acros can be too bright for lower light preferring LPS such as chalices. Happy strong flow for acros can be too much for some delicate fleshy LPS.

So yes, this is why people tend to have tanks which favor one basic type of coral over another, such as SPS dominant.

 

[ReeferItIs2]

I have a very mixed reed tank too and mine acts exactly like yours...i agree with reef bass it's hard to see them all happy at the sametime but for me personally i can't go with just 1 type of corals i love them all...and yes my name is Adam and i am an addict lol