Best lighting for max zoa growth

[endlessblue]

As title states looking for an optimal
lighting fixture for fast growth. Not interested in look or colour just fast growth, thanks.

 

[manhorsedog]

400w MH or ATI fixture

softies love light

 

[derekdelisi]

You're going to find opinions that vary, conflict, and contradict.

Zoa growth remains somewhat of a mystery. Some believe in finding that 'sweet spot' in the tank, with just the right everything. Others have managed to turn their entire tanks into one big sweet spot. My tank is 20'' tall, i've got LED's and my Zoa's are spreading quick, both those high and those on the sand. Of course, the lighting varies much within those 20'', so does the current. On the other hand no Yuma last for more than a month in my tank lately.

If i had to recommend a single lighting source and strength i'd recommend natural sunlight (and enough flow to keep the zoa free from algae and 'dust').

I think if anybody answers your question with an answer that you're asking for they are, unfortunately, sadly mistaken.

 

[endlessblue]

Well I am leaning towards the 8 bulb ATI fixture. It will be for a frag tank, 48x36x12.

 

[Lynnmw1208]

the ATI fixture should be fine. I have 8 bulbs (4 and 4) on my 72" fixture and my zoas are growing like mad. In a month I have seen 6 or so new heads pop up. Oh yeah and all mine are on the very bottom rocks.

 

[xdannyxrocksx]

I do not believe there is a deffinate answere. You can start two tanks the sane way and they will cycle differently. Same thing with zoos, or any coral, 2 tanks same time up and running, same lights, skimmer, etc. And you will see different growth paterns.

 

[jeff@zina.com]

As title states looking for an optimal
lighting fixture for fast growth. Not interested in look or colour just fast growth, thanks.

Generalities, but...

Solid, bright fixture that can produce 10-12,000K lighting across the entire tank relatively evenly. A method of varying the depth of the corals (racks are usual) to adjust for growth. Moderate circulation that keeps the polyps clear of detritus and debris. Major chemical capacity (usually carbon) for frags that may be sliming.

Using the T5 you mentioned, I'd have a few ATI Blue Plus type bulbs in it and then 10-12,000K for the rest. You can try a 4-on/8-off pattern to the lights, some responses show extra growth this way. You'll need to work the lighting to dial it in, height of fixture, height of coral, etc. but you'll find the optimum for you pretty easily by watching the coral. Feed them well and keep up on water changes, change bulbs when needed and you're good.

Jeff

 

[organism]

There's a lot of other factors that affect how quickly zoanthids will grow other than light, I'd say light is actually secondary to flow and stable salinity. For zoanthids under t5's I tried having a lot of aquablue (14k ish) bulbs like Jeff suggested, but they wouldn't grow, they didn't like the light. I switched to 6 ATI blue plus and 2 ATI aquablue and they went nuts, even ended up swapping out one of the aquablue for a pure actinic. It helps for selling them too since they're colored up really nicely as they grow.

Thing is t5's put out a lot of light, and in my tank zoanthids for some reason liked bluer light for growth. The main thing is flow, if you aren't pushing the flow you can have the best lights in the world and your growth won't be great.

 

[rafajara1985]

Mine are doing great in a pretty decent flow and 8x54 T5 fixture

 

[jascymcl]

I use leds and have awesome growth and colors ,i have had mh,pc,t-5ho and nothing compares to the leds for my zoas.

 

[Jhigga15]

I would live to know this too, I love the Zoa, but the struggle in my Bio Cube HQI...

 

[manhorsedog]

I use leds and have awesome growth and colors ,i have had mh,pc,t-5ho and nothing compares to the leds for my zoas.

can you some us any photos? maybe how they used to look compared to the leds? or even just shots of them under the leds.

 

[Cubbies]

Ati fixture or bulbs should help. I wouldn't do MH. They might work but IMO/Experience they loose aloooot of their color unless properly placed. I know you said color didn't really matter but I doubt you want browned out zoos. My .02

 

[A. Grandis]

As title states looking for an optimal
lighting fixture for fast growth. Not interested in look or colour just fast growth, thanks.

Besides all the other important facts for zoa growth (water movement, chemistry, etc, ...)...

To answer the question: depends.

Depends how deep they will be placed.
After you decide that, you can pick the right fixture.
ATI is very good!!! I would prefer ATI than MH, LED, or any other fixture today.

In regards to the spectrum: depends too!

I would say around 6.500K would be the best, generally speaking.
Some species will probably prefer around 14.000K. Depends!
You need to do your search for the species you'll keep.

Keep in mind that all of them should be able to adapt to the 6.500K.

Grandis.

 

[rickcSMF]

Ive kept mine under pc's, MH, and LEDs & found growth to be best at about ~100-180 par depending on flow, paly/ zoa type ...

When I 1st got my LEDs I moved my zoos down and they looked great, but didnt grow . After testing, the par was a bit low... So I moved them up a few inches, and they started growing again.

 

[Mbachota]

I have a 29G biocube with pc lighting and mine grow pretty fast. Every couple of days I see a new head growing in.

 

[Jhigga15]

I have a 29G biocube with pc lighting and mine grow pretty fast. Every couple of days I see a new head growing in.

My old Bio Cube they grew good, MY HQI BC is tough to get them going

 

[HeavyWater]

I have had success with MH lighting and moderate flow, but I find that it also depends on the individual Zoa. I can have two different kinds of Zoas in the same spot, getting the same light and one will grow great while the other does not. I can then take the one that did not grow well, move it up in the tank and it starts to spread.

I have about 15 different colonies and while this has not been true for every type of Zoa that I own, they in general do better the higher in the tank they are (higher par).

 

[pompeyjohn]

Interesting thread. I am trying out a tank that is 54x28x7 using a window as the main source of light. The rock is curing now, so no news to report yet.

 

[aguila88psi]

All blue LED light, 453nm, the brighter the better. Seems they don't need much white light in my opnion.