Best T5 HO bulbs for fast growth?

[Lunchbox360]

Hello i have a simple 20 gallon breeder tank on the side and i wanted to start puttin zoa's in there i have a T5 light fixture and i have one pure actintic and one blue plus this good for zoa growth? Or do i need more white in there ?

 

[Webmanny]

I think this is enough, but I am not big into Zoas myself. If you wanted, you could add a few warm white leds in the to make up for the missing spectrum or maybe a combination of warn white(6500K) and Cold White (14000K). All my corals love the T5/LED hybrid.

 

[Lunchbox360]

I think this is enough, but I am not big into Zoas myself. If you wanted, you could add a few warm white leds in the to make up for the missing spectrum or maybe a combination of warn white(6500K) and Cold White (14000K). All my corals love the T5/LED hybrid.

I was thinking a 10k/460 nm LED strip or you think something more?

 

[Portercowboy]

If looking for growth. Skip the actinic.

 

[NyReefNoob]

this is from a. grandis

I know the thread is old, but here we go...
A little update...

Well, fish poop is an old one! That alone won't do the trick, unfortunately. Actually that isn't much related to zoanthids' growth/reproduction IME anyway. Have you found your zoas closing around fish poop? I've never seen any type of zoa grabbing feces. They actually reject it at all costs. So that is one of the proofs. Another thing is that in all the papers I've read there is no scientific evidences of fish poop in zoas' guts. Please let me know if you found one. Perhaps they didn't look for it?

Zoas do have the ability to absorb nutrients from the water and many people have the idea that fishes' feces become a great deal of those diluted nutrients. Some would agree with me that after digestion, those nutrients would be reduced considerably, and probably would be hard for the polyps do use them as they they should. Bacteria would transform those feces too, reducing them even more after they settle. In the ocean such nutrients probably don't come mainly from fishes feces, but other yet unknown sources (if you are reading this and found out the sources, please let us know! ).

Nitrates are a by product of the transformation of mainly food and feces in closed systems, by bacteria. Some believe that zoas do love the presence of nitrates. The truth is that nitrates aren't that toxic when in acceptable levels to begin with, and besides that, zoas are pretty hardy in many ways, as many say. So they tolerate nitrates well. Many times the tremendous amount of variables are ignored by many of us.

Fish food and feces become detritus and that could be transformed in many different ways in our closed systems. Most of those transformations are done by bacteria and the accumulation of those products (mostly algae nutrients) aren't very welcome. Therefore exportation and neutralization of those products are our goal as aquarists.

We know today the quality of nutrients for zoas' growth in closed systems should come from ingested quality particle foods, after good quality light and adequate/favorable water parameters. Their absorption abilities are minor in our "low nutrient systems". Skimmers are great removers of those nutrients, if they those nutrients present, and the use of carbon will remove even more. The nutrients we're talking about here are also the so hated ones used by algae and we want them out of there anyway!!!!

Excess nutrients, offered by a huge broadcast feeding, would greatly contribute to most zoanthids' absorption abilities. Skimmers are normally turned off for hours after the artificial feeding episode, normally done at night.

I would like also to add to post #6 (please read that!) and say that skimmer is one of the best things we could add to any saltwater setup, specially reefs!! Any zoanthid system should have a good skimmer and a maintenance schedule, with stable parameters.

Also, temperature should be in their 78-79°F. That's what works best for me.
Some people keep it at around 75°F ish. Others would prefer warmer, around 80°-81°F.

The use of GAC is good when well administered!

I don't recommend GFO and pellets. They aren't necessary and could bring some trouble when misused. That said, to avoid them is the best IMO, generally speaking.

To target feed the zoas is really good and that would bring some more maintenance for being time consuming too, but most species will be glad if you're doing it. Broad feeding your system is also acceptable and that is the way some of the most beautiful zoa dominated tanks do!!!!

Of course quality light is a great deal for their zooxanthellae metabolism and relationship. Many people say they use only that source for their maintenance in captivity. I found that light alone isn't enough in a long run to have zoanthids at their best (like we find them in nature). Best light is still metal halides. No doubt about that!!! HO T5s are great also!!
I do not trust LEDs yet and found many people complaining and going back to MH/T5s. that's another long subject!!!

At last, but still important... every system is different and every zoanthid species has it's own abilities and peculiarities, so be patient with them and try not to spend absurd amount of money with those expensive "special deals". Normally you'll find them soon at much lower prices.

For those who are propagating them for sale, please consider in selling them with at least 5 - 10 polyps per plug/rock. That is how zoanthids' should be sold IMO.

My US$.02.

Please post your experiences here...
Have fun!

Grandis.

 

[NyReefNoob]

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/inverts

 

[NyReefNoob]

When i first started the hobby this is basically my first love of corals, All the pretty colors and designs and so on. Plus you could buy colonies fairly cheap, well after years of buying them, and going through different issue's and so forth brings me to this post. I had read a very interesting thread on RC and one of them was from Dr Mac so i asked him at the swap if it was ok to post this. this is from that thread


{{{I have been to the Solomons and collected zoos there along side native collectors.

The area where they come from is in one relatively small location just a few feet from the beach in an area where raw sewage can enter the water. They are found everywhere in this location covering the rocks for miles in every direction and are only a few inches to no more than a few feet below the surface, as a matter of fact in this area there are very few found below about 5-10 feet. Large sections can be left out of the water at low tide and waves crash on the colonies constantly. The rocks in this area are covered in hair algae and other macro algae--those that get these colonies direct from the Solomons will often see the colonies are covered in silt and algae. Algae blennies are common in the area, other corals growing in this area are Acropora and Pocillopora, both not so colorful in this area.

When the zoo colonies are cut from the rock often the new exposed rock on the base is black with anaerobic bacteria and all types of worms and other critters. These colonies are held for a relatively short period prior to shipment to the US. The colonies are held in shallow tubs under diffused natural sunlight with minimal water flow.

Upon arrival in the US I always dip them in freshwater for about 10 minutes and then saltwater with Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure. Usually on a weekly to monthly basis I will import 50-100 4-6 inch colonies. Unlike zoos colledted from other parts of the world, these colonies are sort of shaved off the rocks rather than whole chucks of rock with some zoos on it such as those shipped from Fiji or Bali. Most colonies have an assortment of pests and hitchhikers that fall off in the dips. I then keep them in a shallow vat with intense direct water flow and lots of large Turbo and other assorted snails for 1-2 weeks before doing anything further with them. This works very well in preventing fungal infections and other common problems with these zoos.

Overall, I think the Solomon Island zoos are collected and handled well and the native folks work hard to get us some awesome corals and overall do a great job. They handle lots of different types of corals in volumes, so individual care for each individual colony is not practical, but overall they do a excellent job. Having attempted collecting them myself I can tell you it is difficult. The variety of colors is incredible and blues, reds, and pinks found regularly in this area with most colonies having a mix of colors, multi colored colonies with tightly packed polyps are typical for Solomon zoos.

So, the area where Solomon zoos we get in this country are collected from is a specific shallow tidal pool with intense tropical sunlight, very intense regular wave water flow, high nutrient murky water, the colonies can often be covered in algae and there are relatively few fish in the area so some pests can be allowed to flourish in these colonies growing with tightly packed polyps. I was diving in many other areas in the Solomons and never found zoos in any other areas this leads one to believe that they do need these specific conditions to thrive in the wild.

Growing in this environment explains how hardy these corals can be, but also may explain why some don't do well in certain captive conditions. In my facility I have one SPS system and one soft coral system, the water in the SPS system is more pristine and the zoos definitely do not do as well in that system. This is an observation based upon several years and many hundreds of colonies, not specific individual pieces, ie. these corals are quite adaptable and individual colonies can do exceptionally well under a wide variety of conditions. Someone here will likely say they have some thriving zoos in their SPS dominated tank, but this may not be the general rule for these corals. Colors will fade without intense lighting IME. IMO the most ideal captive environment for these corals is a less heavily skimmed tank that is fed well regularly with very intense lighting and water flow. Definitely most of these corals are sold under the idea that they do well under less lighting and water flow, some colonies can adapt, buy IME to thrive in terms of maximum genetic potential growth and color they will not do their best under low flow and light and too pristine water quality.}}}


ok to help people gather more information and idea's on the growth, color, loss's and so forth please feel free to add to this thread, i will add some after a little while myself