enhancing zoas colors...

[MarvinsReef]

just wanted to get some inputs of what you guys do to enhance the colors of your zoas..

- do you guys feed them? if so, what do you feed them to help with their color?

- any supplements? if so, what? and the frequency of use...

- any other insights?


Thanks
Marvin

 

[clord]

I heard dt's oyster eggs will help bring out the color

 

[sn8kbit]

A lot of the issues with zoos are new to me still, I'm going to attemp fragging for the first time this weekend. Mostly for asthetics, some for growth control.

I've been using "Combo-Vital" from Mark Weiss for almost a year, in combination with Marine Snow. It's worked very well for me. Under t-5's the color has been outstanding, as well as growth. Nice thing is, I'm still on the same container I originally purchased. A pinch, 3 times a week in my 75gal. I am going to try Oyster Eggs here soon, to vary things up.

 

[surfnvb7]

i've never tried feeding mine. i know some people do, but i'm just not seeing the positive results on it and thus can't afford an expensive experiment such as that.

aside from lighting choices, PC vs. MH vs. VHO vs. T5's etc, and 10k vs 14k vs 15k vs 20k.

i'd have to say the biggest factor on color would be the water chemistry.

there are ALOT of mainly SPS guys in my club. they all try to get into the zoanthid mix, and don't have much luck. all their zoas are washed out, small, or looked bleached...but, they still grow at a normal rate...they just dont look good.

this has led me to believe its something due to the chemicals they are putting in their tank to achieve abnormally low nutrient levels, to get their SPS to color up.

as we now know, zoas tend to prefer more nutrients in the water.

i've even added carbon for a couple of days, and noticed some of my zoas lighten in color or bleach out.

things like ROWA, and ESSPECIALLY Purigen I would call for all zoa keepers to use EXTREME caution if you want to use those chemicals in your tank.

i wish i could post some pics, but i dont want to post pics of comparison of the same zoa in my tank, and then in someone elses tank without their permission to use their photos...b/c it might offend them like i'm saying their zoas suck compared to mine, and they are doing something wrong compared to me.

i think the best thing is to just leave the water chemistry alone. try to acheive some kind of balance that isn't thriving to high nutrients and algae...there are other ways to achieve this naturally then by adding chemicals.

 

[MarvinsReef]

hmmm.. great discussion so far... anybody else have any inputs aside from what's said already...

thanks again for those that put their .02 cents in already..

Marvin

 

[RhodeIslandReef]

I've tried feeding my zoos all sorts of things and they never seem to latch on and actually eat any of them. No, longer try to spot feed them and still do well.

 

[Reef Junkie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6704130#post6704130 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by surfnvb7


i'd have to say the biggest factor on color would be the water chemistry.

there are ALOT of mainly SPS guys in my club. they all try to get into the zoanthid mix, and don't have much luck. all their zoas are washed out, small, or looked bleached...but, they still grow at a normal rate...they just dont look good.

this has led me to believe its something due to the chemicals they are putting in their tank to achieve abnormally low nutrient levels, to get their SPS to color up.

as we now know, zoas tend to prefer more nutrients in the water.

i've even added carbon for a couple of days, and noticed some of my zoas lighten in color or bleach out.

things like ROWA, and ESSPECIALLY Purigen I would call for all zoa keepers to use EXTREME caution if you want to use those chemicals in your tank.

Couldn't have said it better myself.
The only maintenance I do is to keep the Alk and Cal in balance, daily. And water changes every once and a while.
I don't use a skimmer or any mechanical device to filter my water. Just Chaeto in my Fuge.
My Acro's don't POP, but they're tips are all blue or pink and they are growing well. My zoas do POP. They're brighter then they were when I was concerned about nutrients and used mechanical filtration.

 

[sunfishh]

How about placement in the tank? I have heard putting the colorful guys higher in the tank makes a difference, but I am not sure.

 

[KafudaFish]

So who else runs a zoa tank without a skimmer? I am in the process of starting a 95 gal. zoa tank and already have an aqua c skimmer still in the box (delays, delays) but I could use it on my 50 gal. tank instead. I like the low tech. approach and would prefer not to have to mess with a skimmer. I plan on using Chaeto in the fuge and a remote deep sand sand.

 

[sn8kbit]

For the record, I don't add a lot of chemicals either. Only calcium and Alk checks daily, I add Stronium and Magnesium 1 a week, and top of with RO/DI. Water changes are 5-7 gallons every couple of weeks.

Going into this, I had no idea how to setup a 'real' reef tank, and the 75 I have is not "reef ready". It's a standard tank, with a modified CPR skimmer/fuge on the back (a hang on sump now), using a Coralife needle wheel skimmer hanging onto the new "sump". I also have an Ehiem 2517 with only filter floss, pushing through a Phosban reactor containing seagel. Kind of a weird setup, but my stand won't allow for a sump, so I had to use what I could.

The Marc Weiss supplements aren't chemical. The combo vital smells like something from GNC, mostly vitamins and aminos, and the coral vital is similar but liquid. I have noticed better coloration and growth since I started using them. Of course, that's not anything scientific to prove that those things are actually causing my positive results alone. My only gripe, and maybe it's my lighting, is that my "reds" look neon orange.

S

 

[DEEC77]

I'm not sure if you'd call it inhanced but these two shots (Sorry they're a little blurry) are the same frag broke it in half. I put the first one towards the top and the second on the bottom (again sorr about the photo quality) but you can see the drastic difference.

Everything is the same ie flow etc except the amount of light they receive Along the same lines I played with skirt length first picture under more flow then second picture same light etc just different flow rates

just thought I'd share some observations

~Dee~