First Zoanthids Thursday. Need a few questions answered.

[Almenmarine]

I have a 30g. 18" Tall, with 2x96w PC. 1 Actinic, and 1 12,000K Bulb.

I ordered my first coral last week. He is a small blue mushroom. He seems do be doing great so far. I put him in a shaded area, however, some light can get to him, but not alot. I read that you have to do this and move them to light gradually. I ordered him as a Blue, but i honestly think he is a red Mushroom. It's hard to tell.

Anyways,

Like i said, my First Zoa's are comming soon.

I need a few questions answered! I did alot of research, but i'm finding mixed answers to these questions.

After aclaimation, where should i put them into the tank. Should they also go into a well shaded spot and moved to the middle of the tank, in a zone with medium flow over a few days, or should i plop them in that area right away?

I read that a change in light going up can shock Zoa's. Also, I want to prevent any bleaching as possible. I want them to be very colorful. I read that feeding frozen mysis, and baby brine shrimp is a huge color booster, along with lots of flow and light. How much light is too much light, and would feeding them newly hatched brine be easily done?

Like i said, i want them to look their best. I also would love to see them spread nicely, as i'm setting up my frag tank within the next quarter year.

Thanks, and i'm sure i will have plently of more questions to add to this.

Christian

 

[CrazyZoa]

Christian,

For the most part zoas are far to small to take in food. So with zoas feeding them is really a moot point. Some palys will take food though. Start out by putting your new zoas on the bottom of the tank with medium flow to let them get settled in. As far as acclaimation, I do a quick 20 second fresh water dip and into the tank they go. Others do a quick Reviv dip and it's done. No long drip acclaimation is needed with zoas/palys.

 

[danderson8019]

always start in low light them move them to higher light works best

 

[826 moto]

what kind are they but
low light lower flow to start

 

[tate1]

+1 ^^^^

 

[Dave VG]

I do not acclaimat my zoas or polys. I put them on the bottom. They open with in a couple of hours usually but no more than a day. But then again i light my tank with a 250 watt MH.

 

[Almenmarine]

They are Candy Apple, and Whammin Watermellons. Also ordered a Hairy Mushroom.

So i will set a bowl of water to 8.3 PH, and dechlorinate the water. dip them in their for 20 seconds, then accliamate for 2 hours. (just to be safe).

Then i will dip them in the FW again for 20 seconds, and put them into the tank.

Good plan?

 

[Reef Bass]

I personally am not a fan of fresh water dips. I much prefer something along the lines of iodine (like TMPCC or even drugstore povidone) mixed in reef water or Melafix Marine mixed in reef water. I also like to drip acclimate, but you'll get many opinions on the need to do so with zoos. IMHO, while zoos can tolerate larger changes in water chemistry than say SPS, why stress them like that, especially if they've been shipped.

I wouldn't worry about bleaching from too much light with your setup.