Help an SPS guy with a Zoo problem?

[pk1]

Hi folks-looking for some general advice on keeping zoanthids in an SPS reef, IE feeding, lighting, water movement etc. My tank is 180g SPS dominated reef with 400w MH lighting and VHO. I have a few frags that have been in my tank for about 2 months, they seem to be OK, except one that just doesn't stay open much (pic included sold as dragon eyes). I have them placed on the sand bed in an area of the tank that gets pretty good flow, but nothing crazy. I have not attempted to target feed them yet but I do feed the tank a frozen mush and Cyclop-Eeze quite often. Any help is appreciated...as in the past zoo's have just seemed to waste away in my tank.

Patrick

 

[plandy]

Well for one thing zoas and sps are almost on the opposite ends in lighting requirements. With the exception of a few, most zoos require less lighting than SPS corals. The other thing, they require more nutrients in the water than your SPS corals might be happy with. You'll find that some zoos will adapt to your SPS reef setup but some others will not.

 

[rubysmomma1]

First, they are Dragon Eyes. Just to let you know I guess. Secondly, I think it's the individual colony that decides how much light and how much flow they like. I have ~12 different colors of zoas and each one wants different lighting and different flow.

We have T5 actinics and 50/50s. Definately not the light power you have, but our Dragon Eyes are happy near the top of the tank and I have a frag that sits on the sand. You might also want to try putting them under a ledge and taking them out of direct light. If they start reaching for light, then I'd move 'em out a little.

Both rocks prefer moderate flow. Our tank is 75 gal, 4 ft long and the powerhead is on the opposite end of the tank and is pointed across the front of the larger rock.

As far as feeding goes, we add cylopeze or rotifers to the water twice a week. We don't target feed them though. All our zoas seem to thrive and we have yet to lose any colonies. (Now that I've said that we'll start having problem .)

Good luck and I hope those little guys make it!!

 

[Dav]

Patrick,
I keep both sps and zoa's in the same tank for years, you just haveto decide do you wany healthy zoa's or lightly colored sps. If you like the lighter colored sps meaning you are running low nutrient in your system, you will find the zoa's don't grow much if any. But if you feed and let the fish load be a little heavy, play the heavy bio load ( for a sps tank that is not too hard) and you will see better results. Next try to place the zoa's in indirect lighting. I grew them nicely in a 125 with 3 400 watt 15 K XM's and had great colors, But you can't move them under the light quickly, start them near an over hang or in the corner and move them to the higher lighted areas only if they look like they are growing good, then see how they act once you move them. Zoa's can handle a lot of light but the adjust to it slowly, if they get it too quickly they will melt down or burn as I call it.
Hope that helps some
Dav
If you want to see some pics, just send me an e-mail address in a PM and I will link you to my photobucket for some ideas of what I am talking about

I

 

[pk1]

Thanks for the idea's folks-I think I will slowly move them into a slightly shaded area and see how that goes, I may dip them also just to be sure. This frag acts strange, kind of half opens sometimes. I do feed a lot so I don't think my tank is sterile to say the least!

PK

 

[Reef Junkie]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8508562#post8508562 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dav
Patrick,
I keep both sps and zoa's in the same tank for years, you just haveto decide do you wany healthy zoa's or lightly colored sps. If you like the lighter colored sps meaning you are running low nutrient in your system, you will find the zoa's don't grow much if any. But if you feed and let the fish load be a little heavy, play the heavy bio load ( for a sps tank that is not too hard) and you will see better results. Next try to place the zoa's in indirect lighting. I grew them nicely in a 125 with 3 400 watt 15 K XM's and had great colors, But you can't move them under the light quickly, start them near an over hang or in the corner and move them to the higher lighted areas only if they look like they are growing good, then see how they act once you move them. Zoa's can handle a lot of light but the adjust to it slowly, if they get it too quickly they will melt down or burn as I call it.
Hope that helps some
Dav
If you want to see some pics, just send me an e-mail address in a PM and I will link you to my photobucket for some ideas of what I am talking about

I

Couldn't have said it better myself.
Cut back on your skiming and mechanical filtration to get your zoas to thrive, but then your SPS will begin to brown up.
It's like Dav said, it's a tricky balancing act, but if you're insane, you can pull it off. :lol:

Really, it's not easy, but can be done.

 

[Dav]

Here is a good down shot of the old zoa garden, You can see a few nicely colored sps off to the side of the pic

and here is the best pic I have of the old tank with sps, zoa's and all are growing like made. I do try to stay with the darker colored sps due to the high nutrient load, it helps keep the colors rich.

Here is a deep water coral that has done well even though the higher than normal nutrient levels for this sps.
I had it about 1 year now and the color gets even better as it grows

Dav