need help with a zoa tank plan!

[bigmatt1992]

ok i want to probly use a 1(or maybe my 10) gallon tank for a zoa grow out tank. do you guys think this size tank would be ok to use(water evap. heat, ect.)secound is if im only planing on haveing zoa whats the lowest light i can put on the tank and still see results(money is a fatcor light wise for me)third instead of useing a sump could i just use a hob filter i have laying around?

any help would be nice thanks for the look.

 

[hunterd_67]

you could prob use normal lights, that come with 10g starter kits, and the filter,zoo's dont need much light to live, if you set 1 up use some of the water and lr rubble from your exiting tank, I think either home depot or lowes use to carry a clip on light that was 70 watts and a 65k rating.

 

[Kimberly63]

Although I agree with being able to use the light in the beginning, after awhile your zoas will look like crap and brown out. Of course they will live but they will look terrible. Get a cheaper power compact like a coralife fixture. Or you could get a JBJ picotope that is 3 gallon - I think they are around $50 for the whole kit on Drs. Foster & Smith - including light and fixture. And it's a good size for growing zoas and other softies.

 

[raynist]

If I remember correctly, when Eric Borneman was here he said that zoanthid's get almost all of their energy from light, so I think if you plan on growing these out and want them to look really nice you should get some good lighting.

 

[LeviChar1]

kimberly is right. but a decent cheap light.

 

[cloakerpoked]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14968496#post14968496 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by raynist
If I remember correctly, when Eric Borneman was here he said that zoanthid's get almost all of their energy from light, so I think if you plan on growing these out and want them to look really nice you should get some good lighting.

That's exactly what he said, and what I've observed as well. I have noticed that they seem to do better when you feed the tank phyto-plankton, but you won't see many zoas respond at all to target feeding of any type. They just aren't predatory the way that a lot of other corals are. That said, I think that a small t-5 (2x24) or PC lighting should be good for his purposes. Personally, I'd invest in a 70w MH just because I'm obsessed with consuming energy but that's just me

 

[bigmatt1992]

i just want this tank to go up next to my bed so at night i can have it set to antics to glow i really dont need nothing special the cheapest but most secuseful rout is what im going for.