Optimal Lighting Period for Zs-n-Ps

Scopus Tang

Scopus Tang

New member
Was doing some light acclimation over the last few days on a nice package of new polyps I picked up from a fellow reefer. I noticed that many of my old polyps seemed to perk up and look better when I reduced the length of the daylight portion of my light period. So, I was curious if anybody has done any experimenting with lighting periods on a Z-n-P dominated tank, and if so, what you've found. TIA
 
What I have noticed when changing photo periods on my Z's and P's is that with reduced light time, the polyps begin to elongate to absorb more light.

I have not experimented with increasing the photo period much longer than my regular period tho.

Would be interesting to see a detailed write up of this.
 
I read a paper saying that with intense lighting, corals do best with a 4 hours on 8 hours off cycle. Hence, you get two in a day. Apparently, they can only handle so much photosynthesis and then nothing happens. Also, grown only occurs in the dark. Short bursts seem to be better. However, I'm not certain how this applies specifically to zoas and palys.
 
Mr. Microscope said:
I read a paper saying that with intense lighting, corals do best with a 4 hours on 8 hours off cycle. Hence, you get two in a day. Apparently, they can only handle so much photosynthesis and then nothing happens. Also, grown only occurs in the dark. Short bursts seem to be better. However, I'm not certain how this applies specifically to zoas and palys.
Click to expand...

This is very interesting discussion. Could you possibly share this paper with us, or point us in the direction to find it?
Thanks
 
Mr. Microscope said:
I read a paper saying that with intense lighting, corals do best with a 4 hours on 8 hours off cycle. Hence, you get two in a day. Apparently, they can only handle so much photosynthesis and then nothing happens. Also, grown only occurs in the dark. Short bursts seem to be better. However, I'm not certain how this applies specifically to zoas and palys.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mr. Microscope; now that you mention that I remember reading something about that a long time ago on another site. If I remember right, somebody claimed to be having very good luck growing Zs-n-Ps in a small tank using a similar lighting cycle.

XSharkboyX said:
Thanks, read the abstract. However, I dont want to pay $40 for a membership to read the full article... :(
I found the full article free if you google search Heteroxenia fuscescens and click on this one near the bottom. My link will not work for some reason...
www.tau.ac.il/lifesci/departments/zoology/members/.../93.pdf
Click to expand...

Thanks Sharkboy, I'm off to check that one out myself.

Anybody currently doing anything similar to this?
 
After reading this my questions are...
If placed under the 4/8 L/D photoperiod you suggested, will the corals show more growth? More/Less Color?

You must remember zooxanthellae are naturally a brown pigment. So if there were an abundance of extra zooxanthellae in a coral it would turn brown to our eyes. The natural color pigments of a coral are used to reflect the light back out of the corals.
In shallow water typically in front of the zooxanthellae to act as a partial sunscreen.
In deep water behind the zooxanthellae to act as a reflector, so the zooxanthellae gets twice as much light as it should.

I'm thinking your corals would grow faster due to the abundace of extra photosynthesis from the algae, however, turn brown from lack of pigment. To a hobbyist, this is bad news. After all, we want the brightest pigments in our corals. So by increasing the amount of available light and photoperiod, in theory, the pigments acting to shade the zooxanthellae would be at their best and brightest.

Anyone else care to share thoughts?
 
Interesting thoughts - my initial question would be in regards to the different colors we see within the various polyps. Are those colors the results of lessor or higher concentrations of zooxanthellae, or are they rather brought about about by the presence of additional accessory pigments (or perhaps different types of zooxanthellae) contained within the polyps in addition to the zooxanthellae. I must confess that I've not done any dedicated research on this particular topic, but was always of the opinion that different color morphs had to be the result of different types of pigments. After all, while lower concentrations of brown may give you tan or off white, it shouldn't give you purple or blue or orange in and of itself. Again, not having done any research on the matter, perhaps I am wrong.

Further, if I remember some references correctly, one of the common methods used to promote growth in corals is to expose them to 10K lighting. While the coral grows, it tends to (as you said Sharkboy) brown out. Corals are then moved back under higher K lighting in order to restore their optimals colors for sale or trade.

Would the alternating light cycles work in a similar manner?
 
XSharkboyX said:
After reading this my questions are...
If placed under the 4/8 L/D photoperiod you suggested, will the corals show more growth? More/Less Color?
Click to expand...
I'm on the 4 hour photo period in my picotope. No problem with growth or color. I have LEDs though. You be the judge.
TopDown20110209.jpg

It's hard to see, but if you look to the right, you'll see my Whammin' Watermelons. They had green skirts, blackish blue eyes, and orange centers when I got them. They now have neon green skirts, neon green eyes, and red centers.
 
Mr. Microscope said:
Small tank? Like 3 gallons? That might have been me.
Click to expand...

No, this was on another forum quite awhile back, and as I recall it was on a frag tank.

Mr. Microscope said:
I'm on the 4 hour photo period in my picotope. No problem with growth or color. I have LEDs though. You be the judge.

It's hard to see, but if you look to the right, you'll see my Whammin' Watermelons. They had green skirts, blackish blue eyes, and orange centers when I got them. They now have neon green skirts, neon green eyes, and red centers.
Click to expand...

Looks nice - is that taken while the blue LEDs are on or do you have a mixed balance of blue and white?
 
I guess in order to do this properly one must set up 2 systems with the same variables, ie dependent, independent, constant. Then apply the different photoperiods, for a given time. Then compare growth and color at the end.
I think 6mon to a year would be ideal.
 
Mr. Microscope said:
It's mostly blues, but there's some white. Probably about 22,000K.
Click to expand...

I also would be curious to know some background info on your reef. I've not seen much posted in support of LEDs boosting zoa growth, but I'm in/following a growout contest on another forum, and the LED tanks seem to be doing quite well.

XSharkboyX said:
I guess in order to do this properly one must set up 2 systems with the same variables, ie dependent, independent, constant. Then apply the different photoperiods, for a given time. Then compare growth and color at the end.
I think 6mon to a year would be ideal.
Click to expand...

True enough if one is interested in doing a formal controlled experiment. I don't think it always has to be done that way by hobbiests however. Much of what has been learned in this hobby has been learned simply from the observations and experiences of other hobbiests, not scientific experiments. I was reading through a couple sites on the internet today, and was actually suprized and pleased to run across a site where scientists were actually asking hobbiests for input and insight into some research they were considering.
 
XSharkboyX said:
how long have you had your tank on this regimine, and what kind of growth have you noticed?
Click to expand...

I've been on it about six months. It's hard to say whether I'm getting more or less growth, but everything seems happy. You're right, we'd need to run two systems in parallel in order to really tell.
 
Scopus Tang said:
I also would be curious to know some background info on your reef. I've not seen much posted in support of LEDs boosting zoa growth, but I'm in/following a growout contest on another forum, and the LED tanks seem to be doing quite well.
Click to expand...

I've been on LEDs for the bulk of the life of this aquarium. So, again it's hard to say whether or not it boosts growth. I have noticed that my zoas and palys tend to be smaller and more intensely colored than many people. I think that is because of the intensity of the light. They don't need to work as hard to get it, hense, don't get as big. Reproduction seems fine.
 
It seems that over in the sps forum this cut back has been discussed and I want to say some people experienced better growth and coloration when they had a MH photo period of 4 to 6 hours max.

I think it all started with summer temps and energy costs.

Others were stating they had 10 to 12 hr light cycles and they had issues.
 
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