Stretching Zoa's

[shoddyk]

For some reason most of my zoa's are alot longer than normal. Some of the zoa's are over 2 inches long and they seem as id they are reaching for the sky. Is this a sign that I need stronger lighting. I am curently running Power Compacts on my 125g tank and I am in the process of getting 3 x 250 watt metal halide's to upgrade to. I am getting good growth but I am also getting some weird looking long zoa's. Is this normal and what do I have to do to keep them short zoa's? Thanks

 

[NYReef]

When I kept zoanthids under PC's if they were at or near the bottom the polyps started reaching for the light, stretching. I've since upgraded to MH lighting and do not have this problem, so I'd say it is related to too little light. Remember from college physics, as the distance from the light doubles, the intensity of the light decreases by four times.

 

[twon8]

more light is needed

 

[shoddyk]

Will the Zoa's shrink back down once I get the Metal Halides in there?

 

[NYReef]

Mine did when the light was increased, I don't see why your's wouldn't.

 

[shoddyk]

Did the Zoa's end up multiplying more once they shrunk down seeing that the won't have all that length to them anymore?

 

[uscgbeachbum]

They will grow faster with better light. Right now they are almost in a counter productive phase where instead of spreading they are extending.

 

[shoddyk]

Ok, now I am thinking on switching the lights to T5's after talking to some reefers online. I am thinking on putting 4 or 5 80watt T5's over the tank now instead of the Metal Halide's. Any sugestions on which lights are better.

 

[surfnvb7]

i personally love the MH's. many more different brands/colors of bulbs, many different combinations possible. why not go with some MH's, and then supplement with actinic T5's?

kinda depends on if you want to keep sps/clams. T5's are still new on the reefing scene, but people have great success with them. MH's give off that "glimer" you see on the surface below, b/c they are a single point source of light. you dont get that with the T5's

 

[jasonj90]

im running 250x2 MH with 4x 65 actinics, and still on some colonies they are still extended. they were bought this way, and havent decreased legnth any... so i dont think the theory of them returning to normal is 100% accurate...

 

[surfnvb7]

how long have you had them? it can take them months to return to "normal", if ever. on a 90g tank, regardless of the 2x250w, that is pretty deep.

 

[jasonj90]

ive had them for over a year, they are spreading well and are healthy, just still long since i got them at the LFS. ive also got some colonies that are very short with almost no trunk on them at all that are growing great as well...

 

[smy168]

I have a patch of zoas under 400 watts of MH and 120 watts of PC that still stretch.

 

[jjmcat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7445010#post7445010 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by surfnvb7
i personally love the MH's. many more different brands/colors of bulbs, many different combinations possible. why not go with some MH's, and then supplement with actinic T5's?

kinda depends on if you want to keep sps/clams. T5's are still new on the reefing scene, but people have great success with them. MH's give off that "glimer" you see on the surface below, b/c they are a single point source of light. you dont get that with the T5's

I use MH myself, but i belive you can get better color combos with T5s espicaly if using a 4 or 6 light system.Plus if your not happy with the color of your hallides then its cheaper to swith the T5 bulbs out rather than buying 2 new MH bulbs.As far as the spectrums go you can get several different by using different bulbs in the same fixture.If i could afford the T5s i would change in a heart beat.The glimer is nice but I think growth and colors of the corals are a little more important.AS a side note isnt it cheaper and cooler to run the T5s?

 

[MarvinsReef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7436754#post7436754 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NYReef
Mine did when the light was increased, I don't see why your's wouldn't.

do you have any before and after pics of the mentioned zoas?

thanks
Marvin