Tub Blues have not multiplied in over 18 months.

[mic209]

Almost 2 years ago I bought a 2 polyp tub blue frag. After about 4 months it grew to 12 polyps and just stopped, I've tried placing it in different locations in the tank and nothing. They have kept their color and are always open. My tank is lit by AI Sol Nano, and parameters are as follow.

Ca: 400ppm
Alk: 9.2 DKH
SG: 1.025
Po4: .01
Nitrate: 0ppm

 

[A. Grandis]

More info about your system, please.
Maintenance schedule etc...

For how long do you have the AI Sol Nano on the system?
I've heard others saying their LEDs tend to have that type of effects in the long run.

I will just wait to hear people's opinions on this.
It is hard for me to always be so critical about LEDs.
I don't want to have that type of label.

I would suggest target feeding with a good quality coral food, like Reef Chilli first.
Another suggestion would be to think of replacing the LEDs for a good T5 fixture.

Grandis.

 

[mic209]

Tank is 30 gallons total volume, I do a 5 gallon water change once a week with reef crystals. I also run GFO and Carbon. Tank has 4 fish, 2 clowns, a firefish and a blenny. I feed a mix of frozen food once or twice a day.
I also dose 2 part via dosing pumps controlled by my Apex. Tank is SPS dominate and I have a couple LPS pieces. My sps and lps do well. I've had the Sol Nano over the tank for almost 2 years, and the tub blues have only been under that light since they've been in my tank. I have actually been in the market for a new light. T5 would be my choice if there were 18" fixtures out there,considering my tank is an 18" cube, don't really want the light spill a 24" fixture would provide. I've been looking more into going back to a metal halide, I want to run a 250w radium, but can't find a reflector that doesn't have crazy spread.

 

[A. Grandis]

You're not alone! Many people have left/sold their LEDs and went back to the real deal!
MH and/or T5s will be great, as we know. Remember to adapt carefully your system to the new light when you do it!!!
You can find 20" HOT5 fixtures. Only 2" more…
I think the 250W Radium does a great job, but the T5s would be really good too and more uniform.
I had a 55gal in the past with 2 X 250W MHs and 2 NO actinics. Never had zoas growing faster and healthier than that!! Too bad it was really hot and I couldn't afford a chiller.

I would remove the GFO and feed less frozen food to the system.
As I've told you before, the dry coral foods do a great job and they won't add phosphates and other things to your system, like the frozen do. Also for the fish, dry food. You can give them some boost sometimes with mysis or so, but not a lot.

Please make sure you check the Ca sand alk every now and then, to see if the numbers are kept in balance. Apex must be really good!! I have Reef Keeper and like it a lot. Some say Apex is even better.

So it could be that your GFO is affecting the zoas, considering that the tank is well maintained, no pests, algae, infections, predators and all params are great.
I would try to keep the temperature around 79/80°F.

Grandis.

 

[slin1977]

Plus 1 about the GFO , get rid of it! , raise your nitrates a bit as well...
As for the LED theory I can say that zoas thrive under LEDs
Try a less intense lighting cycle , the tubs might not need to be blasted with high light.

 

[Whiterabbitrage]

Agree. Ditch the GFO and target feed.

 

[neuro]

errr, i have MH and LED actinic supplements. I also run GFO.

tubbs blue is the only zoa colony that's tripled its size since I got it. It doesn't seem to know when to stop.

 

[animalkingdom]

my tubs love high light. one polyp broke off my colony on the sand bed and I glues it to a rock up high in my sps system. now that one polyp colony is 4 times the size of the original and probably has 50+ polyps. just what happened for me

 

[NickFD3S]

I also have led's and my tubb's grow like crazy, mine do a lot better under higher light areas.