what are the best methods to grow zoas/palys fast?

[Toomnymods]

Just wondering what methods have worked to grow zoas/palys fast? what alkalinty?, Calcium levels, iodine, iodide, magnessium level, and any type of amino acids or other food source to give them nutrition along with lighting..

right now here are my levels..
alk----7.5
calcium 420
phosphate undetectable
nitrate undetectable
magnesium 1320
dose 2 capfuls of kent iodine weekly (should i dose more??) what brand works best?
I'm running the zeovit ULNS system so trying to keep nutrients being added to the tank at a bare minimum. but really want zoas and my sps healthy and thriving..
just curious what works best for u guys??
thanks,
chris

 

[NorthReefer]

i'll say MH and alot of fish poop

 

[A. Grandis]

Bump!:hmm1:

:bounce3::bounce2::bounce1:

:thumbsup:
Grandis.

 

[buddythelion]

following! Heard flow was important too

 

[tmz]

Protopalythoa and palythoa like to eat :cyclopeeze, small bit of brine and myysis, fish waste,etc.. Zoanthus are more autotrophic, light is important and flow.They are genrally high reef animals .Zoanthus are thought to absorb some organics from the water or feed on smaller stuff like bacteria ,sponge cells other micro fauna or dissolved carbon sources to meet their lesser but still important heterotrophic ( organic carbon not produced by photsynthesis)needs. FWIW,my zoanthus have done very well with vokda and vinegar dosing for the last 3 years.

 

[sunshinereefer]

Dirty water column is the best way to grow them faster but also you need to make sure you do not over do it. Feeding with coral food, some Vitamin C supplementation helps in growth..but the most important is still the light and flow.

 

[Friday Night]

Consistent water parameters...........

 

[chrisdaphish]

what does vitamin C do for them

 

[johnny]

what does vitamin C do for them

Nothing.... at least not proven.

ULNS and zoas dont go well together. I lowered my nutrients too far and my zoas stopped growing, went on vacation for a couple of weeks and had the neighbors little kids feed the tank daily... well I think they got a bit zealous and fed a 3 month supply in two weeks, my zoas exploded with growth. (flake, oyster eggs, rotifiers, phyto).

Nick

 

[tmz]

Zoanthidae include protopalythoa and palythoa live in a variety of environments some of which are quite turbid and relatively nutrient rich. Zoanthus another Zoanthidae live predominantly on the high reef often taking over monitpora skeletons where NO3 is around 0.2ppm and inorganic phospahte is very low at .005PPM. UNLS is hard to discuss since it doesn't really have any meaning beyond low NO3 and PO4 ; how low? Organics also come into play as a source for organic carbon to supplement photosynthesis.No coral will do well at true 0 PO4 or true 0 Nitrogen.

Vitamin C is a source of organic carbon(C), the third nutrient along with phospahorous and nitrogen. Ascorbic acid(vitamin C) is not unlike sugar , vodka vinegar or bio pellets. The extra C encourages bacterial growth an may be a source for zoanthidae to meet their need for this nutrient to supplement the organic C produced by photosynthesis.. There is speculation about other benefits which are unproven and without plausibility ,imo.As far as carbon sources go, it's pretty close to sugar which has caused problems for many corals , so I choose not to use it,favoring vodka and vinegar instead.

 

[buddythelion]

​

Zoanthidae include protopalythoa and palythoa live in a variety of environments some of which are quite turbid and relatively nutrient rich. Zoanthus another Zoanthidae live predominantly on the high reef often taking over monitpora skeletons where NO3 is around 0.2ppm and inorganic phospahte is very low at .005PPM. UNLS is hard to discuss since it doesn't really have any meaning beyond low NO3 and PO4 ; how low? Organics also come into play as a source for organic carbon to supplement photosynthesis.No coral will do well at true 0 PO4 or true 0 Nitrogen.

Vitamin C is a source of organic carbon(C), the third nutrient along with phospahorous and nitrogen. Ascorbic acid(vitamin C) is not unlike sugar , vodka vinegar or bio pellets. The extra C encourages bacterial growth an may be a source for zoanthidae to meet their need for this nutrient to supplement the organic C produced by photosynthesis.. There is speculation about other benefits which are unproven and without plausibility ,imo.As far as carbon sources go, it's pretty close to sugar which has caused problems for many corals , so I choose not to use it,favoring vodka and vinegar instead.

'Twas a good read.

 

[tmz]

Glad you liked it.

 

[A. Grandis]

Hi Tom,
Please explain the " sugar giving problems to many corals".
I've heard about that long ago, but I don't have any references.
Products to avoid?

Also, give us more about the use of vinegar and vodka in your system.
Any links to articles on those topics?

Nice read!
Thanks a lot,

Grandis.

 

[KafudaFish]

Time.