What is your greatest challenge ?

[MUCHO REEF]

Lets face it, reefing is not an exact science. Once you think you have it down, something else rears it ugly head. There's no such thing as a perfect system, at least not when it's man made, unlike the oceans of the world. By that I mean this, we spend the time, money and effort to create such massive ecosystems hoping that we get it right and thereby enjoy the fruits of our labor with a thriving underwater rainbow of color. So I have this question, what is the one thing that bothers you the most about keeping Zoanthids and Palythoas? The issue(s) that seems the most challenging to you?

I would like to start some lengthy discussions that we can engage each other on and learn in the process. Everyone who reads this most definitely has something o contribute. It doesn't matter how small, insignificant or trivial you think it might be, please share it with us as it might also help someone else who's teetering on giving up. I know and trust that these discussions will remain civil. Sometimes can might have to agree to disagree, but we must respect everyones opinion whether we agree or not.



Mucho Reef

 

[650-IS350]

1) Algae or fungus that rears its ugly head out of now where even though parameters are good.
2) Zoa's/Paly's just start going down hill all the sudden even though healthy for the longest time and never showed any signs of problems.
3) Zoa/Paly eating ampipods ( I'm not alone here )
4) Zoa Pox- just comes out of now where on totally healthy colonies.
5) zoa/paly - pinching, closing up and just start receeding without cause.

thats all I could think of on the top of my head Mucho-
These don't happen to me all at once.. but from time to time, one of each rears it ugly mug out of thin air. :lol:

 

[angry.clownfish]

I've only experienced Zoa/Paly eating ampipods. that seems to be the start of my problems. will take the advice and get a couple of wrasses.

 

[MUCHO REEF]

Anyone else?

 

[geoxman]

With the collecting of polyps there are many challenges.
When I started collecting them years back-everyone said they were a great starter coral?? Very little was known about the diversity and the amount of different type of polyps that there in the world.
Before the craze hit about 4 or so years ago it was very difficult to get quality color zoos as the wholesaler were not getting them because the demand from the pet stores was not there. After the demand hit then they were coming from every known region of the world and bringing their own set of problems/predators etc...

Another challenge is to keep the different morphs from different environment's happy. If you take a look at the Solomon zoanthids for example-they need very high light/flow and higher nutrients to maintain their color and health. While some of the Fiji polyps with their matt is further spread than most zoos do not like higher flow----edit: unless they have been propagated from a tank as their matt will be closer together. Indo polyps you could keep in urine and they would be happy, but they seem to get the pox more than most?
The Caribbean polyps tend to be happy in higher flow and much lower temps and do not seem as durable as most of their brothers/sisters.

I am rather intrigued by the thread started by pufferpunk and I will give him or her all of the credit in the world-as it was a fantastic idea and a rather impulse notion on how to boost their immune system with vitamin C. I have only been doing it for a very short while and I am seeing some progress in some so so zoos that tend to go into receding during the winter---Tonga stuff???

As for as the greatest challenge?? I have none as everyday brings a new one and an understanding to this often under appreciated and difficult coral.

I have to make dinner before my better half arrives and I get my two zoanthids cut off-so I will also contribute at a later time.
good luck
PL

Zoanthids are a very challenging group of corals

 

[FishAreFriends2]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11341341#post11341341 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by delsol650
1) Algae or fungus that rears its ugly head out of now where even though parameters are good.
2) Zoa's/Paly's just start going down hill all the sudden even though healthy for the longest time and never showed any signs of problems.
3) Zoa/Paly eating ampipods ( I'm not alone here )
4) Zoa Pox- just comes out of now where on totally healthy colonies.
5) zoa/paly - pinching, closing up and just start receeding without cause.

thats all I could think of on the top of my head Mucho-
These don't happen to me all at once.. but from time to time, one of each rears it ugly mug out of thin air. :lol:

5) zoa/paly - pinching, closing up and just start receeding without cause.

 

[Aussie_hippie_2]

This will sound superficial, but I don't care; the money. All the essential equipment, even the Zoas themselves. Maybe that's just the student talking.

 

[otiso777]

As a fellow student, I can agree with that

 

[spleify]

What is your greatest challenge ?

My bank account, and my wife:lol:

 

[NanoReefWanabe]

Re: What is your greatest challenge ?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11368018#post11368018 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by spleify
My bank account, and my wife:lol:

I second this...

and so the list begins...

i havent had amphipod problems yet...

but i did battle zoa spiders...and nudis...and now the pinching and closeing up..and the brownish slime covering on them..looks very similar to the brown slime that knocked out my hammer coral...and now hairalgae...although i think it is my fault...but i just test phospahtes and what do you know 0...

so i would say the greatest challenge is inaccurate test kits...(or not so much inaccurate, but not accurate enough) i know there is phates but the kits wont detect them...oh well hopefully running PURA COMPLETE will get rid of all the bads in the water ...and then i will only be stuck with a nitrate issue...LOLi guess i need to add more rock or something..

next biggest challenge is getting the stupid green coraline off the glass...