What makes Zoanthids grow and grow FAST?
- Thread starter Hugegoose
- Start date
Jon in SW Ohio
New member
Patience.
j/k In all honesty, no two morphs I have grow at the same rate. JGoslee's advice is the tried and true answer IMO.
j/k In all honesty, no two morphs I have grow at the same rate. JGoslee's advice is the tried and true answer IMO.
drummereef
Team RC
Simple but so true. :thumbsup:
distallassazn
New member
ive noticed my zoas do better in higher lighting with moderate to low flow. and of course my parameters have to be in check.
tekknoschtev
New member
I don't think that there is any one factor, without the others, that will contribute to the accelerated growth of zoanthids. As mentioned above, appropriate lighting, flow and stable water parameters are all key points. I have noticed that on top of stable, you need proper water parameters. Our tank was running with a perpetually low calcium and alkalinity, but we didn't think anything of it because everything seemed to be doing ok; however once we began supplimenting for calcium and alkalinity, we began to see certain colonies that had been notoriously slow growers begin to pop off polyps like there was no tomorrow. I'm away at college, but drive home about every weekend it seems, and most of the colonies I can distinctly see new polyps coming in, and older new polyps becoming mature polyps.
That said, stable and appropriate water parameters alone won't do the trick. Our tank is lit with 400W XM 10K halides, and I'm a firm believer in having higher lighting for zoas, but its not an all inclusive statement. I definitely have some zoas that prefer to be in more shaded areas in the tank. You just have to experiment. Thts not to say you need 400W halides to grow zoa successfully - but rather, I've noted that they aren't the low-light-loving corals that we initally thought they were when we began this hobby. They can tollerate lower lighting, but more lighting seems to elicit faster growth.
And, just to further my point, even if you have stable water parameters, and excellent lighting, not much will happen if the flow isnt correct. Again, a falacy when we began this hobby was that zoanthids (and most softies) prefered slower moving waters. While in some instances this is true, I've found that most corals, not just zoanthids, do better when they are given the maximum amount of flow that they can handle without closing up - and to that end, random turbulant flow seems to do the trick better than strong laminar flow. Again, laminar flow will work, but to bring out the fastest growth, I've found that having random strong flow brings about much faster growth rates than laminar strong flow or any combination of lower flow. I try to get as much flow to my zoanthids as they can handle, without closing up or stressing them out.
And - on top of ALL of that, once your zoanthids have found a happy place in your tank that now has very stable water parameters, good lighting and some pretty amazing flow, LEAVE THEM ALONE. I've found that once they've found a happy spot, that they want to stay there. Moving them around seems to sort of "shock" them and they go into a state where they need to settle back in before they will grow the same again. Some of them settle in in a few hour, and some of them it can take weeks or months!
That said, stable and appropriate water parameters alone won't do the trick. Our tank is lit with 400W XM 10K halides, and I'm a firm believer in having higher lighting for zoas, but its not an all inclusive statement. I definitely have some zoas that prefer to be in more shaded areas in the tank. You just have to experiment. Thts not to say you need 400W halides to grow zoa successfully - but rather, I've noted that they aren't the low-light-loving corals that we initally thought they were when we began this hobby. They can tollerate lower lighting, but more lighting seems to elicit faster growth.
And, just to further my point, even if you have stable water parameters, and excellent lighting, not much will happen if the flow isnt correct. Again, a falacy when we began this hobby was that zoanthids (and most softies) prefered slower moving waters. While in some instances this is true, I've found that most corals, not just zoanthids, do better when they are given the maximum amount of flow that they can handle without closing up - and to that end, random turbulant flow seems to do the trick better than strong laminar flow. Again, laminar flow will work, but to bring out the fastest growth, I've found that having random strong flow brings about much faster growth rates than laminar strong flow or any combination of lower flow. I try to get as much flow to my zoanthids as they can handle, without closing up or stressing them out.
And - on top of ALL of that, once your zoanthids have found a happy place in your tank that now has very stable water parameters, good lighting and some pretty amazing flow, LEAVE THEM ALONE. I've found that once they've found a happy spot, that they want to stay there. Moving them around seems to sort of "shock" them and they go into a state where they need to settle back in before they will grow the same again. Some of them settle in in a few hour, and some of them it can take weeks or months!
Giovanni
AKA Flippa
I recently set up a shallow frag tank plumed into my main system aimed at sps. It has 3-4 inches of water and 225watts of light. 5-6 gallons of water with random flow provided by two of the new hydor prop pumps pushing 330gph each combined with the return flow of about 100gph. I put some Zoas that I had in the bottom of my tank in it at the edges where the flow and light are not so much. These polyps started to mature and grow within a week. I have had them for several month without noticing any improvement.
Here is a photo of the setup.
Here is a photo of the setup.
timrandlerv10
New member
If you built that as a stand alone tank, would it need to be skimmed?
How would you run a 'zoo only' frag tank?
How would you run a 'zoo only' frag tank?
That Might work if u used Orca Bio Cubes And attached a small 3-5 gallon sump In that case u would not need a skimmer due to the cubes if used as directed ...Just a thought..Also you would need to do weekly water changes and keep all your levels in check especially Calcium and alk
Lilmatty5dimes
New member
easy fish pop. and its free
A. Grandis
Active member
I know the thread is old, but here we go...
A little update...
Well, fish poop is an old one!
That alone won't do the trick, unfortunately. Actually that isn't much related to zoanthids' growth/reproduction IME anyway. Have you found your zoas closing around fish poop? I've never seen any type of zoa grabbing feces. They actually reject it at all costs. So that is one of the proofs. Another thing is that in all the papers I've read there is no scientific evidences of fish poop in zoas' guts. Please let me know if you found one. Perhaps they didn't look for it?
Zoas do have the ability to absorb nutrients from the water and many people have the idea that fishes' feces become a great deal of those diluted nutrients. Some would agree with me that after digestion, those nutrients would be reduced considerably, and probably would be hard for the polyps do use them as they they should. Bacteria would transform those feces too, reducing them even more after they settle. In the ocean such nutrients probably don't come mainly from fishes feces, but other yet unknown sources (if you are reading this and found out the sources, please let us know!).
Nitrates are a by product of the transformation of mainly food and feces in closed systems, by bacteria. Some believe that zoas do love the presence of nitrates. The truth is that nitrates aren't that toxic when in acceptable levels to begin with, and besides that, zoas are pretty hardy in many ways, as many say. So they tolerate nitrates well. Many times the tremendous amount of variables are ignored by many of us.
Fish food and feces become detritus and that could be transformed in many different ways in our closed systems. Most of those transformations are done by bacteria and the accumulation of those products (mostly algae nutrients) aren't very welcome. Therefore exportation and neutralization of those products are our goal as aquarists.
We know today the quality of nutrients for zoas' growth in closed systems should come from ingested quality particle foods, after good quality light and adequate/favorable water parameters. Their absorption abilities are minor in our "low nutrient systems". Skimmers are great removers of those nutrients, if they those nutrients present, and the use of carbon will remove even more. The nutrients we're talking about here are also the so hated ones used by algae and we want them out of there anyway!!!!
Excess nutrients, offered by a huge broadcast feeding, would greatly contribute to most zoanthids' absorption abilities. Skimmers are normally turned off for hours after the artificial feeding episode, normally done at night.
I would like also to add to post #6 (please read that!) and say that skimmer is one of the best things we could add to any saltwater setup, specially reefs!! Any zoanthid system should have a good skimmer and a maintenance schedule, with stable parameters.
Also, temperature should be in their 78-79°F. That's what works best for me.
Some people keep it at around 75°F ish. Others would prefer warmer, around 80°-81°F.
The use of GAC is good when well administered!
I don't recommend GFO and pellets. They aren't necessary and could bring some trouble when misused. That said, to avoid them is the best IMO, generally speaking.
To target feed the zoas is really good and that would bring some more maintenance for being time consuming too, but most species will be glad if you're doing it. Broad feeding your system is also acceptable and that is the way some of the most beautiful zoa dominated tanks do!!!!
Of course quality light is a great deal for their zooxanthellae metabolism and relationship. Many people say they use only that source for their maintenance in captivity. I found that light alone isn't enough in a long run to have zoanthids at their best (like we find them in nature). Best light is still metal halides. No doubt about that!!! HO T5s are great also!!
I do not trust LEDs yet and found many people complaining and going back to MH/T5s. that's another long subject!!!
At last, but still important... every system is different and every zoanthid species has it's own abilities and peculiarities, so be patient with them and try not to spend absurd amount of money with those expensive "special deals". Normally you'll find them soon at much lower prices.
For those who are propagating them for sale, please consider in selling them with at least 5 - 10 polyps per plug/rock. That is how zoanthids' should be sold IMO.
My US$.02.
Please post your experiences here... :beer:
Have fun!
Grandis.
A little update...
Well, fish poop is an old one!
That alone won't do the trick, unfortunately. Actually that isn't much related to zoanthids' growth/reproduction IME anyway. Have you found your zoas closing around fish poop? I've never seen any type of zoa grabbing feces. They actually reject it at all costs. So that is one of the proofs. Another thing is that in all the papers I've read there is no scientific evidences of fish poop in zoas' guts. Please let me know if you found one. Perhaps they didn't look for it?Zoas do have the ability to absorb nutrients from the water and many people have the idea that fishes' feces become a great deal of those diluted nutrients. Some would agree with me that after digestion, those nutrients would be reduced considerably, and probably would be hard for the polyps do use them as they they should. Bacteria would transform those feces too, reducing them even more after they settle. In the ocean such nutrients probably don't come mainly from fishes feces, but other yet unknown sources (if you are reading this and found out the sources, please let us know!
). Nitrates are a by product of the transformation of mainly food and feces in closed systems, by bacteria. Some believe that zoas do love the presence of nitrates. The truth is that nitrates aren't that toxic when in acceptable levels to begin with, and besides that, zoas are pretty hardy in many ways, as many say. So they tolerate nitrates well. Many times the tremendous amount of variables are ignored by many of us.
Fish food and feces become detritus and that could be transformed in many different ways in our closed systems. Most of those transformations are done by bacteria and the accumulation of those products (mostly algae nutrients) aren't very welcome. Therefore exportation and neutralization of those products are our goal as aquarists.
We know today the quality of nutrients for zoas' growth in closed systems should come from ingested quality particle foods, after good quality light and adequate/favorable water parameters. Their absorption abilities are minor in our "low nutrient systems". Skimmers are great removers of those nutrients, if they those nutrients present, and the use of carbon will remove even more. The nutrients we're talking about here are also the so hated ones used by algae and we want them out of there anyway!!!!
Excess nutrients, offered by a huge broadcast feeding, would greatly contribute to most zoanthids' absorption abilities. Skimmers are normally turned off for hours after the artificial feeding episode, normally done at night.
I would like also to add to post #6 (please read that!) and say that skimmer is one of the best things we could add to any saltwater setup, specially reefs!! Any zoanthid system should have a good skimmer and a maintenance schedule, with stable parameters.
Also, temperature should be in their 78-79°F. That's what works best for me.
Some people keep it at around 75°F ish. Others would prefer warmer, around 80°-81°F.
The use of GAC is good when well administered!
I don't recommend GFO and pellets. They aren't necessary and could bring some trouble when misused. That said, to avoid them is the best IMO, generally speaking.
To target feed the zoas is really good and that would bring some more maintenance for being time consuming too, but most species will be glad if you're doing it. Broad feeding your system is also acceptable and that is the way some of the most beautiful zoa dominated tanks do!!!!
Of course quality light is a great deal for their zooxanthellae metabolism and relationship. Many people say they use only that source for their maintenance in captivity. I found that light alone isn't enough in a long run to have zoanthids at their best (like we find them in nature). Best light is still metal halides. No doubt about that!!! HO T5s are great also!!
I do not trust LEDs yet and found many people complaining and going back to MH/T5s. that's another long subject!!!
At last, but still important... every system is different and every zoanthid species has it's own abilities and peculiarities, so be patient with them and try not to spend absurd amount of money with those expensive "special deals". Normally you'll find them soon at much lower prices.
For those who are propagating them for sale, please consider in selling them with at least 5 - 10 polyps per plug/rock. That is how zoanthids' should be sold IMO.
My US$.02.
Please post your experiences here... :beer:
Have fun!
Grandis.
A. Grandis
Active member
Lots of subjects related to zoas there for many to pay attention and discuss about real things...
That's what we need...
Please start with your opinions and let it roll...
LOL!!!
Grandis.
That's what we need...
Please start with your opinions and let it roll...
LOL!!!
Grandis.
ViktorVaughn
New member
Do you have any good in depth articles or books you can suggest on zoas? I have recently gotten a couple frags and these, more than the other coral I have, fascinate me the most. Even if its not a zoa specific book, one you have found to be the most helpful and relevant would be great.
A. Grandis
Active member
Hello ViktorVaughn,
I don't have any book that would be a very great help.
Most books refer to zoas in a very simple way.
There are some good articles that would be nice to read.
Here is the one I remember:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/inverts
I'm sure someone else will bring other articles as well.
The one above is the best I know.
I hope hear from others...
Grandis.
I don't have any book that would be a very great help.
Most books refer to zoas in a very simple way.
There are some good articles that would be nice to read.
Here is the one I remember:
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/2/inverts
I'm sure someone else will bring other articles as well.
The one above is the best I know.
I hope hear from others...
Grandis.
