zoa color change/light question

[Rich123]

When adjusting zoas to new light, does:
Zoas turning brown mean to much light or not enough light?
Zoas turning white (from dark color to lighter color) mean not enough light or to much light?

I had pack of dark purple colored zoas at bottom of 125 gal tank with 150 MH lighting. I moved them to a 55 gal tank with T5s (4x54 watt). They are now a lavendar color instead of the dark dusty purple color.

 

[poiromaniax]

Usually, when zoas go lighter, they are bleaching due to strong lighting.

you should be acclimatising them to your lighting. Start off with the zoas at the bottom and every week or two, move them higher up until they are in the desired place.

Target feeding will help the zoas recover

 

[Rich123]

I did place them at the bottom of the 55 gal but they lightened up anyway. Could this be due to stress of moving?

Also, would they regain their color once they get use to the new tank?

 

[650-IS350]

Usually, when zoas go lighter, they are bleaching due to strong lighting. also happens when they're not getting enough light...

most coral will color back up once they have been fully acclimated and adjusted to tank lighting and parameters.

 

[MikeandNicole]

Also realize you changed from a single MH bulb that only emits one temperature of light. Your combination of T5s could be an entirely different temperature hence the change in how they look. It might now be the corals at all just new lighting.

 

[dmyers557]

I recomend starting any coral you get at the bottom of the tank. It helps easy the stress factor on the coral.

 

[Rich123]

Thanks for the replys. I didnt think about the color temp of the bulbs. I went from 150 watt MH 14K phoenix w/39 watt T5 actinics to 4x 59 watt T5s, 2x ATI blue plus, 1 ATI Aquablue and 1 UVL actinic white.