Zoa food?

[AlexRSM130]

Hello Reef Central.
I keep a mixed RSM 130 and I keep over 25 species of zoos+10LPS+18 SPS.I feed KZ Coral Vitalizer and Reef pearls everyday and sometimes frozen cyclops(1/week) and have very nice growth in some colonies and share my species with other hobbysts so I frag a lot.I add AA (FM) and i fuel all basic elements with Balling light method using dosing pumps.
NO3~1, PO4~0,Ca 420,Mg 1320,dKH 7,3,Ph 8,1-8,3
I have a DIY led lighting setup over the system 36 leds 50% RB 50% CW.
MP10+2 maxijets 600 for circulation,sump with 100ml bio-pellets reactor and SWC120 skimmer and no GFO just activated carbon.
Is there anything more I could do to boost the growth rate?

 

[A. Grandis]

Well, seems like you're doing great with your feeding regimen and I wouldn't try to change much specially because of the nutrient balance of the system.

I've never tried KZ Coral Vitalizer nor Reef Pearls yet.

KZ CV is kinda expensive and probably works like it's claims but it is a carbon diet additive. It is used to activate the coral's appetite (polyp extension) and at the same time to feed their carbon needs. That way the coral won't rely on zooxanthellae numbers to get more energy, therefore will have less zooxanthellae, helping to show those pastel colors that some people like. It's part of the KZ line for that purpose, I believe. It's very expensive for the quantity they sell. I wouldn't like to be depended of such product because of the costs. I just prefer to stay away from those type of products, but that's just me. I'm not trying to make up your mind here!!! I actually would love to hear more about your regimen and want you to continue with it.

Reef Pearls are pellets, right? It's rich in nutrients and IMO should be target fed to the corals because of that, like so many coral foods in the market. I'll put Reef Pearls in my list. I've heard many people saying good things about it. The product says that it contain organic phosphates, and to keep an eye on phosphates and nitrates, so... but most coral pellets contain phosphates, if not all of the them.

Few observations here:

1) I would like to know more about your observations mainly about the zoanthids, but also on the corals. Colors? Formation? Polyp extension? Growth/reproduction rates? Etc...

1) I don't feed everyday. That would be a lot to me and the first time I've heard of anyone doing that. Probably because many people don't talk about how often they feed? I would like to know more about the quantity of food and how do you keep the nutrient balance of the system, specially because of Reef Pearls been administrated. Very interesting!
I target feed once a week my zoa tank and I think it's more than enough. If I do every day would have to be 1/7 of the food I offer in order to have the system running without problems. I'm sure that has to do with the extra bacteria available in your system!!!

2) You've got the pellets reactor running and add the food. That's a strong bioload. The system is probably in a sensitive balance of nutrients and so on... I would like to her more about your maintenance, if you don't mind, please. That is another reason not to change or add much more than you're doing. The question here is: how much more can the system take?

3) If it's working so good, why do you want to change? There is only so much you can get out of growth/reproduction without a crash. I would keep as is and hopefully you've been doing this for more than year to know that it's really working good and it's stablished in a long line. If you want to try any other food or perhaps change lights it would have to be done really, really slow and carefully!!!

I think this thread will be a good one. I like to learn about feeding, as everyone must know by now, and it's abilities to boost the system as a whole, and believe that is a vital part of the maintenance.

Too bad I'm very busy. Please keep the thread alive. I'll be visiting as time allows even if I don't have time to participate.

Here is a thread I've started:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2167572

I think not many people are interested in feeding their zoanthids, because I was posting along most of the time on that thread by myself. There you'll understand more of what I do and believe.

Another great one:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1896006

There are many other posts about feeding, but I don't have time to search now, sorry...

Would be great to see a picture of your tank...

Cheers!!

Grandis.

 

[AlexRSM130]

Thanks for the reply Grandis.
My photographic skills are bad.

However i run this nano system 8 months now and I am fully stocked with frags.
I did ordered from USA some really intresting frags of zoos that are rare in Greece untill some time ago :inlove:.Sunny-d polyps,fire&ice,purple death,eagle eye,dragon eye,jokers,red hornets and so on...I did payed a lot of euros to get those zoas but it was a nice opportunity to get involved with them and of course share as many of them i can.

The KZ CV is ok and it does cost less because the dose is 1-3 drops for 30 gallons daily and I usually share all those coral foods with other hobbysts to try more of them and get fresh ones.As for Reef pearls i couldnt find Cyclopeeze and i got them as a replacement.It is 5-200 micro food and floats.I close the pumps and wait untill it goes everywhere in my tank.After 10 mins i turn the pumps on again.Most of my corals love them even NPS(i have a frag of sun coral)
The sump that my aquarium had as stock is about 20 lt and is full of live rock (like a cryptic zone)then the overflow travels the water to the sump i have my skimmer in and the reactor.Then it returns to the tank with an eheim 2000+ pump.Once every 3 months I clean both sumps removing all the waste it stays there.
I use a filter sock in the sump to capture any food that goes there and every 3 days i replace the sock.
I believe the corals are ok and there is not much to be done.I am a perfectionist and I always want more.
I do water changes 10% every week and even 2 times a week when i am near the sea.The salt I use is KZ reefers best and the most diffucult part is to stabilize the dKh value after the water change.If it gets more then 8dKh i get burned tips,stn and problems start...Sometimes i use water from the sea here
https://maps.google.gr/maps?saddr=40.343241,23.013546&hl=el&sll=40.343044,23.016551&sspn=0.008881,0.021136&mra=mift&mrsp=0&sz=16&t=h&z=16
It has 1.030 salinity but all others values are
pH: 7.90
KH: 7.30
Ca: 380
Mg: 1280 after i mix it with osmosis water to get salinity at 1.026.The dosing pumps (Balling light+trace elements)can handle the values and achieve the perfect chemistry in my tank.
I see only good things for water changes with pure saltwater.When i give people my frags sometimes they change colors because of the different chemistry in my tank and lighting especially the dKh value that I see they love in NSW ranges.I love the Royal Blue leds and zoas seem to like them too so I am not thinking replacing my 36X3watt power led setup.I also give live phyto once a week about 20ml.
So far I am happy with my tank.I feed a lot in daily basis and stays crystal clean like i am dosing Vodka...I will update with more pictures soon.
sorry for the large post.

cheers.