Zoa Lighting

[RogueAgent94]

Hey guys,

I had a quick question about lighting for zoanthids and palythoas. Are actinics really necessary for them? I know someone that is growing them in a 3g eclipse tank (no skimmer just a HOB filter and a small T5 daylight) and his look okay. I mean of course you can't see the great colors that only come out under actinic. But will they grow well? The guy I know that has this tank has only had it set up for a couple of weeks so there hasn't been any growth.

 

[Pushwood]

The actinics are not necessary, like you stated the colors will not pop. If you are using just 1 T5 they will grow, but im assuming they will not grow as rapidly as they could be. Spot feeding a few times a week helps too!

 

[RogueAgent94]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply! So just daylight is good enough. That's interesting. It isn't my tank but I might have to try it one day! Maybe get some blue LEDs and put it under the hood to help with color a bit.

What do you spot feed your zoas?

 

[Pushwood]

You can spot feed them quite a few things, like the leftover fluids from your brine shrimp or whatever you feed your fish. Or I use a product called "Reef chilli" it is on bulkreefsupply.com check it out, a really great coral food.

 

[A. Grandis]

IMO actinics are great as a complementary spectrum and the blue is necessary, yes. Why not have a blue bulb?
The blue spectrum helps in many aspects and in combination with a "white" bulb will offer the best for the zoas. IME the white bulbs are great for growth, while the blue is a necessary complement to the health in the whole picture.
Zoas could survive for a long while with a wide combination of different spectrums, but that doesn't mean they all could be great for them, right? In captivity, the combination of blue/white is the best I know today IMO.
Other bulbs, like Blue Plus could substitute actinic bulbs without problems.

Target feeding doesn't supply what the blue spectrum does for the zooxanthellae.
I wouldn't be surprised if in a long period of time the zoas would get weaker and weaker when there is a lack of the blue spectrum.

By the way, Reef Chili seems to be one of the best coral foods in the market today. And I'm in favor of target feeding! :thumbsup:

My $.02 to the thread.

Grandis.

 

[RogueAgent94]

Thanks for the response! I was thinking of getting reef roids but I wasn't sure.

As I mentioned earlier, it isn't my tank. I was just curious about it after seeing his set up. The hood he has only has a single fixture in the hood so I assume that's why he put in a T5 daylight. I was planning on getting some LEDs for my tank so I'll see if he'll let me put a couple inside his hood so the zoas get some blue light.

 

[victor escobar]

what about long term maintenance with leds?

 

[Mr Neon]

IMO actinics are great as a complementary spectrum and the blue is necessary, yes. Why not have a blue bulb?
The blue spectrum helps in many aspects and in combination with a "white" bulb will offer the best for the zoas. IME the white bulbs are great for growth, while the blue is a necessary complement to the health in the whole picture.
Zoas could survive for a long while with a wide combination of different spectrums, but that doesn't mean they all could be great for them, right? In captivity, the combination of blue/white is the best I know today IMO.
Other bulbs, like Blue Plus could substitute actinic bulbs without problems.

Target feeding doesn't supply what the blue spectrum does for the zooxanthellae.
I wouldn't be surprised if in a long period of time the zoas would get weaker and weaker when there is a lack of the blue spectrum.

By the way, Reef Chili seems to be one of the best coral foods in the market today. And I'm in favor of target feeding! :thumbsup:

My $.02 to the thread.

Grandis.

Been feeding a combo of Reef Chilli and Rods for a long time...tank is very happy!

 

[T-Boner]

I just set up a zoa tank with so extra stuff I had laying around and the light is a jbj vipper 250 HQI and was wondering if this would be too much I've never ran MH before only T-5 s and leds. I'll see if I can get a pic. The bulb is a 20K and the tank is a growout for zoas.

 

[darkiss]

I use a Deep Blue Led light and the colors really pop out on the zoas, if it was not for the blue lighting I would not even have zoas since their colors don't seam to show as well under t5, that I have seen.


Noticed a lot of people saying Reef Chilli is good for feeding Zoas, but they eat Frozen Mysis as well, right?

 

[T-Boner]

Sorry crappy pic but but as you can see small tank with a clamp on MH.
It's got a mag 7 on it so the turn over is high and i can kill the pump feed heavy. Any thoughts on good lights for growing out zoas?

 

[T-Boner]

Sorry crappy pic but but as you can see small tank with a clamp on MH.
It's got a mag 7 on it so the turn over is high and i can kill the pump feed heavy. Any thoughts on good lights for growing out zoas?

 

[ibtigr33]

T-bone, a 120w led might work for you too. Just keep it high until your zoas get used to it or you will risk burning them. I learned that the hard way. As far as overall lighting, I believe actinics are important in your zoas growth. 14k lighting will give you great growth but your zoas will have better color with some form of actinic lighting.

 

[A. Grandis]

Been feeding a combo of Reef Chilli and Rods for a long time...tank is very happy!

Good to hear that! :thumbsup:

Grandis.

 

[organism]

what about long term maintenance with leds?

No expensive bulb changes, no heat issues, no enormous power bill... Long term maintenance is like the best part of LED's

To the OP, zoanthids look pretty awful under just daylight bulbs but they can live and grow under them with minimal issues. If you're keeping a reef for things to look good though you'll want a much higher blue to white ratio, personally I've used 0 daylight bulbs from day one. The closest I got was ATI's aquablue specials that are arounds 14k, and even then I only used one of those bulbs in an 8 bulb fixture with the rest being actinics.

 

[ibtigr33]

I feel you on that! I had an 8 bulb T-5 and everyone would tell me I couldn't get much growth out of mainly actinics until they came by and saw my tank. I had more color and growth than any other zoa dominant tank in my club. But I switched to leds and March and I love them. Beautiful color and excellent growth, plus no bulbs to buy.

 

[RogueAgent94]

So I technically don't need daylight for my zoas and palys? In my tank, which is pretty sad at the moment lol, I have a PC fixture which is 50/50 daylight/actinic. What color lights do zoas do best under. I'm hoping to have a zoa/paly only tank so I want to focus on whats best for them.

As for my friends tank, I'll tell him he should definitely add more blue. He may change out the bulb for an actinic if they can grow with no daylight and only actinic.

 

[A. Grandis]

No expensive bulb changes, no heat issues, no enormous power bill... Long term maintenance is like the best part of LED's

To the OP, zoanthids look pretty awful under just daylight bulbs but they can live and grow under them with minimal issues. If you're keeping a reef for things to look good though you'll want a much higher blue to white ratio, personally I've used 0 daylight bulbs from day one. The closest I got was ATI's aquablue specials that are arounds 14k, and even then I only used one of those bulbs in an 8 bulb fixture with the rest being actinics.

Wow!! 7 actinics and 1 Blue special??
For how long?
Have you actually compared the growth with a 50/50 ratio, for e.g.?

I have an ATI 6 bulb fixture. I had that fixture running only 1 Aquablue special and 5 ATI Blue Plus for a year. Then when I changed bulbs I added a GE daylight (6500K) bulb and a Coral Light (10.000K) to the 4 ATI Blue plus bulbs for another year. The zoas growth was improved. No feeding back then.

My best growth rate ever was with MH 6.500K and 2 NO actinics.

Grandis.

 

[A. Grandis]

I feel you on that! I had an 8 bulb T-5 and everyone would tell me I couldn't get much growth out of mainly actinics until they came by and saw my tank. I had more color and growth than any other zoa dominant tank in my club. But I switched to leds and March and I love them. Beautiful color and excellent growth, plus no bulbs to buy.

That's very interesting!!
Please tell us what bulb combination you have compared in your system to refer to the growth differences, if so.
It's hard to compare to anther peoples' systems and say you "had more color and growth than any other zoa dominant tank in your club". Every system is different and therefore the use of products, equipments and maintenance schedule are different to say the least. That also interferes in growth/ reproduction rates.

Not trying to defend any theory nor any point of view, but it's just hard for me to understand because IME it was the opposite. I do like much the actinic's look and Blue Plus bulbs!!! Just trying to understand and I appreciate your comments. Please don't take me wrong. Perhaps I'll learn something new in this thread.

Grandis.

 

[A. Grandis]

So I technically don't need daylight for my zoas and palys? In my tank, which is pretty sad at the moment lol, I have a PC fixture which is 50/50 daylight/actinic. What color lights do zoas do best under. I'm hoping to have a zoa/paly only tank so I want to focus on whats best for them.

As for my friends tank, I'll tell him he should definitely add more blue. He may change out the bulb for an actinic if they can grow with no daylight and only actinic.

IME the 2X 250W 6.500K MH with 2 actinics was far the best.
That was over my 55 gallon tank long ago!!
Too bad MHs are so hot!!!

My T5s are great and I didn't try LEDs yet.
The mix of 10.000k and Blue plus bulbs is the best combo for the T5s IMO today.

Grandis.