zoanthids and acros

[braidensfish]

ok, so planning a reef tank and i wanted to know if its possible to have a island of zoanthids (many different types all bunched together) and have a Acropora in the middle of each colony?
tia

 

[SoloGarth]

The zoas will attempt to grow up the base of the acro. I had this happen in my previous set up. And because of this I now have no zoas.

 

[braidensfish]

what if i frag them enough so that they dont crawl up?

 

[cloak]

That's what I did. I would just use a pair of tweezers and remove them one by one as they progressed.

 

[braidensfish]

so it can work?

 

[SoloGarth]

I'm not sure how exactly you would be fragging zoas underneath an acro colony. It would be easy at first but as the acro colony grew out it would become impossible with most growth patterns.

 

[cloak]

Well usually when there's no light there's no growth. Once that acropora starts shading out those zoanthids your problems might be solved.

 

[Grandlotus]

Neat idea, but this is not going to work.

Just skip the acro in the middle and its still a very cool look!

 

[braidensfish]

Well usually when there's no light there's no growth. Once that acropora starts shading out those zoanthids your problems might be solved.

hmm, i might give this a try.

 

[braidensfish]

thanks everyone for your imputs

 

[SoloGarth]

hmm, i might give this a try.

Acros do not provide complete shade. The zoas will grow up the base I have seen this happen in my own tank. Zoas are not easy to remove and are poisonous also.

 

[cloak]

What's the difference between complete shade and a little shade? Either way you'll be loosing some lighting intensity which will most likely slow down growth, if not stop it. This might be just the break you need to get a handle on the situation. (start pruning) Just as an example, I would have to be a damn fool to expect some of the Zoanthids I have in the middle of my tank to behave the same way if I was to put them in the corner of my tank underneath my overflow box. It's just not going to happen in the shade IMO. Take advantage of this situation. GL.

 

[SoloGarth]

What's the difference between complete shade and a little shade? Either way you'll be loosing some lighting intensity which will most likely slow down growth, if not stop it. This might be just the break you need to get a handle on the situation. (start pruning) Just as an example, I would have to be a damn fool to expect some of the Zoanthids I have in the middle of my tank to behave the same way if I was to put them in the corner of my tank underneath my overflow box. It's just not going to happen in the shade IMO. Take advantage of this situation. GL.

Well complete shade would mean no light and therefore no zoa growth. Partial light IME doesn't slow down zoas much at all. I was trying to find a pic of this but couldn't find one showing the zoas growing up the coral. Shortly after this was taken they started growing up the base and were near impossible to remove due to angle and preventing damage to the acro.

This pic does show them growing in the shade of the coral just fine. I guess in the end it comes down to how much time you want to spend pruning. I don't mind pruning SPS. But zoas are a pita. Haha

 

[Snookster]

From my experience the SPS encrusting action crowds out the zoas. Now if you've got palys, that may be a different story.

 

[braidensfish]

ok well I might try just one colony of zoas with a acro in the middle before I try multiple acros in the middle of my big zoanthid rock in the future
thanks a lot everyone

 

[SoloGarth]

From my experience the SPS encrusting action crowds out the zoas. Now if you've got palys, that may be a different story.

This depends on the type of SPS. Like I said on most acros the zoas just grew into the base. Perhaps a more aggressive encrusting SPS might be able keep them at bay.

 

[reefwars]

if you have to make a ring using 2part of epoxy , smooth it out around the base of the acro , as the zoas grow onto the epoxy you can simply snap off a piece whenever you like , countless reefers have acros or other sps with zoas its really not that difficult to do

good luck!

 

[organism]

if you have to make a ring using 2part of epoxy , smooth it out around the base of the acro , as the zoas grow onto the epoxy you can simply snap off a piece whenever you like , countless reefers have acros or other sps with zoas its really not that difficult to do

good luck!

That's what I do in my display only I epoxy down rubble instead of just epoxy. Works great and it's like a frag factory