Zoas browning

[Dr. Fish]

I have a relatively new tank, about 2 month old BC 29 with 150w HQI light.

I bought several zoa frags of purple hornet, red hornet, rastas, and a couple others. They all seem to have taken on a brownish look to them, not the vibrant colors you would expect. Several of the frags are growing though, I can see them sending out new branches about to sprout a few new heads.

Tank parameters seem fine:
S.G. 1.025
Cal 450 Salifert
Alk 10.0 Salifert
NO3 5.0 Salifert
PO4 0.0 Hannah
pH 8.1 Reefkeeper

I started them all off on the sand bed and thats where they still are. The colors just aren't there for some reason??

Any ideas? How do people keep such bright colors?

 

[howze01]

How long have they been in there? It sounds as though they just need to acclimate to the light.

 

[Dr. Fish]

They have been in there for almost 2 weeks.

Just to throw out some other parameters:
Salt: Reef Crystals
Mg 1300 Salifert
Temp 80*

 

[howze01]

Maybe it's time to start moving them up off the sandbed?

What kind of bulb are you running?

 

[Dr. Fish]

Maybe it's time to start moving them up off the sandbed?

What kind of bulb are you running?

Its the stock coralife 150W 14K bulb that comes with the biocube 29 HQI. It has about a months use on it.

Could that be the problem? Not enough light?

 

[howze01]

I was thinking that you may have had a 10k running or somthing. When you go to replace the bulb it might not be a bad idea to switch to a different bulb. I used to run a 150w 14k Pheonix and my zoos loved it.

It could be that they are ready to move up. Maybe try moving one of the cheaper ones up a bit?

 

[Dr. Fish]

I actually just ordered a Radium 20K 150w to try and get more color, but it still seems that they shouldn't be brown with my current bulb.

I'll try and move one up and see what happens

 

[Joshporksandwic]

Can you post a picture?

 

[Dr. Fish]

I can post a picture tomorrow when the lights turn on. I did move them all up on the rocks a bit, but I'll take a pic of how they are.