Zoas getting pale

[mayor10]

Some of my zoas have been getting pale, and I'm looking for some suggestions.

My lighting is 4 - 39W T5's. Bulbs: 1-10K, 1-Actinic +, 2 Actinic (though they were Current USA brand)

I just switched to all Geismann. 2 Aquablue +, 1 Actinic +, and 1 Pure Actinic.

I'v always been a light feeder, but I started feeding a bit more lately - mostly frozen mysis and cyclopeeze.

All parameters are very stable.
SG: 1.025
PH: 8
KH: 10
Calc: 400
Temp: 78

Pics below.
Any thoughts? Thanks

Before:

Now:

Before:

Now:

 

[msman825]

looks like the are getting to much light. try putting the in a shaded spot for a few days, . I like those eagle eyes or watermelons better with the yellow skirts nice PE'S also

 

[mayor10]

I was kind of thinking the same thing. But, I wonder about those with metal halide that keep zoas out in the open, sometimes even towards the top.

Both of those pictured are about 14" from the light.

 

[msman825]

I keep zoos under MH's and T5's It must be your new light. I would move them down too bottom for a few. Are put black screen over the top of tank. 3 -4 layers and remove a layer every week

 

[Elite]

All the new bulb are actinic type of bulbs. I don't see how that would be too much light. More like they don't have enough light.

 

[Ken668]

It's too much light. The Aqua Blue+ actually puts out a fair amount of par.

A lot of people underestimate the output of T5s. I've bleached out SPS that were under MHs, with T5s before.

 

[Peter Eichler]

My PEs and some others zoas have bleached out a little under 6x39w T5s, even some that were near the bottom.

 

[The Beaut]

I have to agree with the rest. T5s can be a little much at times. When i get some really nice zoas i shade them for at least a week and then bring them to the direct light slowly. I know this for a fact as i have some zoas i just put in the tank with no acclimation and they have a really tough time. I have done this on numerous occasions to test it. The same effect every time.

 

[mayor10]

Great, thanks for everyone's comments. Will color return if I move the RPE's (or any zoa) to a more shaded spot? Or, once it's gone am I kind of out of luck?

 

[msman825]

they will color backup. they very first pe's i bought on rc was being sold as OPE's I got them and with in a month they looked just like yours in the first pic.you could also just run one aquablue and one actinic and 2 10k's I run 6 10k's,and 2 pure actinics in mine

 

[siding88]

had the same problem but i dont think it was a light problem, i had heater malfunctions, so my tank was running around 90, my uv was shooting stray voltage, and my fans went out on my halides, all this at one flippin time, only 2 fish died and about 5 rocks of zoos lost color, and lost 2 finger leathers,, but with that being said i did put my rpe's and gpe's at the bottom and they are slowly coming back a couple of my colts are totally white but they still have the brown tips and are growing so there is hope so hang in there

 

[mayor10]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8807989#post8807989 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by msman825
they will color backup. they very first pe's i bought on rc was being sold as OPE's I got them and with in a month they looked just like yours in the first pic.you could also just run one aquablue and one actinic and 2 10k's I run 6 10k's,and 2 pure actinics in mine

I switched yesterday to 2 Aquablue+ (which is like an 11K), 1 Actinic+ and 1 Pure Actinic.

I think I'll reduce the time the Aquablues are on to about 6 hrs. It was more like 8 or 9. The others are for about 11 hrs.

msman: I tried to reply to your PM, but your box is full.

 

[naterd1976]

I'm having the same problem. my 6 x 54w in a 90. My SPS are especially faded, the zoa's seem to fade and the skirts lashes seem to elongate. I have a feeling it's in part to over driving the bulbs with the icecap 660 and 430 ballast. I think I will try starting the morning out on the 2 actinic, turning them off at the same time to 4 bulbs come on. I have also though about placing egg crate on my tank. Anyone else have any ideas. I would like a balance of nice color and decent growth. Right now everything is faded and growing like mad.

 

[Bdimas]

I agree that it is too much light. I had some armagadeons in my wifes nano cube under pc's and then fragged some and put them in my sps tank and they bleached. Now the color looks great after a few months.

 

[Reef Junkie]

Too much light coupled with the good alk, zoas get more colorful (higher fluorescing), paly's tend to bleach. I'm guessing even with overfeeding you've still got nice clean water. Try cutting back on your skimming and Carbon if you use either.

Move them down or away from the light. Not too far though, if you move them back, then they'll have to reacclimate to the strong light again.

It can take sometimes up to 3 months for a bleached paly to get it's full color back. Zoas, same thing, but they do not bleach nearly as bad as palys.

The problem with small polyped zoas is sometimes they can recede from overexposure to light. Palys usually detach, but can recede too.

 

[mayor10]

Thanks Bill (and everyone).
You are correct, my water is, relatively, very clean. My tank is 9 months old and I've never had any algae in the tank. I use an ASM G1x skimmer, which is pretty large for a 38 gallon tank, and I also grow chaeto in the sump. So, my nutrient export is fairly hefty.
I will try some things and see what I can do. Thanks again.

By the way I'm originally from Smithtown.

Tim

tank pic:

 

[msman825]

very nice looking tank

 

[Reef Junkie]

Nice tank.

Smithtown? What made you move to SC? Retirement?

 

[ct_vol]

Wow, that is a nice tank??? Is it newly set up??? Or are you just extra dillegent about keeptin the coraline scraped off the back??? I like your Linkia too...

 

[mayor10]

ct_vol: The tank is relatively new - 9 months. I'm not getting much coraline on the glass yet, which is ok by me. It's really starting to take off on the rock and anything that's plastic though.

Reef Junkie: I came down here temporarily to go to school (U of SC). That was 15 years ago.