Zoas stretching

fernalfer

New member
Ok i have a colony of about 45 Eagle eyes polyps. My tank is 4 months old. When i first put them in my tank i started them at the bottom and slowly moved them up to their final resting spot. They did great grew from 25 polyps to 45. I have always had my Reefbreeders Photon V2 48 above my 120 gallon 48x24x24 tank.

All of a sudden my zoas are stretching and extending not growing anymore and only open fully sometimes. I figured that spot was fine since they went from 25 to 45 polyps but now it seems they do not like it or maybe for some reason want more light.

Not sure any thoughts?

I will post pics once the lights come on.
 
Since your tank is only 4 months old, what are the current parameters.

ammonia - 0
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 2
phosphate - .03 per hanna checker (Soaked My Marco Dry Rocks in RODI Saltwater with a heater and powerhead dosing phosfree to rid the rock of leeching phosphates for 4 months prior to putting in the tank)

Calcium - 510
Alkalinity - 9.5 DkH
Magnesium - 1490
PH - 8.1

all per salifert kits
 
Ok i have a colony of about 45 Eagle eyes polyps. My tank is 4 months old. When i first put them in my tank i started them at the bottom and slowly moved them up to their final resting spot. They did great grew from 25 polyps to 45. I have always had my Reefbreeders Photon V2 48 above my 120 gallon 48x24x24 tank.

All of a sudden my zoas are stretching and extending not growing anymore and only open fully sometimes. I figured that spot was fine since they went from 25 to 45 polyps but now it seems they do not like it or maybe for some reason want more light.

Not sure any thoughts?

I will post pics once the lights come on.



Try to drop your calcium to about 420 and Mg around 1360.
The alkalinity is fine there...

Your problem is probably light and/or water movement.
Nothing to do with nutrients in the water.

I had similar problems when I got LEDs running here. The zoas tend to grow first but after a while problems will come! Not good for the long run!
Try to change to MHs and/or T5s. This is just my taste and experiences with LEDs. Many others are also reporting such weird behaviors with their polyps.

If you want to have a trouble free tank in regards to light just get the T5s. ATI fixtures are the best!! You just can't loose with them!!
I wouldn't try play with the LEDs more than you perhaps already did. Not worthy.
Don't forget to adapt them really well to the new T5 lights.

Aloha,
Grandis.:hammer:
 
Try to drop your calcium to about 420 and Mg around 1360.
The alkalinity is fine there...

Your problem is probably light and/or water movement.
Nothing to do with nutrients in the water.

I had similar problems when I got LEDs running here. The zoas tend to grow first but after a while problems will come! Not good for the long run!
Try to change to MHs and/or T5s. This is just my taste and experiences with LEDs. Many others are also reporting such weird behaviors with their polyps.

If you want to have a trouble free tank in regards to light just get the T5s. ATI fixtures are the best!! You just can't loose with them!!
I wouldn't try play with the LEDs more than you perhaps already did. Not worthy.
Don't forget to adapt them really well to the new T5 lights.

Aloha,
Grandis.:hammer:

Unfortunately not switching out lights. Have spent a fortune already on this tank and buying another set of lights isn't happening. I see people keep awesome zoas under LED so doubt that to be the problem.
 
you can also dim the LEDs till the Z's and P's get used to it. Slowly ramp them up, adjustments monthly till you get to your max level of strength on the the LEDs. I have mine A360W on max on my 37 cube.
 
you can also dim the LEDs till the Z's and P's get used to it. Slowly ramp them up, adjustments monthly till you get to your max level of strength on the the LEDs. I have mine A360W on max on my 37 cube.

The problem is i did do that when they were first put in. Both my Zoas and Palys were put in at the same time as i slowly ramped up the lights to where they are now. The eagle eyes did great growing 20 polyps. All of a sudden now they are stretching.

Do you think they have gotten accustomed to this light intensity and now need more?
 
Unfortunately not switching out lights. Have spent a fortune already on this tank and buying another set of lights isn't happening. I see people keep awesome zoas under LED so doubt that to be the problem.

You can aways sell them, as I did. No regrets!!
If you keep thinking about money spent you won't go too far in this hobby.
Some times we pay to get the knowledge.
But if you're not willing to get rid of them, good luck with your LEDs.

Grandis.
 
you could always add supplemental t5 lighting . Was running kessil a360we 2 of them on a 3 foot tank , my zoas started reaching so I added 2 3ft ati actinic bulbs with my led . My zoas really bounced back quick . Cut a hole in a tek light fixture the fixture now has 3 holes for 3 kessils and by far my best lighting combo in my reefing career. So depending what leds you run you could retro fit some t5's some way or another , here are some zoas I keep under this combo \







 
I really, really feel sorry for people in this forum that ask questions about coral growth and *still* get fed piles of FUD from anti-LED zealots that really need to stop spreading disinformation. Especially T5 owners. Given the discussions in the SPS forums about the success of those tanks under LEDs it's kind of nauseating we have to hear this in this forum.

Fernalfer, I can grow a paly colony, *ANY* paly colony to the size of a grapefruit in less than a year by controlling nutrients, and when I switched to LEDs from over priced shoplights (T5s ) my growth accelerated. When Palys or Zoas stretch it's because they want more light and are in a low nutrient situation.

Also, because you have a young tank Ammonia to Nitrate conversion isn't established yet. I see zoas and palys get 'stalky' like this a lot in young tanks. Once the bio filter is up to snuff they get more nutrients. High iodine amounts will also cause zoas and palys to became 'stalky'.

Turn your lights up, or move the zoas up. I don't want you to increase feeding because it's a young tank and you may be setting yourself up for issues down the road. Last, don't listen to somebody telling you to sell your LEDs and buy T5's because LED's can't grow zoas. That's beyond dumb.
 
I run Reef Breeders Superlux, tank is a about a year and half old, my zoas and palys have never stretched and are about 14" from my lights. They grown and multiplied, not as fast as I've liked but they have. The tank also has LPS, RBTA, a leather and a few SPS that are starting to grow as well.

Like others mentioned, not a light craving creature do putting them higher really in the end could be detrimental unless done properly and with the help of a par meter. How's your water flow? What else is in the tank. What do you feed and how often? A pinch of Reef Roids once a week could do wonders but your tank is pretty young but a pinch Indy too bad. I do a pinch twice a week and just broadcast feed it.

Sent from my SM-N915V using Tapatalk
 
I really, really feel sorry for people in this forum that ask questions about coral growth and *still* get fed piles of FUD from anti-LED zealots that really need to stop spreading disinformation. Especially T5 owners. Given the discussions in the SPS forums about the success of those tanks under LEDs it's kind of nauseating we have to hear this in this forum.

Fernalfer, I can grow a paly colony, *ANY* paly colony to the size of a grapefruit in less than a year by controlling nutrients, and when I switched to LEDs from over priced shoplights (T5s ) my growth accelerated. When Palys or Zoas stretch it's because they want more light and are in a low nutrient situation.

Also, because you have a young tank Ammonia to Nitrate conversion isn't established yet. I see zoas and palys get 'stalky' like this a lot in young tanks. Once the bio filter is up to snuff they get more nutrients. High iodine amounts will also cause zoas and palys to became 'stalky'.

Turn your lights up, or move the zoas up. I don't want you to increase feeding because it's a young tank and you may be setting yourself up for issues down the road. Last, don't listen to somebody telling you to sell your LEDs and buy T5's because LED's can't grow zoas. That's beyond dumb.

:facepalm:

Let me know after couple of years...
Well, unless you don't know any better anyway... :thumbdown
All my friends that know what they're doing went back to T5s or MHs.
Unless they had spend that fortune and they are too proud. :hammer:

My current tank is only about 9 years+ old with T5s.
The system I set up for the LEDs went to T5s after a year.
Huge difference in many aspects.

Not only me...
Try search deep and you'll find serious people in this forum and all ver the world that will tell you the same.

I'm not here to let you down nor to tell people to do wrong.
I actually telling people what they need to hear.
LEDs are a good selling tool for the newbies that don't know any better.
Plus... they won't save you THAT much money on electricity... Did you know that?
Not worthy.

But everyone says what they want, right?
Well, I tell you what I want to tell you... :hmm4:
Go T5s and be happy!!

Everyone has their choices and of course I respect that too.
It just doesn't make sense to keep LEDs and not to go T5s because those LEDs were a fortune. Just sell them and get a T5 fixture.

You can actually keep zoas and corals ALIVE for years with NO fluorescents, but the HO T5s are much better. LEDs will keep they Alive, but not better then T5s in the long run. Period.

Guess what my friend, they have more LEDs running in shops nowadays then T5s.
LEDs are actually stoplights!!!!!!
:thumbsup:

Grandis.
 
you could always add supplemental t5 lighting . Was running kessil a360we 2 of them on a 3 foot tank , my zoas started reaching so I added 2 3ft ati actinic bulbs with my led . My zoas really bounced back quick . Cut a hole in a tek light fixture the fixture now has 3 holes for 3 kessils and by far my best lighting combo in my reefing career. So depending what leds you run you could retro fit some t5's some way or another , here are some zoas I keep under this combo \
...

Yep, if they try that they will see... but why not go all T5s and have their polyps healthier and happier?
That's how the freedom from those LED starts... :thumbsup:

I don't even know why come back here to waste my precious time trying to help people.
:deadhorse1:

Grandis.
 
just move them up several inches at a time, leave them for a couple weeks to see what reaction you get. if you still see stretching move them up again. once the stalks stop stretching your fine.
 
just move them up several inches at a time, leave them for a couple weeks to see what reaction you get. if you still see stretching move them up again. once the stalks stop stretching your fine.

:thumbsup:
Just be careful with the hot spot, so you don't end up cooking the zoas.

Grandis.
 
should i move them up or increase a certain spectrum of my lighting? I have 6 channels all able to adjust.

Channel 1 Deep Red 4 Osram 3watt 660nm
Channel 2 Green 4 Semi LED 3watt 520nm
Channel 3 Royal Blue 24 Cree XT-E 5watt 450nm
Channel 4 White 20 Cree XP-E 5watt 5500K
Channel 5 Cool Blue 16 Cree XP-E 3watt 480nm
Channel 6 Violet 20 Semi LED 3watt 420nm
 
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