I have had a 72 gallon bowfront running for 15 months. Livestock includes, foxface, flame angel, percula clown, two green chromis, red headed solon wrasse, mandarin and a diamond watchman goby. I have an assorted CUC with a cleaner shrimp, serpent starfish, emerald crab, turbo snails and 10 hermit crabs. I have a sump with a refugium which I removed a handful of algae from every week. The original lighting setup in the tanks was 4 x 65 watt pc's with two daylight and 2 actinic. I am in the process of converting to LEDs. Right now I have 2x 65watt(one 10,000K one 420.460nm) PC over the side of the tank with the zoos . The PC bulbs are the original bulbs which are probably close to 2 years old. I recently got my first coral a pair of green zoos. The corals have never opened up as extensively as they were at elite reef when I got them. I only test for nitrates and nitrites and they are both at zero. Would getting a new daylight bulb help them open up more? I am slowly converting to LEDs but it will be a couple of months before the LED side will be as bright as the PC side is right now. Thanks for the input.
Zoos not opening up
- Thread starter jmhartney
- Start date
A. Grandis
Active member
Could be many things...
I don't think the light is the one.
It is very good to change the bulbs every 10 to 12 months but when zoas don't open most of the time it would be strong light, not low light, if the light is the problem.
Please check your phosphates. To remove a handful of algae from the system every week means excess of nutrients, when talking about a 15 month old system.
Perhaps you are feeding too much and/or you're not using filtered water (RO/DI).
Predators? Watch your fish and for other possible predators at night!
Pics?
Water changes?
Skimmer?
Maintenance?
Good luck,
Grandis.
I don't think the light is the one.
It is very good to change the bulbs every 10 to 12 months but when zoas don't open most of the time it would be strong light, not low light, if the light is the problem.
Please check your phosphates. To remove a handful of algae from the system every week means excess of nutrients, when talking about a 15 month old system.
Perhaps you are feeding too much and/or you're not using filtered water (RO/DI).
Predators? Watch your fish and for other possible predators at night!
Pics?
Water changes?
Skimmer?
Maintenance?
Good luck,
Grandis.
A. Grandis
Active member
I know, turok. They are two years old, yes.
That's why I've said that it shouldn't be the problem.
Normally zoas won't open when the lights are new, if they have a shock from it.
The tendency with old bulbs would be to make the polyps to grow upwards, instead.
Grandis.
That's why I've said that it shouldn't be the problem.
Normally zoas won't open when the lights are new, if they have a shock from it.
The tendency with old bulbs would be to make the polyps to grow upwards, instead.
Grandis.
It sounds to me like you need to check for all water quality levels and go from there. There are so many factors that can cause this, How often do you do water changes? Ro.Di water? Salt? temperature, the 2 year old bulb can definitely be a contributing factor... If your only testing NITRITE and NITRATE, then my guess is water quality. First off, nitrite never has to be tested after your cycle... Also can be your test kit, maybe its a false reading..... Take a sample of your water to a LFS they might be able to narrow down the possibilities.
