zoos under T5s

[Giz]

I just got my first zoo colonies the other day and need help. First, has anyone had good growth from their zoos with T5s? I'm having trouble figuring out where to place them in my tank. I have them in a 65 gal AGA 24'' tall. I have 4x36w T5s(1blue+-2aquablues-1 blue+) in that order. What should I expect in growth? These lights are so bright, my coralines have a hard time growing where it is directly exposed to the light.

Second, do some colors like the light more than others? I have some oranges, reds with pink centers, greens with orangecenters, browns with green centers, and some yellows with some orange centers some with green centers. Please help.

 

[tekknoschtev]

Make sure that you acclimate them properly to your lighting. If they came from a tank that had substantially less lighting you may burn/fry them with the T5s.

Placement is pretty much a trial-and-error experience. Start them low and work them to where you find them aestetically pleasing. If you notice that they are browning out/bleaching, put them back to where they were previously. Certain colors people have reported to do well in lower lighting - like reds and blues, however, in my experience, if acclimated properly to the new lighting and tank, pretty much any color can look good anywhere.

I've got some true blues that are pretty bright underneath 400W halides. Our reds (Ked's Reds) dont like the halides at all, and have become dark red. Our oranges love the halides, so I'd anticipate that they could be placed higher in the aquascaping if you wanted. Browns - psh, they can go anywhere and be happy.

 

[Giz]

They came from a tank with 4x65wPCs. Do you think that might be that much more light?

For the first few days I had 2 layers of screen over the tank to filter some of the light. then remaved one layer. Has had one layers of screen for almost a week now. How do you acclimate yours? I have been noticing the skirts are more thin and hairy rather than plump and short as of the past few days. What does that mean?

 

[Ti]

Keep it on the sand bed to start with

 

[Giz]

Thanks, Ti. How long do you recommend on the sand bed?

 

[Ti]

I used to have zoos and t5's..
Some of my zoos never left the sand bed.
T5 has really good output for things like zoos.
really depends on the zos
Some I keep on the rocks.
If tey start losing color or don't grow, move them up.

 

[bllfish]

I have 4 54W T5 HO and keep zoos at all levels of the tank and they are doing fine.
Bottom

middle & top

 

[Giz]

Nice pics! Thanks.

Some of my zoos have started to lose a little color, just just not as vibrant as they were when I got them. Almost translucent in some spots. They still have color, just not as vibrant as when I got them a week and ahalf ago. They came from a friends tank with PCs. Is color loss more likely from too much light and not acclimated or not enough light? I am sort of suspecting too much based on how my star polyps look at the bottum of my tank. As soon as I switched to T5s from PCs 6 months ago they've been like that. What do you all think? The star polyps look more of a lighter florecent green and the tenticles look more plump and curled but still growing all over. Any thoughts?

 

[Giz]

Another reason I am suspecting too much light, is because my coraline algae only grows un the under sides of my live rock out of direct light. Should I move my lights from 4 1/2'' off the water surface higher?

 

[bllfish]

My Corallline algae grows all over my tank with the T5's. Check the back glass on the second picture. Now that I think about it, the growth was slower at first but has now become almost a problem with too much everywhere.
As for the zoas color fading, you might want to have your lights on for half the time you have them on now and gradually increase the amount of time they are on. I am not sure but they might not have acclimated to the new light yet. I have my 2 blue + come on at 1 pm and off at 9:30 pm. The ultra blue and GE daylight come on at 2:30 pm and off at 8 pm. You could also place a few layers of non metallic screen between the lights and the tank and gradually remove a layer at a time to acclimate the corals. If the light is too strong now you may find the zoas react better with the light diffused. They should be OK under full light after a while.

 

[bllfish]

One more thing. If you have ice cap ballasts they actually overdrive the T5's and the light is much brighter. I have the triad accustart ballasts.

 

[Giz]

Yes, I also have the triad balast as well, but, as you know the T5s are very owerful. I did start off with the layers of screen, but I don't think I left it on long enough. I used three layers and they were all off after a week and a half. I will have to put it back on and be more patient. I have already moved the two colonies that look like they are having the problem 6-8''lower in the tank and also tookMucho's advice and place one slightly under a ledge.How long do you think it will take for color to come back from the slight bleeching? I have noticed at least one new polyp per colony since I've had them.

 

[Giz]

Ok, I started to reacclimate. Will they get their color back?

 

[dwdenny]

They should from what I have read. I will be setting up a 45g breeder and was planning a 4X39w T5 retro too. Have you tried moving the bulbs them selves from Blue+, Aquablu, Blue+, Aquablue. From Grim the aquablue bulbs have almost the amount of PAR the GE bulbs do. Might be good to go with VHO actininc and keep the 11K aquablues.

 

[ernordstrom]

I kept my zoos where they are and they are doing just fine. They no longer "stand up" to get to the light but they are doing just fine.