Too much light for zooanthids ?

[sumpfish]

I have a question about lighting and zooanthid health. The skirts on a large number of my zoos and palys have become washed out in appearance and the "tentacles" are thin, not thick and full like they used to be. Is this a reaction to lighting or is it a nutrition or other issue. My tank is a 75 gallon reef with four 130w Current PC fluorescents (1 dual actinic, 1 50/50, and 2 dual daylights). The other softies in my tank are fine (xenia, various mushrooms, gsp, frogspawn, torch coral). The zoos are multiplying but don't have the color and fullness that they used to. Tank parameters are: Ph ~8.1, alkalinity 180 ppm, calcium 400-450 ppm, temp 77-79 deg F. Any suggestions?

[sagecx]

I don't think it would be the lights. People seem to keep zoas under all types of lights like MH which are much more intense. How much flow do you have on them? Did you recently replace the bulbs?

[sumpfish]

I rotate the lights, so there's no sudden change in intensity. I have two Eheim 1260's, one open loop and one closed loop, and two Seio M820's. The outlets are aimed to intersect in a skewed pattern to create turbulence. The zoos are "waving in the breeze", but they don't appear to be getting whipped around or anything...

[sagecx]

huh thin skirts can be caused by to strong flow sometimes as the coral adapts to the tank environment. But that doesnt explain the loss of color. Are they close to any other corals? Mushrooms sometimes start a chemical war with nearby corals. Do you run carbon?

Oh when you say the zoas dont have the color they used to have do you mean when you first introduced them to the tank or just the color they kept normaly until recently?

[mfinn]

If the color is washed out looking it could be a lack of light.
Zoanthids do well under stronger lighting.

[amore169]

My PD like very strong lighting, I had them like 8" from 250MH lighting and were reproducing like crazy.

[KarmaChameleon]

Yes, definitely not too much light. I have zoas ~14" directly under 250W 10K halides, which don't decrease very much in par even at the bottom of the tank. They love it there and are bright and full.

[A. Grandis]

I have a question about lighting and zooanthid health. The skirts on a large number of my zoos and palys have become washed out in appearance and the "tentacles" are thin, not thick and full like they used to be. Is this a reaction to lighting or is it a nutrition or other issue. My tank is a 75 gallon reef with four 130w Current PC fluorescents (1 dual actinic, 1 50/50, and 2 dual daylights). The other softies in my tank are fine (xenia, various mushrooms, gsp, frogspawn, torch coral). The zoos are multiplying but don't have the color and fullness that they used to. Tank parameters are: Ph ~8.1, alkalinity 180 ppm, calcium 400-450 ppm, temp 77-79 deg F. Any suggestions?

I would bring temperature close to the 79-80F. Also, would adapt them to new T5s, instead PCs. Blue Plus...Aqua Blue...Actinic...
Did you know that the sun is stronger than MH? I know you know that, just a reminder.:strange: Nothing such a thing (artificial light is too strong), if you can gradually have them used to new lights.
Try feed them and do some water changes.
The simptoms of your zoas could be related to more than one or two aspects of your tank.
Grandis.

[tens8273]

most polyps can get cooked and love it. pe's are not that crazy about light tho

[seabayaquatic]

PC's suck! Pick up some HO T-5's and they should turn around in no time.

[650-IS350]

see the 2 racks, 6" and 4" from 250watt metal halides.. the only polyps reaching are the other colony of PD's in the middle on the bottom sand bed.
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n230/delsol650/DSC_0064.jpg

[Korrine]

I have a 250w MH over my 29g tank and my zoa's n paly's are doing good :D

hth

[D2838]

I also have had great success with 250 watt metal halides and zoanthids, almost grow to nuisance proportions but could not get them to grow in another tank that used 150 watt hqi's. What are your nitrates?

[A. Grandis]

Metal halides will drive them crazy!! Zoas will love and grow fast with MH.
The so called People Eaters will and the small ones too, palys...

But I think there is no need to spend that much money with the electric bill.
T5s are really good and they will grow/be colorful with them.
Even for SPS T5s are good.
Unless you get a deeper system or if you like the surface effects of the MHs.

Grandis.

[650-IS350]

I had the best look out of my polyps under my old 8 bulb T5 set up.