Zooanthids lighting requirements

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flanque

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Jun 9, 2004
Messages
740
Hello all,

I know this is probably species dependant, however I will ask all the same. The LFS says that 'almost all' zooanthids can survive under regular fluro lights. I told him mine (2x30w - one act, one day) and the answer was, "yeah no problem".

Suspect, I thought I'd look it up on the net. It does seem to be species dependant, but I was wondering what you folks think?

Another nice comment from him was that "pretty much" all "redish" looking corals don't need much light. Seems a little odd to me.
 
I know that zoo`s dont need as much lights as other corals but wheather that low or not I do not know. I know my red mushrooms are at the bottom of my tank not using as much either. Dont know about the red coral thing.
 
Hmm.. perhaps someone else might have some additional details. I guess it's hard to know as you have VHO lights in probably with the corals lower down, where as I wanted to put them up the top with lower lights.
 
I would say that is not enough for zoos but it is species specific. If you put them high enough I guess it is possible . I do not agree with the red statement. For example I have a red lobo, red trachyphyllia and also red montipora capricornis that need good light.
 
Yeah it did seem very general and made me raise an eyebrow of suspicion.
 
what size tank do you have?
I have a 55 which used to be a flowr before my Kenya trees took over the reef.
55 with 2 40 watt uri bulbs one white, one actinic.
I have kenyas from top to bottom and they are doing great, I also have some hitchhicking green polyps which are living for about a month and a green shroon is doing great in the mid to lover level of the tank.
I put some green star polyps at top of the lr which is about 5" below the surface and they died in a week. So IMO the stars polyps are out with your lighting. In my reef the star will not grow into the shaded area of the tank so they need some good lighting.
 
Hi seaham358,

I have ...
Set Up: 36.25 x 14.25 x 21 inches (WxDxH), or 92.08 x 36.2 x 53.34 cm (WxDxH) 46.96 US Gallons / 39.1 UK Gallons / 177.8 Liters 2 x 36" fluros (1 blue [30W], 1 white[30W]). 45KG live rock, fine sand bed. 1 x external 1500L/hr canister filter, 4 layers (top to bottom) containing: prefilter + ammonia filter, crushed coral + black bioballs + active carbon, blue + black bioballs, blue + black bioballs. 2 x internal 1500L/hr power head. Inhabitants: 2 x Ocellaris Clowns 1 x Orange Tail Damsel 1 x Red Blenny 1 x Coral Beauty 1 x Hermit Crabs 18 x Coralmorphs 4 x Button Polyps

Do you mean "kenya tree corals" like this?
 
OK my experience with my little frag under normal flourescent survive and that is it. They don't grow/propogate at all. have had mine for over 6 months. I wouldn't try it though.
 
Amonia, Nitrites and Nitrates have been zero for three years now. Phosphates has always been around 0.25ppm regardless of how much filtration, lower feed and phosphate absorbing materials i have used. Calcium is a little low at the minute and I am buffering it back to 400-450ppm. Carbonate hardness is at 190ppm.
 
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