How to help Zoas be happier?

[pixie.hallows]

My 10 gallon tank is about 6 months old. 2 months ago I added my first Zoas and then added additional Zoas about two weeks later, so these have been in this spot for about 6 weeks. One frag plug is questionable - I’m not sure they’re even alive. The others seem to be growing but are “stretching” and seem to have dulled in color since I’ve had them.

Shortly after I set them all up on the rock, I fed them reef roids (twice in a week and a half) however I had such a high phosphate spike in the tank after that that I haven’t feed them since. I have a coralife LED light that I keep on 100% only blue for about 15 hours a day. (This is the light: https://a.co/d/4zzzUeL)

Current tank parameters:
Alk 8.7
Cal 450
Magnesium 1240
Nitrate 4.6
Phosphate .14
PH 8.2
Salinity 1.026
Temp 80.0

I have some leathers and some LPS coral that all seem happy and thriving. Just wondering what I can do to help my Zoas pop and maybe seem healthier? Photos below. Some under white light and some under blue light with a yellow lens filter.

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Aiptaisia anemone]

its your light

 

[pixie.hallows]

its your light

Meaning it’s too intense or not intense enough? Any suggestions on how to correct?

 

[bluemon]

I think people might suggest it's the light because the polyps have stretched quite a bit. But in my experience, even zoas in high PAR can have stretched polyps. I think you can do with a bit more nitrate, honestly. And a bit more light won't hurt

 

[Red Sea 425 XL Mixed_Reef]

My zoas grow like weed.. I keep them in Les flow. More blue colors ( I have lps settings. ) And around 200 par.

 

[\m/reefsnmetal\m/]

Looks like they're stretching to get more light. Get some more rocks to stack underneath them to get them higher in the tank. That should get them closer to the light if you can't crank up the brightness.

 

[paragrouper]

Looks like they're stretching to get more light. Get some more rocks to stack underneath them to get them higher in the tank. That should get them closer to the light if you can't crank up the brightness.

I would give this a try, it’s cheaper than adding light and you can always move them back down

 

[JoJosReef]

I would try to get nitrates up a bit, maybe. 5-10ppm range for the types of corals you listed. I assume you're using the 18"-24" version of that Coralife LED. Those bars tend to use many scattered 0.25watt LEDs, which don't have as much penetration through water as stronger LEDs like the 3watt and 5watt LEDs you see on the higher end bars.

According to the image on amazon:

It is only giving off around 60ish PAR at 12", which is on the low side for all of those corals. These graphics are usually all channels maxed, not just blues, so your light might be a bit underpowered.

If it is still within the return window at Amazon, I'd get that ~$150 back and buy a Noopsyche for ~$100. That light will give you all the power you ever need for a 10gal (cube?)--we're talking ~5x more light output.

Hope that helps!

 

[pixie.hallows]

Thanks all. I put some additional rocks underneath the main rock to lift it up. Hoping that will help, as I got the light from a local store 6 months ago and threw away the box.

 

[BillsReef10]

its your light

Also agree that looks like a pretty dull white light. Upgrade the lighting with some blue spectrums and automated schedules and they will take off on growth . Just got a radion xr30 and it’s insane how much growth in seeing now

 

[OctaviusBrine]

I agree Zoas don’t need much aside from good lighting and not to much flow. You can pick up a ai prime or even a hydra reasonable priced. I love my radions but there spendy.

 

[JoJosReef]

AI Prime and Noopsyche K7 Mini are, in my opinion, ideal nano tank lights. Perhaps spring for a higher powered light if going SPS dominant. I sold a Prime with arm and diffuser recently for $125, so you can find deals from used lights. Can also find sales on Noops for <$100, and that includes the flex arm.

 

[Zoa.Mania]

I got to say, your zoas seem just fine to me. Reasonable stretch, you could give them stronger light but I wouldn't worry too much about it if they don't stretch more than what we see in the photos

About coloration - I don't see any issue with your colors but if you say they had brighter color id try to lower the phosphate to 0.04-0.09 this should do it

Use carbon and make sure you don't have any coral warfare since you have more corals, some amount of “venum” in the water can cause zoanthids to lose colors.