Advice on Zoa Placement?

[Jamie9]

I’m thinking my next addition (new tank) will be a bit of a zoa garden. Anybody have recommendations on where I should think about placing them? (Full tank photo below).
I haven’t measured PAR yet, but I’ve got a Kessil a360xe mounted about 8 inches off the top of this 40 gallon Nuvo. I suspect lighting will be good towards the bottom and middle for zoas. May save the top of the rock formation for SPS one day.

Thanks in advance, and happy holidays!

 

[CoralB]

How long has your tank been cycled ?

 

[Jamie9]

About two months. I’m planning on another month before I add any additional corals, but starting to think about my long term plan so that I won’t get a year down the road and realize I put stuff in places I’m not happy with.

(Some live rock and running with no lights until recently has delayed the ugly stage, but I assume it’s coming soon).

 

[GHOSTLY]

I speak from my results as of recently but ive had zoas growing where acros grow but also in caves. More light results in smaller and lighter polyps but darker areas give both bigger polyps but color too

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I had a dedication section on my tank for zoas. I had my zoas lower on my tank.

 

[Jamie9]

Maybe I will frame the entrance to the “cave” with zoas where I have circled in red.

 

[JoJosReef]

Take care on which zias you put onto the main rock structure. The faster growers will take over and overgrow others, so try to get similar growth pattern zoas next to each other. Palys will almost always outgrow zoas and take over an entire rock--I keep them all on little independent rubble islands. But they can be mixed on the main rock if you plan them out right. Usually requires some time on the zoa forum discussing zoa compatibility.

 

[Jamie9]

Thanks, yes I have a lot of research ahead of me before attempting any zoas. Originally I was going to put some on one of my live rocks and make a little island. I might still do that…but I’ve been enjoying watching all the life that’s already on the live rocks!