Am I ready for Acans Lord & Zoanthids

[CODE3EMT]

Ok folks, heres the current specs. Looking for some input from the experienced Reefers.
Red Sea Reefer 450 (running for 14 months)
Vertex Omega 180i Skimmer
Aqua Excel Return Pump
Kessil AP700 (1)
Vortech MP40wQD (2)
Apex Jr. with WXM, ALS, DOS (DOS is not hooked up yet)

Current livestock............. Blotched Anthias, Lyretail Anthias, Purple Tang, Yellow Flanked Fairy Wrasse, Mystery Wrasse, Bangai Cardinal, Melanurus Wrasse, Candy Cane Hogfish, Ocellaris Clown, a few C.U.C. (snails)

Temp 77 per APEX
Alk 9.3 Salifert
Cal 480 Salifert
Mg 1170 Salifert
Phosphate 0.25 Salifert
Nitrate 10 Salifert
pH 8.2 API
Ammonia 0 API
Salinity 1.023 Refractometer
Salt Brand Seachem


I would like to have strictly Acans Lord and Zoanthids. Tried a couple Montipora cap frags a couple months ago and I bleached them with the AP700 at 70%. Rookie move I know. It just seemed like they didn't have enough light, so I kept bumping it up.

 

[Oscar47f]

zoanthids should be fine and so should scans just start them out on the sand bed and then slowly move them up the aquascape tryout some zoanthids first but you should be fine, don't burn them with the light lol

 

[CODE3EMT]

I was reading up on Zoanthids on another forum, looks like they are super toxic sadly.

 

[DanConnor]

Palytoxin appears to be most prevalent in Palythoa, as opposed to the smaller more colorful zoanthids. I don't think the studies have been done to prove those innocuous, but definitely all don't have the same level of toxins.

 

[Shep]

I was reading up on Zoanthids on another forum, looks like they are super toxic sadly.

This is not really a problem to be worried about and I would say your tank is ready for both types of corals

 

[ahiggins]

I was reading up on Zoanthids on another forum, looks like they are super toxic sadly.

Palythoa is more prevalent for the toxins but only if they are messed with. ie fragging or eaten by a fish. Its their defense mechanism.
*normally* they do not excrete toxins just by being in the aquarium.
IF something were to happen and they did excrete it, it would take a lot to kill anything in your system. You could also use carbon to neutralize it IF 50 or so heads decided to release it all at once. Ive never heard of them releasing their toxins unless they were fragged or someone dropped a rock on them.

 

[CODE3EMT]

Good to know. Thanks for all the info guys.

 

[Bunnee911]

Do not consume.

 

[ahiggins]

Do not consume.

YASSSS, dont rub your eyes either. wear gloves, or a haz mat suit if you have one ;)

 

[Whipples]

With that AP700, if you can get a par meter or a lux meter and measure the par at the sandbed you can save yourself a lot of trouble during light acclimation. Kessil LEDs in particular are deceptively powerful so when you do add your first frag i would drop the lighting intensity quite a bit and watch the coral. Zoas in particular may take 2-3 days to open in a new tank so don't be too alarmed if that is the case for you. Zoas are also the easiest to diagnose (if you ask me) if light is too low as they begin to "reach" towards the light and extend pretty hard, versus staying compact to the frag (but open) in satisfactory light.

Always always always light acclimate your coral by starting in the sand and working your way up (slowly)! Some folks will drop their lights to 30% intensity the first week and observe, and then incrementally raise them a few % each week until they find that sweet spot. Unless something else in your tank requires higher lighting, there won't be a negative effect by reducing intensity for a brief period of time.