wasting away

[tomaquar]

When I had compact florescent bulbs I had beautiful zoas. They grew like weeds with deep rich colors. I also had big beautiful mushooms with healthy ricordea. I switched to LEDs 2 years ago and they have steadily declined. Ive also fought a big battle with bryopsis which has included dipping some of the zoas and mushrooms in peroxide. Some were dipped other weren't and cant see any obvious difference. Other step has been keeping magnesium very high.

The previous tank was also a deep sand bed which I could never get to work. Always had an elevated nitrate level. My current tank is bare bottom and water quality is good.

Current thriving residents: toadstool leather, yellow polyps, 3 types candy canes, acan, green star poly, frilly green mushroom, green finger leather, red plate montipora, green acropora

Current residents alive but static: green button polyps, white button polyps, green plate montipora, green cup coral, frogspawn

Current fading residents: zoas, tarro tree (dwindled from huge and lush to scraggly ), red mushroom, blue mushrooms

If anyone has any idea what might be the problem I would appreciate your input. I dont want to knee jerk to the light being the problem but that is the biggest factor I see. Doesnt seem to be a strong correlation between placement in relation to the light and poor performance. Although the green star is the only thing doing well on the top level of the rock. Everything else seems to bleach.

Thanks

 

[Rikerbear]

Not enough nutrients for the zoas any more would be my guess/opinion. Your nitrate issue in your old set up might have been what the zoas liked and thrived on.
I am finding that if I keep my nitrates around 20ppm I get better looking zoas...lower than 10ppm and they close up some and just look 'sad'.
I highly doubt it's the light.

 

[tomaquar]

Thanks Riker. Sounds reasonable. The DSB had tons of life in it plus the nitrates stayed elevated. Would that account for the dwindling tarro tree and mushrooms? I didnt think it was possible to kill a tarro tree but starvation seems plausible. Would green button polyps and yellow polyps be able to thrive on photosynthesis ? Is there a good supplement anyone can suggest ?

I had two beautiful birds nest until a power outage started a soft tissue necrosis. Thinking about getting a couple more. Ive seen nice zoas and birds nests in the same tank. Is there a strategy other than feeding the zoas for this.

 

[Mike J.]

I completely agree. Why is it when I tell people this people think I'm nuts. The 0 nitrate craze might be good for an SPS only tank, but definitely not good for soft corals. Yes, you can keep LPS and SPS in the same tank, but you have to heavily feed the LPS and have extra nutrient export capabilities. I actually have two little Kenyan trees in my SPS tank. They don't grow, they don't open. When they do start to open a little I know that my tank needs a little extra maintenance.

Not enough nutrients for the zoas any more would be my guess/opinion. Your nitrate issue in your old set up might have been what the zoas liked and thrived on.
I am finding that if I keep my nitrates around 20ppm I get better looking zoas...lower than 10ppm and they close up some and just look 'sad'.
I highly doubt it's the light.

 

[tomaquar]

Any suggestions on a good supplement ?

 

[Mike J.]

You can feed your mushrooms. I've tried several different foods, but I really like Coral Frenzy or I should say that my corals do.

 

[mike007]

I agree with whats been posted. Also would like to add that with leds mushrooms, zoas etc. are low light corals and need to be in a shaded area of tank.

 

[tomaquar]

Very helpful all. Thanks

 

[Rikerbear]

Oh, and I doubt your yellow and green polyps are at all phosynthetic,l so light is not an issue...other than what was mention and that being to much light is bad for them (some varieties at least)
I only have one sps coral and only two lps, and they are both doing 'okay', but it's a juggling act. I try to keep the nitrates right around 10 to 20 ppm so the zoas are happy and the stony corals are at least not 'unhappy'.
I feed the tank twice a week with Reef Feast and phyto, and I feed my one fish three times a week an assortment of fresh foods (clam, mussle, shrimp, mysis, and a bit of flake w/garlic and vit c)
I am certainly overfeeding so I run purigen in my overflow filter, and a small diy GFO reactor, as well as 10% WC weekly with a good vacuum of the sand bed.

 

[jservedio]

I currently have 0 nitrates and my zoas grow like weeds. You can dose other nutrients like Aminio Acids. If your Monti isn't growing, it has to be something else because they love having no nitrates at all.

 

[tomaquar]

Its only the green monti that has problems. Its now pale (was green under florescent ) and grows slowly. The red however has great color and grows noticably after a week.

If that makes sense to anyone would enjoy your comment.

 

[eddiecorrea]

Zoas aren't really 'low light" though. I have all my zoas within 10 inches of 2 Kessil A150ws and they are growing great. But when I had AI Nanos they looked terrible. So I do think the light played a role. I'm tempted to switch to T5s again. My old tank was amazing with T5s but the fixture is too bulky.

 

[magicalbadger]

I had a similar problem when i switched to LEDS, i've gone back to a 150w halide and everything is doing much nicer now

 

[joshporksandwich]

I know that you said this has happened over a 2 year period but can you let us know your parameters and water changing routine?

 

[tazguy25]

Its the LEDs....I Have a 180 with LED lighting (3 120W Fixtures 50/50 White & Blue) with same Results as you, How I know its the Lighting you ask? I also have a 75 Sharing the same Sump under a T5 fixture on the same time program & the same Mushrooms, Frogspawn, & Pumping Xenias that are Withering away in the 180 are doing great. I Just ordered a Dimmable 12K 50w Single LED to try on one side of the 180... Hope it works otherwise I'm going back to T5's....

 

[joshporksandwich]

I switched 2 weeks ago to all LEDs so I guess ill show you empty rocks in a few months.

 

[tazguy25]

I was told again today I just need to turn them down, so I will let you know if the dimming helps on mine. Please keep us posted on your experiences too. I like the lower power bill at the end of the month so I really want the LEDs to work!

 

[kumonryu]

it would be interesting to know if anyone else is having problems with z&p's under LED's - personally I have had mine under 2 radions gen2 since november 12 with no issues

 

[tomaquar]

Im wondering if it has to do with new LEDS versus ones made a couple of years ago. I could believe they have a better specrum now. I considering redoing my lights so that an area has compact florescent light.

If anyone here knows about the coral version of chloroplasts I would be interested in your input. Do zoas require a more even distribution of spectrum ? My LEDs are two types. One is supposed to emit at 640 nm and the other at 10,000 k. Is it possible that in the zoas need wavelenghts not provided ? I wonder if the narrow peaks give one coral what it needs (ie my red montipora ) but others need a wavelength not provided (ie my green montipora).

Is there a specific wave length or collection of wavelengths the zoas need ?

 

[Bartmmackey]

My zoas got a bit burnt and slimed but came back bigger and brighter. And now grow like crazy. Some of mine are at the top of tank under LEDs at 100% at "full sun".

Ps. They mostly grow in tidal pools (yes very few are deep water)... Exposed to sun with little water and out in the straight sun...I don't buy the low light story. Google image if ya don't believe me....