Zoa Mushrooming?

[Seafeather]

Hello everyone!

I bought this single headed zoa not too long ago, but it's decided that it wants to stretch and kind of turn into a mushroom/umbrella shape? The light is directly above it and should be strong enough for this ultra small tank (calling it a micro tank).

Any zoa experts care to tell me if its getting too much or too little light?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

What is your PAR and lights you are using? Looks like it is stretching for more lights

 

[Seafeather]

Oh man i couldnt tell you a PAR. I'm a poor aquarist currently with only the most basic of tools. Hopefully not for much longer as i slowly get better tools aquired.

The light is just a little LED maybe 3W that can clip onto the tank. Full spectrum, RGB and the like. I usually keep it on the more blue setting at full blast. I definitely need a little upgrade on the light for this tank, but it's so small that i thought maybe i could get by with this.

Ive just removed the lid of the tank (no critters in here to leap out) and pushed the light as close as it could get without being in the water. Zoa already looks like its slightly flattening out.

 

[ArielS]

Oh man i couldnt tell you a PAR. I'm a poor aquarist currently with only the most basic of tools. Hopefully not for much longer as i slowly get better tools aquired.

The light is just a little LED maybe 3W that can clip onto the tank. Full spectrum, RGB and the like. I usually keep it on the more blue setting at full blast. I definitely need a little upgrade on the light for this tank, but it's so small that i thought maybe i could get by with this.

Ive just removed the lid of the tank (no critters in here to leap out) and pushed the light as close as it could get without being in the water. Zoa already looks like its slightly flattening out.

3 watt definetly not enough. Compare to the regular reef light which arround 50-200watt

 

[Seafeather]

Oh man i couldnt tell you a PAR. I'm a poor aquarist currently with only the most basic of tools. Hopefully not for much longer as i slowly get better tools aquired.

The light is just a little LED maybe 3W that can clip onto the tank. Full spectrum, RGB and the like. I usually keep it on the more blue setting at full blast. I definitely need a little upgrade on the light for this tank, but it's so small that i thought maybe i could get by with this.

Ive just removed the lid of the tank (no critters in here to leap out) and pushed the light as close as it could get without being in the water. Zoa already looks like its slightly flattening out.

3 watt definetly not enough. Compare to the regular reef light which arround 50-200watt

The tank isn't even 12" deep and the zoa is maybe 3 inches from the top of the water. Its got maybe 2 gallons of water in it total. I would think 50-200W would fry everything.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

It needs light. A 3 watt light is like a candle. I use 55 watts set at 85% on a 10” depth tank for zoa’s and mushrooms.

 

[The Ugly Phase]

think you could light a lighter and it would be better than 3w light

 

[ArielS]

Oh man i couldnt tell you a PAR. I'm a poor aquarist currently with only the most basic of tools. Hopefully not for much longer as i slowly get better tools aquired.

The light is just a little LED maybe 3W that can clip onto the tank. Full spectrum, RGB and the like. I usually keep it on the more blue setting at full blast. I definitely need a little upgrade on the light for this tank, but it's so small that i thought maybe i could get by with this.

Ive just removed the lid of the tank (no critters in here to leap out) and pushed the light as close as it could get without being in the water. Zoa already looks like its slightly flattening out.

3 watt definetly not enough. Compare to the regular reef light which arround 50-200watt

The tank isn't even 12" deep and the zoa is maybe 3 inches from the top of the water. Its got maybe 2 gallons of water in it total. I would think 50-200W would fry everything.

Most Reef light can adjust the power. 3 watt is to small. Even emergency flashlight has more power. Try to invest on some dedicated light. If your tank is small it plenty cheap budget reef light arround $30 i have one 20w work pretty good in lps nano tank. Also you wont believe zoa is basicly fry by sun in low tide.

 

[Seafeather]

Oh man i couldnt tell you a PAR. I'm a poor aquarist currently with only the most basic of tools. Hopefully not for much longer as i slowly get better tools aquired.

The light is just a little LED maybe 3W that can clip onto the tank. Full spectrum, RGB and the like. I usually keep it on the more blue setting at full blast. I definitely need a little upgrade on the light for this tank, but it's so small that i thought maybe i could get by with this.

Ive just removed the lid of the tank (no critters in here to leap out) and pushed the light as close as it could get without being in the water. Zoa already looks like its slightly flattening out.

3 watt definetly not enough. Compare to the regular reef light which arround 50-200watt

The tank isn't even 12" deep and the zoa is maybe 3 inches from the top of the water. Its got maybe 2 gallons of water in it total. I would think 50-200W would fry everything.

Most Reef light can adjust the power. 3 watt is to small. Even emergency flashlight has more power. Try to invest on some dedicated light. If your tank is small it plenty cheap budget reef light arround $30 i have one 20w work pretty good in lps nano tank. Also you wont believe zoa is basicly fry by sun in low tide.

Thanks for your advice! I had an old proprietary light from a tank i still have, but the anchor for the light is gone.
So its currently just sitting on top of the tank. Doesn't look pretty, but the zoa already is looking better than before! Figured i could give it a shot before calling it quits.