Coloring up Zoas (purple monster)

[Chickenfrog]

All,

So I have a question, how is everyone getting their zoas to color up correctly? Specifically, purple monsters. I've had them for a year. I've adjusted my leds (sb reef ultra), ive changed my salt from reef Crystal's to red sea pro and now I dont know what to do. Dont get me wrong, they are okay. But I want them to POP! I can see the purple but it's darker instead of that pastel purple color. The green skirt isn't as vibrant either (the skirt looks dull). Would this be an indication of too much or too little light? Blues, whites, etc? See pic of what I want them too look like.

Thank you all in advance

 

[Oscaror]

All,

So I have a question, how is everyone getting their zoas to color up correctly? Specifically, purple monsters. I've had them for a year. I've adjusted my leds (sb reef ultra), ive changed my salt from reef Crystal's to red sea pro and now I dont know what to do. Dont get me wrong, they are okay. But I want them to POP! I can see the purple but it's darker instead of that pastel purple color. The green skirt isn't as vibrant either (the skirt looks dull). Would this be an indication of too much or too little light? Blues, whites, etc? See pic of what I want them too look like.

Thank you all in advance

Pretty interested in this too. It may just be a matter of the actinics used as that's when zoas show their best colors

 

[Chickenfrog]

Could this be a case of, "filtering the blue out of the camera lens?" I guess a question I should have added, are these colors typical for average reef keepers?

 

[PDR]

Mine have changed in color several times but NEVER looked like that, even when new.

 

[Chickenfrog]

Mine have changed in color several times but NEVER looked like that, even when new.

My purple color is similar but my skirt is more dull. Also, the tentacles are more stretched out. Any idea why?

 

[PDR]

My purple color is similar but my skirt is more dull. Also, the tentacles are more stretched out. Any idea why?

Could be a combination of things. What kind of lighting are they under? Do you know how much par? Also what are your no3 and p04 levels.

 

[Chickenfrog]

No3 and po4 is undetectable according my api tests. I know they aren't ideal as far as test kits go but for now that's what I have. I also have the SBreef ultra leds. I dont have a par meter so I couldn't tell you that either. I dont know how much it will help you compare but my intensity ramps up to 10% whites and 50%blues. I've tried to find quidance on setting the leds up but I only had the reccomend values according to SBreef. When I used them is ticked all more coral off started to pale them out. So I decreased the intensity.

 

[Chickenfrog]

No3 and po4 is undetectable according my api tests. I know they aren't ideal as far as test kits go but for now that's what I have. I also have the SBreef ultra leds. I dont have a par meter so I couldn't tell you that. I dont know how much it will help you compare but my intensity ramps up to 10% whites and 50%blues. I've tried to find quidance on setting the leds up but I only had the recommended values according to SBreef. When I used those values they irritated my coral and they started to pale them out. So I decreased the intensity.

 

[Chickenfrog]

...

 

[Thewatchmangoby]

I bought purple monsters from the wwc booth at macna and they looked like that first pic. The other vendors selling purple monsters almost looked like a different paly altogether, darker purple.

I also noticed when i took my skimmer offline my nitatres became detectable and my zoas colors got alot more vibrant. But that came with algae.

Right now im trying to figure out how to keep higher nitrates with no algae. Dimming my intensity is helping alot, and my zoas are fatter and more opened up!

 

[SashimiTurtle]

No3 and po4 is undetectable according my api tests. I know they aren't ideal as far as test kits go but for now that's what I have. I also have the SBreef ultra leds. I dont have a par meter so I couldn't tell you that. I dont know how much it will help you compare but my intensity ramps up to 10% whites and 50%blues. I've tried to find quidance on setting the leds up but I only had the recommended values according to SBreef. When I used those values they irritated my coral and they started to pale them out. So I decreased the intensity.

Try and get your nutrients up a bit. My tank is a little "dirty" right now and my zoas couldn't be happier.

As far as getting good color, blue blue blue blue light. My zoas will look pale under whites and then pop under blues. I run Kessils with True Actinic T5s. Kessils are white with T5 for half the day, then just blue from the Kessils for the other half.

 

[Chickenfrog]

I bought purple monsters from the wwc booth at macna and they looked like that first pic. The other vendors selling purple monsters almost looked like a different paly altogether, darker purple.

I also noticed when i took my skimmer offline my nitatres became detectable and my zoas colors got alot more vibrant. But that came with algae.

Right now im trying to figure out how to keep higher nitrates with no algae. Dimming my intensity is helping alot, and my zoas are fatter and more opened up!

That's interesting. I'm curious if WWC have detectable nitrates? If they do, how are the keeping them steady and consistent? Along with controlling algae? Now I'm gonna have to look into this. Thank you btw

 

[Chickenfrog]

Try and get your nutrients up a bit. My tank is a little "dirty" right now and my zoas couldn't be happier.

As far as getting good color, blue blue blue blue light. My zoas will look pale under whites and then pop under blues. I run Kessils with True Actinic T5s. Kessils are white with T5 for half the day, then just blue from the Kessils for the other half.

My other zoas pop under just my blues. Would you say it is typical for them to look pale under whites? Is there a way to get my zoas to look better under whites? Or could this be a low nitrate factor as well? Also, what do you think happens to zoas (visually) when they are exposed to, too little or too much light? Because like I said earlier I dont have a par meter, so I'm determining everything that's happening visually (while adjusting my led settings).

 

[SashimiTurtle]

My other zoas pop under just my blues. Would you say it is typical for them to look pale under whites? Is there a way to get my zoas to look better under whites? Or could this be a low nitrate factor as well? Also, what do you think happens to zoas (visually) when they are exposed to, too little or too much light? Because like I said earlier I dont have a par meter, so I'm determining everything that's happening visually (while adjusting my led settings).

Too little light and they will look like they are stretching up really far. Too much and they lose color, or just melt.

If you adjust your light, wait 2 weeks and see what everything does. Some corals take a while to react.

 

[Chickenfrog]

Okay, so if I start decreasing my leds. Should I keep decreasing until I find the point to where they are reaching up for light? Would that be safer than having too much light? If I'm adjusting every two weeks, what is a decent percentage to not shock everything?

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Personally, I would see if an LFS or local club would rent or possibly loan you a PAR meter.

 

[Chickenfrog]

I'll check to see if someone has one I can use. BRS has one you can rent, but in the description is says something on the line best used for t5s and mh. Idk, if they make one that Is good for leds?

 

[Capitol Reef Corals]

I personally think you should give your Purple Monsters more light. I have experienced that they love light. In fact, if you give them enough light the purple will start to turn more pinkish and can resemble Pink Diamonds instead of Purple Monsters. Just my $0.02.

 

[Chickenfrog]

I personally think you should give your Purple Monsters more light. I have experienced that they love light. In fact, if you give them enough light the purple will start to turn more pinkish and can resemble Pink Diamonds instead of Purple Monsters. Just my $0.02.

I may have to frag a polyp off and test some of them in higher and lower light to see what they prefer. Thanks

 

[Thewatchmangoby]

That's interesting. I'm curious if WWC have detectable nitrates? If they do, how are the keeping them steady and consistent? Along with controlling algae? Now I'm gonna have to look into this. Thank you btw

They probably do, alot of the great tanks you see around here have detectable nitrates, as for algae control alot of those great tanks also keep alot of tangs and alot of coral. My lfs were gonna shutdown a 10 gallon display tank becuase they just couldnt figure out why they couldnt get rid of nuisance algae after months, one employee suggested to load the tank with coral, and that tank is crystal clear and algae free now, the corals sucked up the nutrients before the algae could. I have next to no coral in my tank cuz im collecting high end zoas, so i have alot of algae. My lights were at 55% intensity radion xr30 blues only over a 25g which was total overkill, they are now at 7-10% blues only and the effect they had on my zoas within a week is night and day difference.

 

[Chickenfrog]

They probably do, alot of the great tanks you see around here have detectable nitrates, as for algae control alot of those great tanks also keep alot of tangs and alot of coral. My lfs were gonna shutdown a 10 gallon display tank becuase they just couldnt figure out why they couldnt get rid of nuisance algae after months, one employee suggested to load the tank with coral, and that tank is crystal clear and algae free now, the corals sucked up the nutrients before the algae could. I have next to no coral in my tank cuz im collecting high end zoas, so i have alot of algae. My lights were at 55% intensity radion xr30 blues only over a 25g which was total overkill, they are now at 7-10% blues only and the effect they had on my zoas within a week is night and day difference.

Thanks for the information. It seems like a lot of trial and error.