LED's are killing my Zoas!

JurisHP · Aug 23, 2016

I'm hoping to get some good advice from the group. I have a 180g mixed reef tank. My parameters are where they should be and are very stable. I'm a HUGE Zoa fan, but for the life of me, I can't keep them thriving! I've determined that my lighting is the culprit (3 Radion XR30 Pro's). I've fried so many colonies and it's killing me (and them!). Can anyone who has a similar set-up share their lighting program so I can stop frying my Zoas? I'd be very grateful. I control the lights via apex (not ESL), and Ecotech's Coral Labs are of no benefit! Help!

reeferfoxx · Aug 23, 2016

JurisHP said:
I'm hoping to get some good advice from the group. I have a 180g mixed reef tank. My parameters are where they should be and are very stable. I'm a HUGE Zoa fan, but for the life of me, I can't keep them thriving! I've determined that my lighting is the culprit (3 Radion XR30 Pro's). I've fried so many colonies and it's killing me (and them!). Can anyone who has a similar set-up share their lighting program so I can stop frying my Zoas? I'd be very grateful. I control the lights via apex (not ESL), and Ecotech's Coral Labs are of no benefit! Help!

Before we get into LEDs and the effects on coral. Do you have a list parameters that your tank has? SG, pH, Cal, Mag, Alk, po4, NO3?

twilliard · Aug 23, 2016

@joshporksandwic comes in every now and then.
he may have insight

twilliard · Aug 23, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
Before we get into LEDs and the effects on coral. Do you have a list parameters that your tank has? SG, pH, Cal, Mag, Alk, po4, NO3?

and dont forget the organics and available carbons

JurisHP · Aug 23, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
Before we get into LEDs and the effects on coral. Do you have a list parameters that your tank has? SG, pH, Cal, Mag, Alk, po4, NO3?

SG: 1.026
pH: 8.76
Cal: 420
Mg: 1260
Alk: 8.5
N03: 0

Tahoe61 · Aug 23, 2016

Chem looks fine. Where are you placing the zoanthids in the tank light wise?

reeferfoxx · Aug 23, 2016

JurisHP said:
SG: 1.026
pH: 8.76
Cal: 420
Mg: 1260
Alk: 8.5
N03: 0

What were your Phosphates?

Also, are you using GAC, GFO, Bio pellets, or dosing anything? And what is your livestock list?

cnseekatz · Aug 23, 2016

How did you determine that your lights are to blame? I doubt that your lights are the problem, unless you're running all your Radions at 100%, in which case it won't be just the zoos that are hurting, it'll be pretty much everything.

I have a 45g shallow tank with a single Radion XR30 Pro, maxed out at 75% intensity. I grow zoas like weeds, including some that have been labeled as "difficult." Z's & P's enjoy slightly dirty water, with a lot of nutrients, as well as good flow. Different varieties certainly have different lighting preferences, but I've got some colonies that are super happy getting blasted by my Radion.

I would suspect that the culprit is water that's too clean, or some kind of predator.

Frop · Aug 23, 2016

JurisHP said:
I've fried so many colonies and it's killing me (and them!).

www.vividaquariums.com suggest their zoanthids to be at 100-250 par.

masterbuilder · Aug 23, 2016

Buy, Borrow, Rent, Steal a PAR meter. Set up your Radions so your zoas are getting about 150-200 PAR using the Coral Lab settings for softies/lps you mentioned. Zoas love LEDs if you dont toast them with too much light. I would bet money you have them under way to intense light. If you will do the above and they dont thrive...its something other than the lights.

twilliard · Aug 23, 2016

Here ya all go

https://www.planetzoa.com/blogs/tip-of-the-day/12033017-zoa-lighting-photosynthesis

cnseekatz · Aug 23, 2016

Zoos can handle WAY more light than 250 PAR. I've got big, old colonies getting blasted under 600 PAR. Polyps in that area are noticeably smaller than those in lower light areas, but they are not hurting whatsoever.

reeferfoxx · Aug 23, 2016

If light intensity is at its highest. Lighting would be an issue. But I'm pretty sure its a phosphate/alk issue.

JurisHP · Aug 24, 2016

Tahoe61 said:
Chem looks fine. Where are you placing the zoanthids in the tank light wise?

They are all pretty low---none of them are even 1/2 way up.

Catchemall · Aug 24, 2016

I'm still 10months new but when I took GFO offline and started an algae scrubber and feeding better mine are starting to take off. My big skimmer and GFO was stripping my water too clean.

adestafi · Aug 24, 2016

I'm running two gen pro 3s and a kessil tuna blue but the z's are low in the tank and doing well. Seems like you might have a predator or something else going on... Have you checked for zoapox?

JurisHP · Aug 24, 2016

adestafi said:
I'm running two gen pro 3s and a kessil tuna blue but the z's are low in the tank and doing well. Seems like you might have a predator or something else going on... Have you checked for zoapox?

Zoapox?

JurisHP · Aug 24, 2016

reeferfoxx said:
What were your Phosphates?

Also, are you using GAC, GFO, Bio pellets, or dosing anything? And what is your livestock list?

I am using bio pellets,annam dosing NOPOX, NeoNitro, Carbon, Microbacter7 and AcroPower.

My phosphates on the last test were at .64.

My livestock is mostly tangs, as well as a coral beauty (reef safe believe it or not), a 6 line wrasse, 3 RBTA's, a variety of soft coral.

JurisHP · Aug 24, 2016

Tahoe61 said:
Chem looks fine. Where are you placing the zoanthids in the tank light wise?

All placed close to the bottom---the highest placement isn't even 1/2 way up.

reeferfoxx · Aug 24, 2016

JurisHP said:
I am using bio pellets,annam dosing NOPOX, NeoNitro, Carbon, Microbacter7 and AcroPower.

My phosphates on the last test were at .64.

My livestock is mostly tangs, as well as a coral beauty (reef safe believe it or not), a 6 line wrasse, 3 RBTA's, a variety of soft coral.

NSW is 0.005ppm. Your phosphates are 0.64ppm? You think that might the issue? lol

Also, you are dosing Amino Acids and your NO3 is 0ppm?

I'm gonna take a guess here and say you have a nutrient problem.