Small polyps=too much light symptom?

Paintguru · May 17, 2007

For those that feel they have ever had problems with having TOO much light on their zoa/paly tanks, did you ever notice if your polyps seemed "smaller" then most other peoples? Obviously this would depend on the zoa, but in general, I am simply trying to determine if I am overlighting my tank a bit or not. Most of these zoas/palys are on the bottom (24") which is being lit by a 400W SE XM20K lamp, so I wouldn't think they would be getting too much light, but I also don't want to downgrade and then not have enough light or lose some growth speed.

Azurel · May 17, 2007

I think you are fine with that .....I would check parameters of the water....Maybe alk is a bit low, I know when alk gets low they don't look like they are at their best.......Just an idea....

Paintguru · May 17, 2007

They don't look "bad"...it just seems like the other pictures I see out there, people have much bigger polyps overall. Perhaps it is just an issue of scale in the pictures, who knows!! Thanks for the reply.

EliteReefs · May 17, 2007

Paintguru said:
For those that feel they have ever had problems with having TOO much light on their zoa/paly tanks, did you ever notice if your polyps seemed "smaller" then most other peoples? Obviously this would depend on the zoa, but in general, I am simply trying to determine if I am overlighting my tank a bit or not. Most of these zoas/palys are on the bottom (24") which is being lit by a 400W SE XM20K lamp, so I wouldn't think they would be getting too much light, but I also don't want to downgrade and then not have enough light or lose some growth speed.

I run 3 x400 halides and 4x 110 VHO on my main display tank and have TONS of zoas all doing just fine. on all three frag tank i run 2x250 and 2x130pc again all with no problem at all. I would say it it the pics of a water issue

Ike · May 17, 2007

It may not be a water issue as much as your water doesn't have an issue

The healthiest largest polyp've seen are usually in tanks that have some nuisance algae, slightly elevated nutrients, and just moderate lighting and flow.