Zoa colors ruined by LEDs

[Snuggs]

I run a 29 gallon tank with a Hydra 26. All of my zoas are healthy and full of color. Going off of your lighting schedule, my guess would be you're not giving them enough light.

I have my blues at nearly 100%, white is around 30%. I do not recall the exact numbers but I could get a screenshot of my schedule if you'd find it helpful.

Following, I would be interested

 

[AwildcatsZ]

What are your parameters?

My tank parameters are as follows:

Temp: 77/78
Salinity: 1.026
Alk: 9.5
Ca: 420
Mg: 1400
pH: 8

Salt used is Red Sea Coral Pro.
5 gallon water change every other Friday.
Fish are fed pellets once everyday.
Corals are fed Reef Roids 3-4 times a week.

Here's some photo evidence.

How long have you had the light? Could just be an adjustment period.

 

[AwildcatsZ]

Sorry, didn't mean to reply to that comment...meant to offer parameter advice.

 

[KTownReefer]

I lost color in mine but it was due to high phosphate and nitrates. I am now running a gfo reactor to keep my phosphate at almost zero and my new zoa's and paly's are a lot more colourful and color is starting to come back on the main colonies. What are your phosphate and nitrates at?

 

[reefpeeper]

So what u are saying is that this is the first time u have had zoas? What other corals do u have? Do u put any additives in tank?

 

[AllSignsPointToFish]

I have six Kessil A360WEs on my tank, and my zoas are doing fine. Great coloration and growth. I think you may not have enough light.

 

[Constantin]

I switched from 6x T5 (ATI) to a Malibu S300 LED only 3 weeks ago. Since then the colors of my corals (including Zoas) has improved a lot. They show polyps better than ever before. I had 320 Watts T5 and now i run the 300 W LED on 65%. Tank size is 60 x 24 x 24

 

[Fitzreefer]

Alk is a bit high. Red Sea Coral Pro mixes up to 12 dkH, which will keep your dkH high with continual water changes. Try switching to the blue bucket Red Sea or Aqua Forest Reef Salt. Both mix up more in the 7 - 8 range. My zoas have improved since I made the switch. Not saying this is the magic bullet, but it is worth a try. In most publications I read, they say NSW is around 8 - 8.3.

 

[tangerine3486]

+1 Raise intensity

 

[MoneyMike1987]

People. Just send him your API file!!!!

Mine looks like this

 

[Pjmau]

I run the Hydra 26 HD. I keep my whites at about 20 while my blues, UV and purple are all over 100%. You're definitely not giving them enough light.

 

[sil40sx]

I have same zoas you have, picture 1,2, 3, and 5. And used to have 2 x primes.

When I had high P04 (0.15), my zoas turned a little pale and their skirts looked exactly like the ones on your pictures. (Stretched/turned longer)

So you might want to check your phosphate levels.

 

[wysiwyg33015]

Thanks for all the pointers will update with water parameters soon.
Should have the seneye next week.

 

[Shea]

This is my settings on my ai hydra 52 hd2's. my colors are great and so is the growth. You need to adjust your levels. Just play with it you can get the color back

 

[Deaf clown]

LEDs are garbage. Too much fidgeting than what they're worth. Get t5s plug and play; plus no dead spots and gaurenteed growth and color results with the right combination.

 

[ReeferMike420]

following

 

[TravisParsley]

I would question what the level of PAR or PUR is under lights that seem to only go to 25% or 45% intensity. I would then compare that to what the previous lights were in your tank or the shop you aquired them from. Beware of shocking any coral by drastic changes in light intensity or color spectrum.

In my experience, Intensity levels that low - would not be conductive to good color or growth. I would not necessarily equate leds to failure. Many others along with myself, have had great success with zoas and leds. I recommend looking at the color spectrum settings found in the coral labs (ecotech) lab study. You will find a perference for blueish light. I understand that your lights are a different brand, but I believe the spectrum data is still relevant.

 

[NanoDJS]

for your setup I would run the AI at 4 hour ramp up and select around 35% UV 40 % violet 80% RB 75% blue 10%red 10%green and 60% whites the 450nm spike is predominantly in the white bulbs on aI fixtures

 

[motor3]

Hydra 26

I just got 4 hydra 26 for my 180g I ramp up to 25% on UV Royal blue and don't go past 20% on the whites. Don't use red at all. My lights hang 12inches above water . My coral looks sick and I have all kinds. I'd try to bring up the light.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

Zoas color sucks under too much white, BIG TIME. Intense light and imbalance spectrum will affect colors as well. I am not expert with zoas but I do build LED lights, so learned a lot from it. I think most brightly colored zoas are from deeper water, those mostly green and brown are most probably lives in shallow reefs or lagoons.