zoanthid growout tank

[MrPicasso]

I just set up a 12.5 gallon nano for growing out zoanthids. Can anyone here give me any pointer on how this system should be setup to be successful. The lighting in the nano was incandescent pc's, but I gutted them and put in a 50/50 96 watt pc. As for the filtration compartment in the back, I emptied it out. The sponge, Which I was told was a nitrate factory, and the ceramic. I did put in some rubble and I kept the carbon in. These are the biggest questions bouncing around my head right now.

Is this lighting enough?

Do I fill the eggcrate with empty plugs and strategicly put frags randomly?

Will Zoanthids grow on Tile?

What about filtration?

What kind of cleaning crew do I need for this type of system?

What about feeding?

What about supplements?

Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

[jandlms]

What is an incandescent pc?????

 

[MrPicasso]

Basically a screw in flourescent

 

[jandlms]

But a fluorescent works by running a current thru a gas filled tube while an incandescent heats a wire/filament. I take it you meant a screw in pc bulb.
In either case 96 watts over a 12 gallon tank should be fine.
I would also consider swapping out the pump for a larger version to give you more flow in the tank.

 

[MrPicasso]

I added a maxijet1200.

I am mainly worried about losing color, some of the really unusual varieties have some really nice color and pattern and don't wanna loose it. I guess I could use one tank to grow out and then transfer to main display for awhile to color up under the t5's. I am thinking of using pieces of ceramic or porcelain tile rather than frag plugs, so when It encrusts it will be on a flat and easily fraggable surface.

 

[jessp]

use marble tile from home depot, others use this w/ success. I think that you won't get a whole lot of growth from pc's but they will work for keeping them going.

 

[jimicasper]

thats a pretty cool idea

 

[Reef Goddess]

I wouldn't put the frags on eggcrate unless you want to make a small eggcrate shelf that would put them closer to the light. I find you can pack more frags together just on a flat surface using flat round or square frag plugs.

I was wondering if many people have a preference of certain shaped frag plugs, because maybe square ones don't look as natural?

A few hard working snails like maybe 5 queen conchs and 5-10 zebra turbos (if you can find them) or medium sized mex turbos. The small ones (1 inch or less) tend to be more sensitive and have a higher mortality rate. I prefer them over astrea because they do a better job and astreas can't flip themselves over as easily if they fall. I don't like keeping hermits with my zoos because they like to sit in the zoos a lot and that bothers them. A small yellow coris or japanese wrasse will help keep any parasites in check as well.

IMHO once your zoanthids are acclimated in a few weeks they should florish without needing to be fed. The water doesn't have to be perfect like for keeping sps, but since its such a small system I personally wouldn't feed it much and would try to let it be fairly self sustaining. That way you don't have to worry about nuisance algae breaking out and growing all in your frags, like a lot of people I see selling online.
Most people aren't going to be as eager to buy your frags if they think they might get bad algae from your stuff.

If you're growing any chaeto you could put some in there while you're starting the tank to seed it with copepods, then add the snails and zoo colonies/frags which the pods love to hide in. And then add the wrasse which shouldn't need to be fed that often if its small and the tank is well seeded.

Good luck!! Post some pictures once you've got it going.

 

[MrPicasso]

wow great advice, thanks. I will follow post some pics soon.

 

[BigAl07]

Hello ReefGoddess and GREAT advice. (Yes dragging up and old thread here).

I like frag plugs and frag disks from Ocean Wonders. I have tried tile but they don't seem to work as well as textures media does.

Allen