I can't grow zoas for the life of me!

[MT. Reefer]

Try a LOW-FLOW area of your tank. Mine would always stay closed and die when left in high flow areas. You may just need to move them around the tank till you find their Happy Place.

 

[PaulKreider]

API test kits aren't accurate enough for nitrate and phosphates.

Look into redsea, salifer or Hanna kits for more accurate results, that's why your tank is probably showing nothing.

But again tank maturity is a big factor, a month is no time.

 

[Sandroni]

API test kits aren't accurate enough for nitrate and phosphates.

Look into redsea, salifer or Hanna kits for more accurate results, that's why your tank is probably showing nothing.

But again tank maturity is a big factor, a month is no time.

Yes I am aware, I am trying to get through the kit and going to upgrade to salifert.

 

[40B Knasty]

Yeah man these are all great tips. When I was looking to start corals. This is what was said to me. "Ever heard of an LED tanning bed?"
I said,"no."
So use what replicates the sun to the best of our ability as humans playing God so to speak for our corals. Get T5s. ATI Blue+ and Coral+ are great color spectrums.
Now my 20g is transferred into a 40B(Breeder). I have 4 lights. The true actinic from what Than mentioned from Coral Gardens. He was pretty excited to see how the spectrum of the bulb will effect the growth and health of his corals, because both Chlorophyll A and B absorb this huge spike of color on the nM. (nanometer) I can say I don't overly care for the color to much. It leaves a muddy purple line down the middle of the tank, but it is not about me. If they need it. Then they get it. ☺

 

[scoopsthedog]

Is it just me or has anyone experienced/experiencing not being able to grow zoas?? I would love to have a zoa dominated tank.

Just got 5 frags and 3 weeks later seeing new heads pop out. Another colony I have (greens) stopped growing. My number issue I've seen in my tank is pests. If you see a small colony fading dip every week. I've noticed pest seem to snack on one type at a time (eat greens and ignore reds etc). Also 6 hours seems short try boosting to 8 hours. Also play with different spots in your tank. Get a few frags and place them high / low etc. a colony is thriving under my leather and getting next to no light while the new frags are 4" from the top and sprouting heads.

 

[Austin S]

Wow great picture! How did you know that they were still alive?

Thanks. @SueMignanoPhotography. They were just growing nicely in the back corner. Saw them when siphoning the gravel so I moved them up front.

 

[Ghxst]

Do you have an ATO? I couldn't keep zoas until I got one.

 

[Neptunes Aquariums]

If they turn brown and start to kind of waste away, you may have a zoa fungus.

Look up zoanthids brown fongus.

 

[Pola0502ds]

I got lucky then. Mine are crazy growers. Went from like five polyps to 14 in about a month.

Thats crazy, maybe it's me then? lol

 

[Pola0502ds]

If they turn brown and start to kind of waste away, you may have a zoa fungus.

Look up zoanthids brown fongus.

How do you treat this?

 

[LbulletM]

Thats crazy, maybe it's me then? lol

I don't think it's you. I think it's me.... getting lucky. As I read and study and observe more and more in this hobby, I've become inclined to believe that we frag these "named" corals so often that there has to be some sort of adaption, despite being genetically identical. Maybe defense response based on frag size? Maybe adjustment to new tanks that allow for improved nutrient intake based on their new home. Who knows. It could just be a response to my stupid hermits crawling all over them all the time...

 

[LbulletM]

And just because I dislike unsubstantiated claims. Here it is a couple days after I got it. Picture taken January 22nd. Obviously it had 3-4 new heads about to pop by that day. To be conservative and count the buds, I'll call it 7 heads.

And I snapped this picture quickly last night. I think you can count 13 in the picture and there are a couple more on the backside.

I'm honestly worried about them taking over haha. I haven't completed my zoa garden, but I think I'm going to have them all on top of a pile of rubble so that I can just frag out pieces as desired. These were some of the brightest Rastas I've seen (not that I've seen a whole lot of them), and were definitely the brightest in the tank while still showing full coloration including the blue ring near the skirt. Not a bad purchase at, I think, $20?

 

[Sandroni]

Do you have an ATO? I couldn't keep zoas until I got one.

I do not

 

[40B Knasty]

And just because I dislike unsubstantiated claims. Here it is a couple days after I got it. Picture taken January 22nd. Obviously it had 3-4 new heads about to pop by that day. To be conservative and count the buds, I'll call it 7 heads.

And I snapped this picture quickly last night. I think you can count 13 in the picture and there are a couple more on the backside.

I'm honestly worried about them taking over haha. I haven't completed my zoa garden, but I think I'm going to have them all on top of a pile of rubble so that I can just frag out pieces as desired. These were some of the brightest Rastas I've seen (not that I've seen a whole lot of them), and were definitely the brightest in the tank while still showing full coloration including the blue ring near the skirt. Not a bad purchase at, I think, $20?

I hate the plug mine came on. I just hope they keep popping up and grow over it.

 

[LbulletM]

I hate the plug mine came on. I just hope they keep popping up and grow over it.

I agree. My ultimate goal is to have all of my zoas grow on to the rubble for easy moving and fragging and then either move the plugs to establish additional colonies or just outright sell the grown plugs to re-coop the original cost.

You can actually see where it's growing onto a piece of rock in the front of my picture.

 

[reefpeeper]

Stable parameters and feed them. I used to go crazy trying different stuff all the time. Once i stopped, things started to do alot better. All i have is an auto doser for cal and alk. And a protien skimmer. How man6 fish do u have? They help also.

 

[A. grandis]

My tank is has been established for around a month, but when would be the right time?

Your tank is way too young!!!
6 months is the start!
You shouldn't even spend your money with anything yet.
Take it slow and let it be for a while.
Not fun to stress yourself and spend money like that.
Take it easy.
Grandis.

 

[LbulletM]

Your tank is way too young!!!
6 months is the start!
You shouldn't even spend your money with anything yet.
Take it slow and let it be for a while.
Not fun to stress yourself and spend money like that.
Take it easy.
Grandis.

Could be true, but I had zoas in my tank around the one month mark and they've been popping babies like mad ever since. I'm at a little over 3 months now and everything is growing like crazy. Even have good polyp extension on my starter acros. I think a lot of it is how you set up and how good your husbandry is. I started with some high quality live rock, which might have allowed for a more mature system, faster and I did religious weekly 5 gallon water changes on my 29 gallon tank (so ~20%+ changes) until these last couple of weeks where my torch seemed happier with biweekly changes. If you want to do anything this soon, it requires knowing your system inside and out via testing and making sure you're on top of your game. Going with easy corals such as zoas helps as well.

 

[Sandroni]

Stable parameters and feed them. I used to go crazy trying different stuff all the time. Once i stopped, things started to do alot better. All i have is an auto doser for cal and alk. And a protien skimmer. How man6 fish do u have? They help also.

I had a pair of clowns, but the male died recently but I am not sure what other fish I want to add/ can add

 

[A. grandis]

Could be true, but I had zoas in my tank around the one month mark and they've been popping babies like mad ever since. I'm at a little over 3 months now and everything is growing like crazy. Even have good polyp extension on my starter acros. I think a lot of it is how you set up and how good your husbandry is. I started with some high quality live rock, which might have allowed for a more mature system, faster and I did religious weekly 5 gallon water changes on my 29 gallon tank (so ~20%+ changes) until these last couple of weeks where my torch seemed happier with biweekly changes. If you want to do anything this soon, it requires knowing your system inside and out via testing and making sure you're on top of your game. Going with easy corals such as zoas helps as well.

6 months is the start for any system, no matter how good and well planned is the set up.
Of course there will be differences between the choices of equipment, rocks, sand, water and organisms.
But generally speaking the maturity of any system will come after a year or so. Until then you'll need patience.
After a year things will get easier and the system will actually start work as it should.
You can put organisms in it, but the more you wait the easier will be.
Cheers!
Grandis.