Setting up a Dedicated Zoa System - Advice please

[pinkfish]

Im not new to the world of marine fishkeeping but am sort of new to zoas,

I need to set up a dedicated Zoa system tank, circa 1000L + spread out over 4 tanks all connected. Tank will not be very deep.

I will also have a quarintine tank avoid adding pests to the new system.

Only fish I will keep will be a few tangs to control algae and some CUC.

Do I really need a powerful skimmer ?
Im not to sure if I should add a UV sterilizer to it.

What sort of flow and how should the flow be set up in the tanks ?

Is it enough just to have spray bars along 2 sides of th tanks ?

Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Mike from London UK

 

[Questin]

They say Ricordia and Zoanthid tanks are low flow and have "dirty" water. But I have seen extremely skimmed water with very high flow Zoanthid tanks as well and do just fine.

I run a skimmer 24/7 but I do not always clean it in a timely fashion. Higher flow makes the Zoanthids fuller from what I have seen. Some of my Zoanthids have melted away when there was not enough flow around them.

I personally don't use a UV sterilizer, to me they are a tool to prevent certain things from getting into your main tank from your refugium or something like that. But my entire system has nothing in it a UV sterilizer would kill.

I am running at 15 watts a gallon and the Zoanthids do great.

 

[reefpeeper]

you don't even need a skimmer at all. as a matter of fact they might actually grow better with out it. the zoas don't need much at all. they like water with more nutriants than other corals. do a water change every 2 weeks and you'll be fine. give them moderate flow and light. as far as suppliments that is up to u. i use seachem reef plus and vit c. one of the easiest corals to keep.