Zoas Not Growing - Please help.....

[dawgwe1]

I have a 29 gallon tank (standard) with a 10 gallon sump. The tank has two koralia 425 power heads with a mag 5 pump for the return out of the sump. The lighting is with a compact fluorescent with one 96w 10k bulb and one 96 w actinic sitting approx 4" above the water level. The sump has a couple different types of macro algae in it. The tank has been set up since Dec 3 of last year. The parameters as of yesterday are:
Temp: 80
SP: 1.024
PH: 8.4
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate all at 0
10% Water changes done every two weeks.

On March 1 I put in a frag of AOG, Gobstopper, and Purple People Eater. All started with one head. Currently the AOG has two small heads, Gobstopper has 3 heads, and the PPE has 6. All are towards the bottom of the tank in what I would call medium flow with the tentacles swaying in the flow but not overpowered by the flow. It seems that the growth rate is extremely slow compared to what I have read - Almost 5 months and only going from one original head to only two or three heads. Almost not worth having coral with this growth rate:frown:

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Somethings Fishy]

mmmm well something to think about is that the coral with grow exponentially, once you get a colony it will grow at a satisfying rate. as far as your growth it does seem slow. i have my gobstoppers mid tank. do you add any supplements?

 

[mojoreef]

Soft corals such as the ones you are referencing are almost 100% tissue and thus will require a good ammount of capture food in order the grow well. You can do this by having an amount of fish in your tank where their poop and the excess food filters down to the zoo's. If not you should try to target feed them by landing small peices of food on their polyp. If the flow is to quick for the food to stay you can put a glass or similar over it while the food is in place.

Mysis or any similar meaty food will work for this.

Mojo

 

[dawgwe1]

I do not supplement and only have three fish in the tank. I will try to supplement and target feed to see if that helps speed up the growth. Thanks for the suggestions......

Wayne

 

[Somethings Fishy]

any pics??

 

[dawgwe1]

Here are some pics. Also is a picture of a colony I put in about three weeks after the tank was up and running back in December. It started with six heads and has grown like a weed. It has greenish centers with brownish tentacles. Well over a 100 heads now and covering most of a large rock. Not sure why this one is going crazy but the three frags I introduced in March are not doing much......
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa459/dawgwe1/DSCN0259.jpg
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa459/dawgwe1/DSCN0260.jpg
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa459/dawgwe1/DSCN0261.jpg
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa459/dawgwe1/DSCN0262.jpg

 

[dawgwe1]

No growth two months later after using "Reef Plus Concentrated Vitamin & Amino Acid Supplement" by Seachem. Also forgot to mention earlier that I also have a pulsating xenia (sp.?) that has been 'closed up' for several months. Looked great when I first put it in for the first month or so. I ordered a new 4-bulb T5 light today to see if replacing the compact fluorescent fixture will help. Also looking at going from the 29 gallon to a 20 gallon long to get more intense lighting and going from a 10 gallon sump to a 20 long to keep the total volume up to where it is at now. Any other thoughts would be appreciated.....

Wayne

 

[1guydude]

hmm well as already said...the softies absorb a lot of stuff throught the water as the stony corals are more light centered...
I do catch my polyps and zoos actually eating mysis!
More light prob wouldnt hurt either

 

[SaltwaterNoobs]

The other thing to keep in mind is that every zoa grows at its own rate. The reason why some zoas are more expensive than others is sometimes more than just it's availability - it's because they take FOREVER to grow. I have some zoas in my tank that spread like wildfire, and others that grow super slowly. My levels are great, I have great lighting, and I have "dirty" water (supplements the softies nicely when they have dirtier water - more to eat!). Sometimes, zoas will just grow at their own rate, no matter how perfect your tank conditions are.

 

[kevinpo]

Also forgot to mention earlier that I also have a pulsating xenia (sp.?) that has been 'closed up' for several months. Looked great when I first put it in for the first month or so.

Some species of Xenia such as the Pom Pom (X. umbellata) are sensitive to alkalinity levels. A range of 8-9 dKH is recommended. Oyster Feast and Roti-Feast both work well to enhance growth rates just keep an eye on unwanted algae growth and reduce feeding accordingly. Lighting is low on the scale of importance for this Genus.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[user 26995]

Hey, just wondering how your zoas are doing now. Any better growth happening? You said you had them at the bottom of the tank. Have you moved any of them. I have my ppe's up high. They are slow growers, but mine have grown better than I expected there.
My gobstoppers are up higher too. I think they may be needing a little more light besides some of that yummy oyster feast.

 

[dawgwe1]

Ipisces - Good to meet you in person at the swap (I was wearing the purple Nike shirt) no growth as of yet. Moved up towards the top of the tank two months ago. Going to get some oyster feast and try some of that. I also hope to pick up a halide fixture in the classified section and replace my power compact fluorescents. (Acclimate them to the new lighting over several days and move towards the bottom of the tank). The toadstool and trumpet coral (believe that's what you called it I got from you last weekend are doing great - very colorful. I have the trumpet at the top until I get the new light up and running. Talked to a few people at the swap and may just be that they are slow growers - Gobstoppers and AOG. Also had a suggestion to test the alkalinity. I need to pick up a saltwater alkalinity test kit this weekend and see what it is.... Wayne