Who's Keeping Zoos?

[Beverly]

I've been researching zoos on RC and am blown away by the amount of light folks over there keep their zoos under Pics of their zoos are great, but does a person really need MH lighting to keep them?

I'm thinking that at some point in time, my 28g bowfront no longer be used for seahorses , but will become available for some other purpose. The thought of a zoanthid species tank comes to mind..... Currently the 28g has one 55w 9325K PC on it. Not enough to get brilliant colours out of zoos, correct?

Does anyone here keep a zoo only tank? If so, what sized tank and what kind of light do you use? Any pics?

TIA

[christyf5]

Personally I think zoos look much better under PC or NO lighting. Mine are currently under 2x250W MH and some of them are washed out so I have them tucked in crevices to shade them a little. Some do very well under MH but looking at the same zoos under lower lighting, I can definitely see stronger and brighter colors under the lower lighting. Sometimes it makes me want to start up another tank, but then I have enough troubles with the one I have already

Christy

[Bob I]

To bigin answering all the questions. I am a bit of a zookeeper. As near as I can count I have 15 different kinds. My 20H is in the process of becoming mostly zoanthids. Actually zoanthids and a couple of M. digitata (the digitata is so I can play with the big boys )
The question on lighting becomes very complex. I usually have a 2X65W PC fixture on the tank containing one 10000K, and one actinic bulbs. I like that for overall color. I have recently started to toy with a 175W 10000K MH pendant over the tank. The zoanthids really seem to appreciate that much light. The tentacles reach for the light, and I expect they will spread quicker under that light.
The problem is that they show a wide range of colours under different lighting. Some show vibrant, but odd fluorescent colouring under actinic only light. I have found if one wants to see the true colour that sunlight is best.

As to pics, I have a bunch in the gallery, and some in the pictures forum under the heading "some of my zoanthids"

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by Beverly

Currently the 28g has one 55w 9325K PC on it. Not enough to get brilliant colours out of zoos, correct?
TIA

I have tried that bulb and got some rather strange colours with it.

[Chad]

I got about 15 different types of zoo's in my 20gal. I have 2x 55w 10k PC on it. The grow great.. look great..

[Beverly]

Originally Posted by Bob_I

I have tried that bulb and got some rather strange colours with it.

Very nice zoos, boB

Makes me want to seriously consider taking a trip down south if you'd be willing to part with some frags of them

In what way were the colours strange on your zoos under the 55w 9325K PC?

[Bob I]

Originally Posted by Chad

I got about 15 different types of zoo's in my 20gal. I have 2x 55w 10k PC on it. The grow great.. look great..

For kicks try to replace one bulb with an actinic. You may be pleased with the effect.

[theshad]

I am in the process of setting up a dedicated zoanthid test tank.

It is a 10G and has only Zoanthids in it for the exception of 3 turbo snails and 1 small Conch. Curently I have 17 different varieties and will add a few more as I find some interesting colours.

The lighting consists of 2 20w 50/50 coralife screw in fixtures.
The colours are very nice under this lighing and have actually become more vibrant as the zoanthids came from a system with MH lighting.

I will be adding a couple of LED's (420nm) to the hood to simulate the actinic for colour but over all I am very happy with the tank.

I will be documenting the growth process over time on the company web site.

[kuatto]

My green zoos(from Bob)are under 250w 10k mh and are doing well,but without the actinic they look washed out,so the actinic definitly helps with color.

Bob
The strangest thing happened lastnight when the green zoos heard they have posible cousins of a differant color,they pleaded with me for some of their zoo cousins from Calgary to come stay with them(really)

[Bob I]

I have spoken to the cousins, but they feel they are not quite ready to make the journey.

The problem is that these relatives are the single polyp type. At this time the only sure way to multiply them is to let them grow onto an adjacent rock.

When Jack sends me the frag plugs, I am planning to try removing one of those polyps and glue it onto a plug. This is not too productive because we now would have one polyp on a rock. It would take a long time to become a colony. That might work for a zoanthid farmer, but probably not for me.