zo colors and lighting

C

Cassie

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I was just wondering if anybody had any reccommendations on lighting specifications to make the colors of their zo's really come out the most. Or does it depend more on salinity and other tank parameters?

I have noticed that our zos look pretty variable in color from one tank to another when the tanks have different lighting, and I'm pretty confident that the water quality and parameters are quite similar between tanks. Any general rules to how zos do under different types of light?
 
"Best" is a relative term, but these two pics are of the SAME Zoanthids in the SAME system, just different tanks with different lights (I've got 7 tanks sharing one sump, and thus the water quality is all the same)

This is the Zoanthids under a combination 175w 12k MH, 175w 10k MH, and 55w 10k PC:

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And here's a frag from the exact same colony in my anemone tank, under 1 55w 10kPC and 1 55w Actinic PC:

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I think I like the PC lighting better for these Zoanthids at least. I'm performing some informal experiments right now fragging other Zoanthid colonies in my main tank and putting the frags in the anemone tank, but I haven't had any of them other than the above polyps in the anemone tank long enough to make any judgement calls...
 
our ricordia do much better under PC versus MH
but then again the water params in the MH main and the 54 seahorse are very different
 
Rick and I were discussing coral colors and lighting at the meeting tonight.

Dana Riddle's research into lighting (as well as overlighting) suggests most aquariums have too much light and although the corals color up and grow in some cases they aren't really all that healthy - they are just reacting as people do to sunlight and getting a "tan".

Have to agree most of the time the color is better under more light - very interesting in this case the PC beats out the MH hands down.

Still a lot of research to be done and I look forward to your results Brian.

Had a similar project in mind if I ever get the floors done and the tanks back in place.
 
Being a person that doesn't keep any zoanthids I have no personal experience. But I will quote a couple of lines from Eric Boernman in his book Aquarium Corals, 1"Palythoa species are very light tolerant, but grow rapidly with bright light. However these zoanthids will bleach", 2"Occasionally, strong lighting may alter their color to a more-uniform brown shade. At other times, strong lighting may bring out flourescent highlights. Experimentation with different lighting regimes is recommended."
I would say exactly what Brian is doing is what he is talking about. Putting them under different lighting until you find the best colors.
 
The so called “best” color is truly non existent for the simply fact that there are to many variables that affect the way a Zoanthids color up. For starters the color, blue, red etc of the Zoa plays a very important part in reference to the placement in your tank. For example brightly colored like oranges, reds, neon greens do better in the mid section of a tank. The blue and pink do better the lowest part of the tank where they received less light. But regardless of location they strive better with a good amount of flow but especially with a random flow.
 
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