Zoo's and MH's Question.
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36860
Printed Date: May 16 2025 at 10:07am
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Topic: Zoo's and MH's Question.
Posted By: chk4tix
Subject: Zoo's and MH's Question.
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 8:00am
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On my frag tank, I have noticed over the past month or so that my zoo's "stem" has gotten longer. Typically when you look at zoo's they are basically a relatively flat mat, with the heads nice and tightly together. However, a bunch of mine now have stems that are about 1/2-3/4" long. It almost looks like they are trying to get closer to the light (I'm at work or I would just post a picture instead of trying to explain) I am just wondering, if this is caused by my bulbs already getting old or if I need to upgrade my lighting system. I currently am running 2 x Hamilton 150w MH's pendants with Reeflux 12000k's DE. The pendants are about 4 inches off the surface of the water and my frag tank is only 12" deep. I have only had these bulbs for about 6 months, but I guess they could have already lost their effectiveness. I have SPS and LPS on one side and Softies and zoo's on the other. All are growing nicely, but only the zoo's look weird to me. So I guess the point of this post is: has anyone experienced this before and would this be caused by not enough usable light? ------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
Replies:
Posted By: snoyce
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 9:12am
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my zoo's get a longer stem if they are shaded, so I would say yes they are reaching for the light.
another think I have noticed is some zoo's I have in a lower flow part of the tank have longer stems and longer fringe lashes, than the same kind I have on the other side of the tank that is getting alot of flow. So it could be flow to. ------------- Scott Noyce 90G reef ready AGA display basment 20G sump, 29G fuge 4x54 watt T5 retro SLR Octopus NW150 |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 10:17am
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I'd like to wait and see the pic, both of the entire tank and the zoos alone. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 10:19am
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I agree with Snoyce. They are stretching for the light.
Mike -------------  |
Posted By: Jeffs_little_ocean
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 10:23am
| I'm prety sure you need a nice T5 setup over your frag tank too Keith (then when your wife leaves you and takes everything you own, we can all get some of your killer stuff for cheap) lol |
Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 10:24am
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If they are stretching for the light, any guess on if new bulbs would help or if a new fixture is needed. the zoo's are only about 8-10" inches below the light, so I would think that the 150's would be bright enough. Strange.
------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
Posted By: Mike Savage
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 10:30am
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I would sure think that was plenty of light. How is your alk and iodine?
Mike ------------- |
Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 10:41am
Well, I havent tested for iodine in a little while but my alk is solid at 12.2dkh. However, my zoo's in my display are perfectly fine (system is connected) ------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
Mike Savage wrote:Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 11:06am
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It doesn't throw up any red flags for me but pics will help.
Zoanthids also stretch when they are crowded, like trees in a dense grove growing taller and slimmer. The answer in that case is to make more frags.  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 11:49am
Well they are crowed down there. I was going to have a frag day here soon. I will post a picture after I get off work. However, if this statement is true (which I have no reason to think otherwise), then I would say this is my problem. I think there is a decent picture of the tank in this link. However, at my work photobucket is blocked and I cant remember exactly what picture I used in this. http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36237 - http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=36237 ------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
Posted By: bfessler
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 1:25pm
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I have some gorilla nipples that have started doing the same thing. They are growing below a Monti Cap that has started to shade them and the stalk on some of them has lengthened to about 3/4". The ones that get direct light look normal. ------------- Burt An equal opportunity reefer, I support all hobbyists and organizations involved in Marine Aquarium Keeping. [email protected] |
Posted By: thefu
Date Posted: December 01 2009 at 3:09pm
| In my tank I used to have a zoo rock that was flat and horizontal (almost) to the water surface and was only 14-18" from 250W MH. The stems were up to over 1" on some of them so I think it has to do with something more than just light. They were very crowded so that could have been it. |
Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: December 02 2009 at 6:21pm
Well, I am 90% positive I found out the problem. I happened to have an extra set of new bulbs laying around which are Hamilton 14000k's. Because the bulbs are a lot more blue the the Reeflux, it made the issue quite noticeable. Here is a (terrible) picture of the tank. As you can see, the right hand side of the is darker then the left. If I switch the wires from the ballast, the darkness switches to the other side. So I guess this means it's time to find new ballasts for my lights.  ------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
Posted By: Jeffs_little_ocean
Date Posted: December 02 2009 at 6:40pm
Yes those frags on the right look horrible. You better put them in my tank until they recover. Then I will give them back. I promise 
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Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: December 02 2009 at 6:42pm
did you still want to get some fuzzy mushrooms? ------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
Posted By: Jeffs_little_ocean
Date Posted: December 02 2009 at 6:47pm
| Yep. Are they ready? |
Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: December 02 2009 at 6:48pm
------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
Posted By: Bluespotjawfish
Date Posted: December 04 2009 at 7:24am
 ------------- Home of the baby Picasso! |
Posted By: chk4tix
Date Posted: December 04 2009 at 10:43am
------------- Original Crappy Reef Club Member #2 |
Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: December 04 2009 at 12:17pm
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get the glass on your lights cleaned off really well and replace the bulbs. that tank looks really "shaded" to me which means your glass is either really dirty or the bulbs are old/crappy :) My frag tank had always looked really bright. Yours appears to be dim. ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: pgravis
Date Posted: December 04 2009 at 3:41pm
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I have been thinking my tank wasn't as bright as it used to be, and my bulb was only around 6 months old, so your post prompted me to check my ballast, and I replaced it with another that I had, and sure enough, it is much brighter now! Thanks for posting this, my tank appreciates it
PJ ------------- See my house: www.eclecticvictorian.com |