Zoanthid Questions

[estein02]

I've had my tank set-up for slightly over 2 months now and am anxious to put something other then inverts in it. Finally set-up my QT so I anticipate being able to fish in 3 - 6 weeks depending on how long it takes the QT to cycle.
Anyway, here are my questions:
1. Should I wait for my tank to mature a few more months before adding any zoos or are they ok to add now? My tank is doing really well so far...lots of coraline growth on the LR and back of glass, and the snails and crabs I have in there are doing well too.
2. Should I add some fish before adding the zoos?
3. When adding the zoos is it best to frag them onto the rock or will securing the rock that they come on to the LR I want them on work just as well? I have about 30 lbs of tonga brach that I want to add the zoos to.
4. Currently I am testing for pH, trites, trates, ammonia, calcium, alk and phosphate...do I need to check for anything else before I add the zoos?
5. What supplements, if any, need to be added to the tank? I have Lugol's Solution and Selcon. I've added the Lugol once since the instructions state it is good for inverts and coraline.
If there is anything I'm missing please let me know. Thanks.

 

[geraldwhite]

Well the zoos are pretty hearty you should be ok. I added zoos like week 4 with no issues they are doing great now, I did wait like 3 months to add fish though. Something to consider.
I would also check your water temps.
I add A and B from from Kent, this is on my small tank though.

 

[nycbob]

zoas r easy. u can add them as long as ur tank is cycled

 

[oceana]

you will be fine. if you dont want to waste money on the risk go to your LFS and find the smallest ugly rock you can find in the cheapo 5 dollar bargin coral bin that most stores have and give it a shot.
as for the additives stop. if you set the tank up right and use a good salt mix and have a good water change schedule there is no need to be adding anything to that tank.

 

[estein02]

Thanks for the responses so far. As for the salt mix I am using, currently going with regular Tropic Marin, not the reef mix. I have good lighting, Current Nova Extreme, only running for 5 hours a day now as I was having a few algea outbreaks. Seems liek it is under control now though. Once I add the zoos should I increase the photoperiod? Zoos do not need to be QT'd, just acclimated...is that correct?

 

[oceana]

Originally Posted by estein02
Thanks for the responses so far. As for the salt mix I am using, currently going with regular Tropic Marin, not the reef mix. I have good lighting, Current Nova Extreme, only running for 5 hours a day now as I was having a few algea outbreaks. Seems liek it is under control now though. Once I add the zoos should I increase the photoperiod? Zoos do not need to be QT'd, just acclimated...is that correct?

the mix is fine. i use tropic marine pro myself and love it.
the zoas would be fine under that period although depending on the zoa you may not get the best color. some will say to QT everything going into your tank. with that said i toss em in

 

[puffer32]

I don't QT corals, but i fresh water dip them to kill any bad critters that may have tagged along.

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by puffer32
I don't QT corals, but i fresh water dip them to kill any bad critters that may have tagged along.
So...when you dip them do you just have a bucket of fresh water, submerse the corals in that bucket and quickly pull them out...kind of like what you do with a credit card at a gas pump? Don't mean to seem unintelligent, just want to make certain I do it correctly.
Originally Posted by oceana
the mix is fine. i use tropic marine pro myself and love it.
the zoas would be fine under that period although depending on the zoa you may not get the best color. some will say to QT everything going into your tank. with that said i toss em in.
When I first decided to set up a tank I was not planning on adding corals so I went with the basic Tropic Marin. Would you suggest switching over when I am ready to buy more salt?
Thanks

 

[ridomart]

I dip all my corals in Lugo's, especially zoo's. If from the wild, they might have those spiders & if you get them they are hard to get rid of. Only dip 1 coral in a dip solution, sometimes the coral leaves something in the solution that hurts the next coral. I wiped out a bunch of xenia by diping them after I diped zoos. I was diping all of my corals then because I had those spiders in my tank.

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by RiDoMart
I dip all my corals in Lugo's, especially zoo's. If from the wild, they might have those spiders & if you get them they are hard to get rid of. Only dip 1 coral in a dip solution, sometimes the coral leaves something in the solution that hurts the next coral. I wiped out a bunch of xenia by diping them after I diped zoos. I was diping all of my corals then because I had those spiders in my tank.
Can you let me know exactly what you do? Is a fresh or salt water mixture and how much Lugol's? Is it a quick dip? If I buy a few different zoos do I need to mix a new solution for each color or type, or only if it is from a different family? Thank you.

 

[ridomart]

When you buy the lugol's the directions are on it.I broke it down to a qt of aquarium water with 10 drops of lugols. I your are dipping zoos you don't need to change the dip. Zoo's are vary toxic & after dipping them all throw the dip away & remix for different corals, xenias & such.
You leave the coral in for about 10 to 15 mins

 

[ridomart]

If you get thease spiders you'll watch all your zoos disapear

 

[estein02]

Thanks for all the help!

 

[estein02]

Thought of one more question.
After the dip do you just attach the frags to the LR you want them to propogate with a zip tie?

 

[oceana]

Originally Posted by estein02
Thought of one more question.
After the dip do you just attach the frags to the LR you want them to propogate with a zip tie?

use regular old super glue gel. GELL being the key word. or use two part. putty epoxy if the frags a rock big enough

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by oceana
use regular old super glue gel. GELL being the key word. or use two part. putty epoxy if the frags a rock big enough
I guess that means I need to remove the LR that I want to propogate from my DT and wait for the gel or epoxy to set-up before placing them back into the tank? How long can zoos be out of water without harming them?
Thanks

 

[earlybird]

Originally Posted by estein02
I guess that means I need to remove the LR that I want to propogate from my DT and wait for the gel or epoxy to set-up before placing them back into the tank? How long can zoos be out of water without harming them?
Thanks
Excellent questions estein. I'd like to keep this up top in hopes for more responses.

 

[oceana]

Originally Posted by earlybird
Excellent questions estein. I'd like to keep this up top in hopes for more responses.

the zoas can be out of water for quite some time with no ill effect. i take the frag and the rock i want and take them out of the tanks. i use a towel of some sort and dry the to conecting areas the best i can and then apply the gel to both sides. i wait 30 second or so and then join the two firmly and hold for another min or so to ensure a good bond. here is another little tip for you. If the surfface of one of the pieces is very smooth or covered in coraline i will ruff up the suface a bit also to help with the bond. I then have a "rinse" dish on the side and i will place the new frags in the dish until i an done with all the others. after i am done i give each frag a good shake to make sure everything is secure and back to the tanks they go

 

[estein02]

Originally Posted by oceana
the zoas can be out of water for quite some time with no ill effect. i take the frag and the rock i want and take them out of the tanks. i use a towel of some sort and dry the to conecting areas the best i can and then apply the gel to both sides. i wait 30 second or so and then join the two firmly and hold for another min or so to ensure a good bond. here is another little tip for you. If the surfface of one of the pieces is very smooth or covered in coraline i will ruff up the suface a bit also to help with the bond. I then have a "rinse" dish on the side and i will place the new frags in the dish until i an done with all the others. after i am done i give each frag a good shake to make sure everything is secure and back to the tanks they go
Alright...I think I've got this.
Once I get the zoos home I want to dip them in a solution of a quart of aquarium water with 10 drops of Lugol's Solution for 10 - 15 minutes. After removing the zoos from the dip the LR that I want to propogate is removed from the DT, dried off and scuffed up at the attachement point. The gel is then applied to both the LR and the frag...allowed to set for 30 seconds then joined together until the gel is set-up...then set in an aquarium water "rinse dish" until everything is ready to go back in the tank.
At any point in this process should the zoos be acclimated for a few hours?
The rock that I want to propogate is my tonga branch. The longest piece I have is laying across the tank from the lowest point to the top of the rock on the other side. As zoos grow do they have a tendency to do so going towards the light or away? I'm thinking of placing them at the lower point of the branch in hopes that as the grow they grow up the rock and eventually cover the whole length of the branch. Can you put 2 different color zoos on the same branch? I think that this is the last of my questions

Thanks again for all the help.

 

[oceana]

Originally Posted by estein02
Alright...I think I've got this.
Once I get the zoos home I want to dip them in a solution of a quart of aquarium water with 10 drops of Lugol's Solution for 10 - 15 minutes. After removing the zoos from the dip the LR that I want to propogate is removed from the DT, dried off and scuffed up at the attachement point. The gel is then applied to both the LR and the frag...allowed to set for 30 seconds then joined together until the gel is set-up...then set in an aquarium water "rinse dish" until everything is ready to go back in the tank.
At any point in this process should the zoos be acclimated for a few hours?
The rock that I want to propogate is my tonga branch. The longest piece I have is laying across the tank from the lowest point to the top of the rock on the other side. As zoos grow do they have a tendency to do so going towards the light or away? I'm thinking of placing them at the lower point of the branch in hopes that as the grow they grow up the rock and eventually cover the whole length of the branch. Can you put 2 different color zoos on the same branch? I think that this is the last of my questions

Thanks again for all the help.
zoas grow out from the edge. as for which direction they will go is up to the flow and lighting. but in general it will go otu on all sides. as for two different types this can be done but in most cases one or the other will take over the other. as for acclimation i would not worry about it to much. assuming your tank water is in good shape and standard temps you will not have a problem .