Zoa/palys: on rock or on sandbed?

mrhasan · #1 11-23-2012, 03:28 AM

I have heard mixed opinion on people succeeding on growing zoas/palys on sandbed while others fail and prefer rocks. I myself am experiencing that my zoas and palys are not willing to expand into the sandbed but rather is either attaching itself to the other zoa/paly's tile or just packing up on the small rocks/tiles (yah Denny's patented tiles :P) they are attached on. I am keeping all the zoas on sand bed now but thinking of gluing them to rocks.

Would like to know what others have success with: rock or sandbed

Zoaelite · #2 11-23-2012, 03:35 AM

Not sure where you got this information from but its incorrect, no zoanthid will grow directly onto a sand bed. Palys will incorporate sand into their coenenchyme and stalk but again, you would be EXTREMELY hard pressed to get one growing directly onto your sand.

mrhasan · #3 11-23-2012, 03:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoaelite

Not sure where you got this information from but its incorrect, no zoanthid will grow directly onto a sand bed. Palys will incorporate sand into their coenenchyme and stalk but again, you would be EXTREMELY hard pressed to get one growing directly onto your sand.

Yah didn't sound right to me too. No wonder I am not getting good growth on sandbed! The stems are just getting taller and that's it. Time to get hand wet and glue up the zoas to rock

Thanks

Zoaelite · #4 11-23-2012, 03:41 AM

All good, I chose to ditch the sand on my zoa only tank. Its far to easy for them to get covered and die in a hurry.

Its pretty tough for them to grow onto glass but once the coraline has started they will jump right onto it.

mrhasan · #5 11-23-2012, 03:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoaelite

All good, I chose to ditch the sand on my zoa only tank. Its far to easy for them to get covered and die in a hurry.

Its pretty tough for them to grow onto glass but once the coraline has started they will jump right onto it.

Makes sense

So I will be sticking my zoas around the middle of the tank where the birdnests, monticaps and digitatas are growing like crazy. DO you think its gonna be like too much light for the zoas or something?

Zoaelite · #6 11-23-2012, 03:45 AM

How deep is the tank and what sort of light are you using?

I think you should be just fine.

mrhasan · #7 11-23-2012, 03:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zoaelite

How deep is the tank and what sort of light are you using?

I think you should be just fine.

12" deep tank. 2 30" T5HO lights (64W total; 10k + actinic). Coralife fixture (around 5" high from water surface.

All montis and birdnests are growing crazy at the middle while I heard that birdnests like really high light (wrong maybe?). I have put a small frag of birdnest on the very top to see how it responds. I am still not getting hold of my tank's lighting intensities :|