Help

[RyanDragon]

i have a green neon Zoanthid and a mushroom, I put them on top near the light, but the Zoa seem to turn brown.. should I put it down to the bottom?

[Avi]

Seems like too much light for that particular zoanthid. I'd put them down lower on the rock, but try going down 5 or 6 inches before you put them all the way down.

[RyanDragon]

bump

[RyanDragon]

I have a strip light... with the Ocean Sun Lightbulb, 15 watt in a 30 gallons tank.

[Avi]

Doesn't sound like too much light. What might be going on is that it was the green it should be and when you put it under your lights, which are weaker in intensity than what it had been under before, it lost its vibrant color. If you aren't going to add any additional lighting, then I'd get it as high as I could under the light.

[RyanDragon]

I put it 5 inches under the light, that is as high as I can put it, will it recover it's greeness color ?... By the way, can I buy any additional coral ?

[RyanDragon]

I also have a mushroom and it seem to not open up since I put it in my tank which is 1 day ago. I put next to my Zoa... Can anyone explain this to me ?

[robnuti]

I wouldn't buy anymore corals. You should up grade you lights first.

[RyanDragon]

I have a problem with upgrading cause most T5 lights are 24'' or bigger. My tank is a Hex tank, it can only fit 18'' light(which is suck) . Any suggestion that can help me, btw wat are PC light , and how much does those cost ?I'm saving money to buy a new bigger tank..

[RyanDragon]

bump

[Avi]

Ryan, sorry but, IMO, there isn't much you can do with a tank like that without upgrading the lighting. You're right about the hex being a difficult tank to light unless you invest in a metal halide fixture that you would suspend above it. MH lighting is a bit expensive, so I'd guess that you don't want to do that because you'd rather save the money for upgrading to a bigger...and easier...tank to light adequately for a variety of coral. "PC" lighting is power compact lighting. It's a kind of flourescent lighting that is very widely used over marine tanks. It isn't ideal because it doesn't have very good depth penetration and in order for you to use it to adequately light your tank you'd need far more bulbs than the top of your tank could accomodate. So, it really isn't much of an option for you on the hex for keeping coral.

As for your mushrooms that haven't opened since you put them in your tank: It's very hard to say what that is the result of. We'd have to get into lots of questions about your setup including details about your water quality, equipment, amount of flow, etc. Then, on top of that, mushrooms, which have a reputation for being among the easiest coral, can be very quirky. The very first coral I bought was a mushroom coral colony that was very beautiful in the fish store. I put it in my reef and all of the mushrooms on the rock shrunk up to the size of a dime. I left it in the tank while all my other corals that I bought did very well. It literally took two years for the mushrooms to open up to where they should have been. I still don't know why they chose to open at that time.

Anyway...How long will it be before you can get a bigger tank? And, if it won't be long, then I'd just keep some fish in it until you can. I wish I could give you better news about your present setup.

[RyanDragon]

maybe 2 more years before I can get a new tank, need to work hard in the summer... anyway, thanks for replying Avi

[Avi]

If it'll take you two years, Ryan, consider scouring the Internet for an inexpensive MH pendant that you can hang over the hex. All you would need is one that accomodates one 150-watt or one 175-watt bulb of 14,000K or even 10,000K. Two years is a long time and it's probably worth it for you to have the enjoyment that you'd get from adequate lighting.