ZOO EXPLOSION

[slimpknz]

I'll explain what I told Erik and where I heard it from.

First off, my tank is not even a year old yet, so I am not an expert by any means.

I been doing alot of reading on nano reef and reef central (as well as MAAST) for a couple years, and that's where the info came from. Some of the people that are running the large prop systems are doing cycles with and without skimmers (and lighting changes for that matter). If I understand it correctly, the theory is that the stress caused by the changes in water and lighting is stimulating the growth.

I've also been following some threads where people are slicing and sticking PPEs with needles to stimulate growth.

I don't think anyone will have "THE" answer any time soon, it's all pretty much trial and error and a reactionary approach.

I have a 12 gallon tank that has no skimmer. I get decent to good growth on some Zoas / Palys, and I've had a couple small colonies that just disolved over time. So going skimmerless definitely doesn't solve all issues with growth (if it solves anything at all).

Anyway, glad something I said created the discussion. Lots of good information.

[erikharrison]

yep, it's been great talking to the nano guys, they seem to have great luck with zoo prop.

[BioCube14]

my zoos are doing great in my cube good... flow is all i need and my zoos multiply pretty regularly.

[erikharrison]

I am doing my second cycle of no skimmer. I ran my skimmer and carbon all weekend, and am going skimmerless for the week (hopefully!) I have seen three new heads growing from a zoa rock, I am doing 10 hour light cycles with my mh.

[Thunderkat]

One thing I noticed with my tank was that I had to empty the skimmer tray once a week, when I put xenia in there they grew like crazy. Week after week the skimmer produced less and and less until at one point the xenia had taken over almost half my tank and the skimmer stopped producing anything.

[erikharrison]

wow, lol d@mn xenia ;)

[villjr]

I've heard of people using xenia fuges. I'm going to experiment with it on my dad's tank. ;)

[erikharrison]

I've heard of people using xenia fuges. I'm going to experiment with it on my dad's tank. ;)

lol, poor dad :P

[erikharrison]

OK, well, what I have determined, in my extremely unofficial experimenting is that I am getting better results WITH a skimmer than without. I believe that my bioload is WAY too big to ever go skimmerless again. I have some green stardust palys that were doing horrible, and after a significant water change from a skimmerless cycle, they have started to open and color up again. I remembered this post, and figured that I would update....

[Bill S]

Xenia scares the heck out of me... When it dies off, it releases all of those toxins back into the water - and BOY does it tend to do a die-off.