kev2me's Grow Out Contest Zoas

[kev2me]

My wife (rosebud161616) and I planned on doing this contest together, but turns out we won an extra pack at the swap so we're going to have competing zoas in two different tanks! We are a bit competitive...

About the tank:

Size: 72 x 12 x 12, divided into 6 bays. About 40 gallons after rock and glass dividers.
Sump: Very left hand bay.
Temp: ranges from 78-80
Age: Approximately 6 months old
This was originally going to be a growout tank, but it's more like the neglected red headed stepchild tank at the moment with nice annoying algae in various forms, aiptasia and other annoying things. These zoas get their own bay.


Equipment:

4' 4x54W T5's + natural sunlight
Mag9 return pump
Small unknown pump to give the zoa bay a bit more flow.
BRS reactor with GFO and Carbon
UV Sterilizer to deal with the algae.
Stealth heater.
ATO soon to be installed.


Here's a pic of the tank when it was first set up.
http://www.kevintoomey.com/reef/Anemone_Tank/FTS_Feb_6_2010.jpg

Looks a bit different now. I'll get some pics later.

[jimsflies]

So who's winning? :)

[jimsflies]

What happened? How are those frags doing?

[kev2me]

Well the Lunars died almost immediately. They had a brown fungus on them when we unpacked them and tried dipping them to help them out. No luck :(

For some reason Lunars always die on us, so I sort of expected it, but not right off the bat.

That gave me a sour taste in my mouth and kinda discouraged me for even continuing with this contest.

Well I'll suck it up and try to get an update going when I get home.

[jimsflies]

A lot of us have lost the lunars, myself included. Even though winning may be a less probable, I still think tracking the remaining frags and how they are doing may help us figure out how to better grow Z&P's. I think if everyone but a couple drop out of the contest, the comparative benefit of the contest will be lost.

[kev2me]

Better Than Kedds Red - 5 polyps
http://kevintoomey.com/reef/contest/CR_Growout/kev_feb9_2011_better.jpg

Cherry Corals SkyHigh's Zoos ~ 10 polyps
http://kevintoomey.com/reef/contest/CR_Growout/kev_feb9_2011_cc_skyhigh.jpg

Devils Armor - 7 polyps
http://kevintoomey.com/reef/contest/CR_Growout/kev_feb9_2011_devils_armor.jpg

Eye of Rah ~ 16 polyps
http://kevintoomey.com/reef/contest/CR_Growout/kev_feb9_2011_eye_of_rah.jpg

Gobstoppers - 4 polyps
http://kevintoomey.com/reef/contest/CR_Growout/kev_feb9_2011_gobstoppers.jpg

Green Bay Packers ~ 14 polyps
http://kevintoomey.com/reef/contest/CR_Growout/kev_feb9_2011_green_bay.jpg

Purple Death ~ 11 polyps
http://kevintoomey.com/reef/contest/CR_Growout/kev_feb9_2011_purple_death.jpg

Lunars - 0 polyps

Bubble Algae ~ 200 polyps

= 67 polyps