Opinion on zoa color change

We put 4 T5s on a week ago (Monday actually) finally. Prior to that we had those LED strips that I posted in my blog and the front one was half burned out so it was pretty low light. We had also gotten 2 blue T8s that we had in there for a few weeks before finally getting the T5s.

When we were given these zoas, they looked like this:
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And now they look like this:
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The guy who gave these to my boyfriend said they were Watermelons (not sure if they're Whammin Watermelons or what, Watermelons was all that was transmitted to me LOL).

Considering the array of lighting these things have been in over the past month or so, I know it would be hard to make a guess, but I'd love to know why they've changed color. Too little light for a while? Too much light now? They've seemed pretty plain orange to me for several weeks now, so I'm guessing the light was too low?

Mostly we're curious, but I also got a new zoa plug today that has at least 3 different kinds on it, and I want to make sure the colors stay on this one, so having an idea will determine my placement. Currently they're on the rock next to the original zoas at just a slightly lower height.

The new zoas (as much as they've opened so far):
View attachment 36934

 

Oh, and these are as true to real life color as possible.

 

I do not think the change was from too little light or too much light, unless the previous bulbs were really old. Just a change of lighting, it maybe me but they look lighter now?

Very pretty zoanthids BTW.

 

Yes they are reacting to the light change. You might want to place them lower in the tank to regain some of their color or put them in some partial shade. They may also recover from the light shock and regain their color.

 

Thanks y'all.
Yes, Corailline, they look lighter to me too, way more orange than they were.

2in10, that's what I was wondering. Just wasn't sure if I should move them lower for less light or if low light caused it. It's just so hard to tell since we've had so many lighting changes lately. Right now they're getting major light and wasn't sure what caused the change...low light or new high light LOL. I'll try to move them down somewhere else tomorrow for a while & see what happens. I'll try to find a spot for the new ones too, don't want them to lose color!

 

Good T5 fixtures are quite powerful so you will want to light acclimate the corals.

 

This is the other free frag that my boyfriend got. He was told it was a War Coral. I had no idea what kind of coral this even was until I looked it up. So far, I'm really enjoying it & waiting for it to grow. It certainly likes to eat!

This pic was taken tonight, and is true to color:
View attachment 36939

More puffed up:
View attachment 36940

Eating mysis another day:
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We wondered about that when we put the lights on, 2in10, thanks again!

 

I agree with too much light. I don't really know why, but I've seen zoas get a lighter color and stretch out like they where reaching for light in a high light tank.

 

Nice favites, keep it low in the tank.

I toasted a lot of my corals with my T5HO set up until I cut back on bulbs and hours.