Bleaching carpet

[Flightpipe]

Recently I had been unable to do any regular water changes about 2.5 months for various reasons I was trying to maintain params through kalk drip and dosing. Well I was way off and I have had some poor params and large ph swings. I have lost a couple acros and make everything else pretty mad most importantly my green carpet he is bleached out a bit from his usual dark green and is now light green I am back on my water changes with a new pumping system and I have gotten proper dosing back in order so my params are in check what can I do to help my carpet get back in shape? Additional feedings?

My lights are t5ho current nova extreme 8-54wbulbs For lamps
4 ATI Blue Plus
1 UVL super Actinic
1UVL Aquasun
1 GE 6500K Daylight
1ATI Aquablue


sg 1.025-6
amm 0
nitrates 0
ph 8.1 (swing at night is about 7.8-9 to 8.0-1 during day)
Alk 10.5
Cal 420
Mag 1250

 

[Flightpipe]

bump

 

[Toddrtrex]

Are those the same lights that you have always had?

I would make sure that you keep the water in check, and maybe feed a little bit more --- but small pieces and I wouldn't feed more then once a week.

How long have you had this anemone?

Might want to think about shading the lights a bit.

 

[Flightpipe]

Lights were 4 10k 4 atenic when i first got him on jan 3 I up graded bulbs on 2/20 i did not really acclimate light in retro i should have.
What had me worried is my params being off I had not really thought about the lights I was also topping off about ance a day around 1- 2 gal which i think maybe to much of a shock as well

I am going to set up my ato and kalk reactor with in a week i hope so that will fix my top off fluctuations and I m testing daily if not more to keep params stable.

I didnt think these guys could have to much light with people keeping them under MH I know my t5 setup is cooking but I did'nt think it was as intense as a mh set up.

 

[Toddrtrex]

It isn't that yours is getting too much light, it could be too much of an increase too fast. (( I keep 2 of mine under 2*250 in a 58, so they can handled lots of light, just need to make sure it is acclimated to it )).

Think it was a combo of a lot of changes/stressors all at once that caused it to bleach.

 

[ShareReef]

I would cut back on my light running times and maybe go back to the step that you skipped, which was acclimating the anemone to the light. Do you have any pictures. Where is the anemone at in the tank? Is it sticky? Is the foot well planted? If yes, to both of those then I would just acclimate to the new light, feed a couple times a week, and go from there. It should start coloring up on its own.

 

[Flightpipe]

He is sticky and he eats foot is firmly in the sand at the base of a rock as it has been.

I was thinking of just additional feedings but reducing lights as well? by what say 2 hours?

 

[ShareReef]

How long do you run the lights now? Where is the anemone is relation to the light itself? Has it moved away from the light or tried to seek shade? I am just trying to think. I have a carpet as well and had to adjust him from PC to MH. I am pretty sure I only ran my MH about 4 hours total the first few days and then add light time from there. As long as it is sticky and that foot is planted I would reduce lighting, up feedings, and wait. Sticky being the most important part from my experience.

 

[Toddrtrex]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14723908#post14723908 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Flightpipe
He is sticky and he eats foot is firmly in the sand at the base of a rock as it has been.

I was thinking of just additional feedings but reducing lights as well? by what say 2 hours?

IMO, using window screening works so much better then cutting back the photo period.

 

[Flightpipe]

Full light 9hr blues 11hr

ill try to get some pics later

Todd your saying 3 layers of screen thing taking one off per week?

 

[ShareReef]

I have also used the window screen. This also works great for keeping jumpers in

 

[Toddrtrex]

Yep. That is what I did with a new LTA that I got a couple of months ago. It came from poor lights, and is now under 250 MH. Used 3 layers and removed one each week. It is dong great now.

Think of it this way --- If you haven't been out in the sun in a while (( not sure if you will get this, since you live in FLA. )), and go out with no sunscreen, can still get a sunburn in two hours. But, if you put on some sunscreen you will be fine.

 

[ShareReef]

LOL, I gotcha! I will have to remember that in case I ever need to shade/acclimate something again. Very neat trick. I'm Irish, I get burned in 15 minutes with baby sunscreen ha ha ha!

 

[Flightpipe]

O i got ya I just dont understand doing it now that he has been under the lights for a month.

But I guess it s light shock recover by reducing and acclimating back to current levels. I just want my carpet to be healthy. I pick up some screen today and do 3 levels removal of one per week. and feed twice a week.

On a side note my LFS who I had asked to get me some saddles finally got some in for me I would not pick them up till the end of the week but would they just stress the carpet out more? i have read with conflicting info how being hosted helps the nem or can stress it. I could set up a qt if need i guess.

 

[Toddrtrex]

The reason to do it now is because it is bleached, want to reduce stress from the lights.

Hmm, that is a tough one, since a Haddoni is a natural host for saddlebacks, I wouldn't be surprised if they found it right away. That could add to its stress. The hardest part would be getting them out if they started to bother it.

 

[ShareReef]

Hmmm...I'm on the fence about this. It is already stressed and I want to say to get it better first before adding anything else, - especially something that would effect it like the clowns would. On the other hand, clowns are beneficial and could (I use that loosely) help "nurse" it back to health. BUT, there is NO guaruntee that the clowns will go with the anemone or that the anemone will accept the clowns. It is always best to get clowns from the store that are currently hosting an anemone. If the anemone is sick and rejects them now, they may not attempt to host him again, kinda like burning a bridge. It could go either way. If it were me I would error on the side of caution and hold off on the clowns.

 

[Flightpipe]

i know my thoughts exactly they are really good looking too and not to large maybe 1.5" each so I dont think they would smother it. i am kinda looking foward to then looking after it my cleaner shrimp pester the haddoni walking on it a lil now and again and trying to steal food. I would like to seem them set up shop with it and keep everything else clear.

 

[Toddrtrex]

One thing to watch for, is that saddleback clowns are known for diving into the mouth of Haddonis, which at this point wouldn't be a good thing.

 

[Flightpipe]

ill play it by ear when i get a moment tonight ill snap some pics he is not white by any means but He is def. bleached and needs a lil tlc thanks guys ill post an update tonight

 

[ShareReef]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention about the diving in the mouth part. My female clown has gone all the way in my carpet's mouth and turned around and come out. She is about 3-4 inches long and pretty thick. Speaking of, with being sticky as a sign of good health, so is a nice tight mouth. If it starts gapping open or being stretchy, he's definently not doing good. Keep us updated and best of luck!