BTA losing color?

~RuSh~

~RuSh~

New member
Hey guys,

40 breeder, 3 bubble tip anemones, Viparspectra 165w LED at about 12 inches above tank.


I've had two of these anemones since the summer, June or so and they've been through a rough patch lets say. They are hardy and have been stable as of recent, meaning they open regularly, bubble up nicely and seem to have been growing in size - where as during the summer for a period they seemed to not always open up fully and didn't grow at all or shrank (I actually lost one completely after it split). The third BTA I have only put in the tank in the past month or so and it seems to be doing good as well, opening up nice, stretching out and bubbling up. That one seems to have decent color, which in comparison to my others got me really looking - looks like my original two are really lacking color. The tips seem to contain a nice pinkish color, but closer to the base of the tentacles are really light, almost transparent in some areas.

Am I bleaching these guys???

I've been running just one channel on this light since I can't seem to run CH1 and Ch2 at the same time - not sure if I just didn't set it up right or if my unit is defective, but for the past several months I've been running CH1 at about a 40 which is mostly a white spectrum, and I run it from about 4pm to about 10pm. I wouldn't think that would be too much on them but I guess I don't know.

I have been doing spot feeding of small pieces of shrimp about once every other week, which they have tolerated fine so far.

Water parameters were an issue this summer, that's why I lost the first one, but since I've got that back on track things have been better. Last test results were Amm - 0, Nitrite -0, Nitrate ~ 20, Salinity 1026, I use reef crystals, and haven't tested Ca or MG since I set up a long time ago since I have no corals but I could if need be.

Any help is appreciated guys. Thanks.
 
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e...F-FE29-4B14-AC77-2D6AB160DCAD_zpso4wboqdv.jpg

<a href="http://s38.photobucket.com/user/xXGrEeNxTeRrOrXx/media/Saltwater/9283578F-FE29-4B14-AC77-2D6AB160DCAD_zpso4wboqdv.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e108/xXGrEeNxTeRrOrXx/Saltwater/9283578F-FE29-4B14-AC77-2D6AB160DCAD_zpso4wboqdv.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo 9283578F-FE29-4B14-AC77-2D6AB160DCAD_zpso4wboqdv.jpg"></a>



Maybe a picture would be helpful...
 
I have this light on a BTA but both channels at the same time, 60 white, 90 blue.
Does look like its bleaching....
Nitrate at 20 is a bit high, but not overly.
The blue is actually very bright to the nem (or other photosynthetics) so you need to work both channels
 
Thanks for the reply. What size tank? How high is your light mounted?


I guess I really didn't have a clue what I was doing with this light. I've turned the blue up to 60, and white is low at 10 for now. I've increased the light period to 10 hours. See if that makes any difference.
 
~RuSh~ said:
Thanks for the reply. What size tank? How high is your light mounted?


I guess I really didn't have a clue what I was doing with this light. I've turned the blue up to 60, and white is low at 10 for now. I've increased the light period to 10 hours. See if that makes any difference.
Click to expand...

14 from the surface on a 65g
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    64.4 KB · Views: 8
Last edited:
Maybe I need to raise mine? How tall is a 65?

I've increased the photo period to 10 hours vs 6, and changed blue intensity to 60% and white to 15. Leaving everything alone in hopes it starts to recover. Also do a water change later today.
 
I keep a bit higher than maybe "normal" for three reasons...
1-lense does not get stained by the creep
2-less affect of the salty humidity above the water on the units.
3- these lights a bit focused, so higher placement wides the area lit, a a bit more diffused.

Once you find a setting....just let it sit for a bit....then if you need, ramp up a tad.....
You want enough light to feed corals but not algae, there's a balance you will find.
 
Check out BRS video on T5 lighting.
They had their clown harem/anemone tank under LED’s and the nems werent the healthiest looking. After switching to the hybrid power module they came back looking awesome.
Not that LED can’t sustain them but they could create hotspots , which ain’t good .
 
Uncle99 said:
I keep a bit higher than maybe "normal" for three reasons...
1-lense does not get stained by the creep
2-less affect of the salty humidity above the water on the units.
3- these lights a bit focused, so higher placement wides the area lit, a a bit more diffused.

Once you find a setting....just let it sit for a bit....then if you need, ramp up a tad.....
You want enough light to feed corals but not algae, there's a balance you will find.
Click to expand...




I'll leave these settings for a week or two so they can get used to the photo period, but I think I may raise the fixture a few inches after that. There may be a hot spot somewhere, and if I need to increase intensity I can still do that too.

Thanks.
 
eutimio said:
Check out BRS video on T5 lighting.
They had their clown harem/anemone tank under LED's and the nems werent the healthiest looking. After switching to the hybrid power module they came back looking awesome.
Not that LED can't sustain them but they could create hotspots , which ain't good .
Click to expand...


I've been considering T5HO for a while, but I just haven't committed to changing yet. Any recommendations?
 
~RuSh~ said:
I've been considering T5HO for a while, but I just haven't committed to changing yet. Any recommendations?
Click to expand...

To be honest, I just installed an ATI 4x24 sunpower over my reef.
Coming from Kessil and AI Hydra HD, I'm very happy with the switch to T5.
The tank is visually much brighter , coverage is very good and my SPS are lighted evenly . Had lots of self shadowing on my SPS with the LED's and I didn't want to spend more money on extra fixtures to solve that issue.

I don't mind at all the flatter look ; it's easier on my eyes. Others have different tastes for shimmer I guess.
My tank is 95% SPS with a gorgonian and fully grown maxima clam. In my mind the sunpower made sense.
Colors are very very good with the following bulbs:
ATI Blue+
ATI Coral+
Giesemann super actinic
ATI Blue+

Sorry for the long response.
 
Don't apologize, I appreciate the info. I am drawn to LED for the reduced power consumption, and low maintenance (not replacing bulbs).

But for the health of my tank, I am considering the T5s in this case. I do plan on giving this fixture another solid few months though. We'll see what happens.
 
~RuSh~ said:
Don't apologize, I appreciate the info. I am drawn to LED for the reduced power consumption, and low maintenance (not replacing bulbs).

But for the health of my tank, I am considering the T5s in this case. I do plan on giving this fixture another solid few months though. We'll see what happens.
Click to expand...


Yup, I moved from T5, had to replace every 9 months and they are expensive.
Been able to grow just as good with well tuned LED, including Acros and maxima clams.....never going back
 
Uncle99 said:
Yup, I moved from T5, had to replace every 9 months and they are expensive.
Been able to grow just as good with well tuned LED, including Acros and maxima clams.....never going back
Click to expand...

No need to change bulbs every 9 months. According to PAR data from BRS on ATI bulbs you can go very comfortably to 1.5 year mark without significant PAR drop.
Let’s see...ATI sunpower 8x80watt , 60inch fixture is 800$. A single Radion xr30 gen 4 Pro costs that much.
You need at least 4 more to cover a 6ft tank well, meaning minimal shadowing, maybe 5 or about 1 fixture per foot for SPS.
Now take your money you would have spent on the other 4 or 5 Radions and buy yourself bulbs for the next 10 years and still have money left to buy ReefBrites or Orphek bars to attach to your Sunpower .

Don’t wanna derail the thread , but cost is a wash between them.
 
BTA's have not improved. I've cut the intensity in half. 30% blues, 15% white. I may cut down on photoperiod again as well.
 
Nem likes perfect, on-point water parameters.
In the post I see nitrate at 20ppm, I would shoot for 2-5ppm.
In the pic, I see tuffs of GHA, so it's likely that phosphste is high, I would shoot for 0.02-0.05 and no mire than 0.1
You say you had 2, went through a rough spot, got another. How is this one doing today?
If you can list all your parameters, that may help.
Once they get to a certain point and lost their zoo, hard to get them back, but possible

Not sure light is the issue here. If there is two much light, too little light, too much or little flow, they just move to a spot they like. The fact that one split is a sign of poor water conditions, kinda like self preservation. While they will move fir better light and flow, they, of course, they can not move to find better water.

If your most recent nem is fine, I would stabilize the intensity and period, and nit make any changes.

I would definitely monitor the water parameters.
 
Last edited:
It is going to take time for them to recover. You can not expect to fix in a week what as happened from months of to little light. You were on the right track increasing your lighting. If they are getting too much light they will move away from it. BTA Anemones like nitrates in the water and use it as a food source. They will do great with nitrates as high as 120.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

LIReefer
Apex EB4 needed
Replies
0
Views
78
LIReefer
LIReefer
A
Please help reef tank
Replies
2
Views
235
SantaMonica
S
A
Please help reef tank
Replies
9
Views
254
wvned
wvned
K
Red Haddon Anemone
2
Replies
25
Views
1K
kokoui
K
E
Refractometer woes….what would you do?
Replies
12
Views
357
jrill
J
Back
Top